Lessons from the Graphic Recorder’s Pen: Insights for Everyone
Graphic recorders—those agile artists who capture complex conversations in real time, distilling words into vibrant visuals—not to blow my own horn (okay maybe a little bit of horn blowing) but we possess skills that extend beyond the world of pens and paper. Whether you’re a leader, communicator, or team member, the principles that guide our craft could be useful to you and your work too.
Here are five lessons we can all take from graphic recorders, even if we never pick up a marker ourselves.
- Go Straight to Ink: Confidence Over Perfection
Graphic recorders rarely sketch tentative pencil lines before committing to ink. No, we dive straight in, trusting our ability to listen, synthesise, and capture key points in real-time. There’s no time for second-guessing because the conversation waits for no one. You can overthink a pencil line til the cows come home, in fact since it’s changeable, sometimes it can make you feel like you haven’t done your job diligently enough if you don’t tweak it. Going straight to ink means working off instinct, trusting that the most important things stuck with you and that if it fell from your mind then it didn’t need to make the cut. Trust yourself, and if you get it wrong, own it and adapt it as best you can.
The Lesson:
Confidence doesn’t mean you’ll never make mistakes; it means trusting your ability to recover and adapt. Whether leading a meeting or tackling a new project, take decisive action instead of waiting for the “perfect” plan. Confidence inspires trust in others and keeps the momentum alive.
- You Don’t Have to Know the End to Get Started
Graphic recorders often begin with a blank page and no clue how the final piece will look. We listen, adapt, and trust the process, knowing that clarity will emerge as the event / content unfolds.
The Lesson:
In life and work, it is easy to get stuck waiting for all the answers before starting. But often, the act of beginning—writing the first word, scheduling the first meeting, sketching the first idea—reveals the path forward. Trust yourself and the process. You don’t need a fully formed vision to take the first step.
- More Is Not Better: Focus on What Matters
Graphic recording isn’t about capturing every single word. Instead, it’s about distilling vast amounts of information into the most essential ideas. The best graphic recordings are carefully curated reflections, not exhaustive transcripts. I often use a technique where I imagine I am standing in a hallway, in a room on one side of the hallway is the conversation I am capturing, in a room on the other side is my Grandma who is relying on me to summarise for her what is going on across the hall. In order for me to explain it to her I must be succinct, keep it simple and find the moments of human truth that encapsulate the learnings.
The Lesson:
In a world overflowing with information, clarity is more valuable than volume. Whether you’re crafting a report, preparing a presentation, or brainstorming with your team, focus on synthesising and distilling. What are the core messages? What truly matters to your audience? Less can be more when it’s intentional and precise.
- Humans Are Always at the Heart
Graphic recorders know that whenever humans come together, there are stories and characters to reflect. Our visuals aren’t just diagrams or charts; they include people, emotions, and relationships. We also draw from what isn’t said, observing body language, audience reactions, and recurring themes.
The Lesson:
Every workplace interaction is a story about people—how they think, feel, and connect. Leaders and teams can gain deep insight by paying attention to unspoken dynamics: the reactions in the room, the questions left unanswered, and the themes that emerge over time.
When creating messages or initiatives, remember the human element. Stories and characters make information relatable and memorable. Always ask, Who is this story about, and how do they feel?
- Communication Is More Than Text
Graphic recorders have lots of tools in their tool belt such as colours, shapes, icons, and metaphors to make ideas engaging and accessible. They remind us that not everything needs to be conveyed through paragraphs and bullet points.
The Lesson:
There are endless ways to communicate. Before defaulting to dense blocks of text, consider your audience and the message you want to deliver. Could a diagram, a mind map, or a story bring it to life? Could visuals add clarity or connection?
Applying These Lessons to Everyday Work
Here’s how you can adopt these principles, even if you’re not a graphic recorder:
- Act with Confidence: The next time you’re faced with uncertainty, trust your instincts. Start with what you know and adapt as you go. Mistakes are fine as long as you own them.
- Embrace the Process: Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis. Start small and let progress shape the outcome. Trust the process.
- Edit Ruthlessly: When presenting ideas, focus on clarity. Cut the noise, find what truly matters and give it space to breathe.
- Look for Stories: Pay attention to the human elements in every project. Who’s impacted? What are their needs? How can you reflect them in your work?
- Experiment with Visuals: Try sketching a quick diagram or creating an infographic instead of relying solely on text.
The Bigger Picture
The principles of graphic recording are tools for anyone seeking to communicate, collaborate, or lead more effectively.
So, while you may never find yourself with a marker in hand, standing in front of a blank wall during a meeting, you can still think like a graphic recorder. And in doing so, you’ll transform not only the way you communicate but also the way you approach challenges and opportunities.
Because, just like the best graphic recordings, the most impactful messages aren’t the most complicated—they’re the ones that resonate.
