We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

rethink: The Podcast brings ideas, stories, strategies and inspiring guests together to help you rethink how you see, communicate and collaborate.

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Overwhelmed by complexity?

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Take a listen to one of the previous episodes to hear (and see) how visual thinking can help you.

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Nicki is joined by educator, facilitator and community-builder Maxine Buttigieg, founder of Mira: Where Teachers Connect. Together, they explore what it means to look again; to slow down, notice what’s often overlooked and understand why feeling seen
Nicki shares the story of presenting a visual-thinking workshop to a group of art teachers in Singapore. The content focused on a challenge dear to her heart, the teachers were engaged, but one thing was missing: the feedback loop.
How do you make people stop scrolling and pay attention? In this episode, Nicki Hambleton talks with designer Nadia Fernández, whose cinematic, story-driven carousels have become instantly recognisable on LinkedIn. They explore what it means to desig
Every team has its wobbly blocks, those small things that quietly hold everything together until they’re overlooked, pushed aside, or forgotten. In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton explores what really makes teams wobble and how
What if your greatest strength wasn’t doing more, but simply being there? In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Nicki Hambleton talks with leadership and wellbeing coach and veteran Dave Hill, whose message is simple yet profound: helping people r
Two very different creatures: one that thrives in the depths, the other high above it all. The octopus explores through curiosity and creativity; the eagle soars with vision and focus. But what happens when they meet at the surface? In this short st
The enemy of creativity is "good enough". In this engaging conversation, Nicki Hambleton and guest Felix Riley explore the themes of creativity, education and the importance of visual thinking. They discuss how brainstorming can unlock innovative i
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton explores how visual thinking can become your secret superpower for remembering people, not just their names, but who they are.
Explaining what you do isn’t always easy, especially when, like Nicki, your work reaches into many areas at once. In this episode of Rethink: the Podcast, Nicki shares the story of how the “octopus” metaphor first came to life when she was teaching
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton explores what leaders can learn from teachers. Drawing on her own experiences in the classroom, including a tough period working with disengaged students, Nicki reflects on the parallels betwee
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton speaks with executive function coach Suzanne Kamal, who specialises in helping children and families build routines, strategies, and systems that support learning and everyday life. Together,
In this episode of Rethink: the Podcast, Nicki Hambleton explores the Inside–Outside strategy: a simple yet powerful visual tool to help us see beyond the surface. We all project something on the outside through our actions, body language, and behav
In this unscripted and personal episode, Nicki Hambleton pauses the regular format to reflect on what it means to stay authentic in an increasingly AI-shaped world. Recorded straight from her lounge with no script, no polish, Nicki explores the quie
In this recap episode of Rethink: the podcast, host Nicki Hambleton reflects on 30 episodes and seven months of recording. She highlights four major themes: learning & memory, visual frameworks, big picture creativity, and inclusion & authenticity, w
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton shares how the work of Kawakita influenced many simple yet effective strategies. This one uses the metaphor of the night sky to move ideas to action.
In this episode, the Bridge metaphor takes centre stage to help individuals move from their current to desired state by taking small steps to get there..
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, we’re digging beneath the surface. Nicki Hambleton explores the power of the onion metaphor to unpack complexity and reveal what’s really going on. Using visual thinking strategies, we peel back the outer lay
In this episode of Rethink the Podcast, I’m joined by Nici Foote, founder of Unbarrier Me, an educator and creative problem-solver who helps schools, multi-academy trusts, and teachers build inclusive, future-ready learning environments using tools t
In this episode, I share the moment that led to creating MapChat, a visual way to map conversations as they unfold. Then I introduce the Conversation Catcher, a simple, playful tool for opening up reflective conversations when mapping isn’t practic
In this episode of RETHINK, we dive into visual frameworks: simple, shape-based tools that help you organise messy thinking, untangle ideas and make better decisions. Whether you're planning a project, navigating a tricky conversation, or just feelin
In this reflective episode, Nicki shares what attending the Jigsaw24 Education Summit unlocked for her: a quiet but powerful moment of clarity, confidence, and reconnection. From feeling on the fringes of education to realising the power of her work
Visual thinking isn’t just about drawing, it’s about showing meaning. And sometimes, one powerful image can communicate what paragraphs of text struggle to explain. In this episode, Nicki explores how using visual thinking and the Power Image strate
In this third episode of the Visual Strategies for Wellbeing series, Nicki shares the SEE Framework – a powerful visual tool to help you go from frazzled to focused. Whether your brain feels like it has 73 tabs open or you're facing a big decision t
What do you do when words just aren’t enough? When feelings are swirling and thoughts feel tangled? In this second episode of our Visual Thinking for Wellbeing mini series, I explore how visual metaphors can help you make sense of complex emotion
When the pressure piles up and your brain feels like it’s short-circuiting, how do you find clarity? In this episode, the first in a five-part series on visual thinking for wellbeing, we explore what happens in the brain when stress takes over and
What if you could turbocharge your thinking just by drawing it out? In this episode of rethink: the podcast, I’m joined by visual facilitator Brendon O’Brien of Cue Vision to explore how visual thinking isn’t just a creative tool, it’s a cognitive s
In this episode, I’m taking you right back to where it all began, 2012, a new iPad, and a conversation over lunch that changed how I think, listen, and learn. That was the moment I discovered the power of visual note-taking. Not just as a fun way
In this episode of rethink: the podcast, we explore a simple but powerful visual strategy to help you take back control of your day, without the overwhelm. I’m sharing how visual planning (instead of endless to-do lists) can help you design your day
Feeling overwhelmed but can't pinpoint why? In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton introduces Mood Mapping — a simple visual strategy to track emotional patterns, manage stress and boost self-awareness. Learn how to plot your energy
The 5 Visual Thinking Myths Busted: Why You're Already More Visual Than You Think Description: Think you're not a 'visual thinker'? Think again. In this episode, we bust five common myths about visual thinking — from the belief that it's only for ar
Feeling overwhelmed by ideas? Or just joining the podcast now and wondering where to begin? This special recap episode is your chance to pause, zoom out, and connect the dots from Episodes 1 to 12. In Rethink The Recap, I walk you through the steppi
In this episode, we flip the focus from listener to leader and rethink how we design and deliver presentations. Whether you’re leading a meeting, teaching a class, or pitching an idea, your slides shouldn’t be your script. They should be your suppo
In this episode, I share how sketchnoting became a game-changer for my neurodivergent brain. Not just a creative outlet, sketchnotes helped me learn to listen differently—focusing on meaning, calming the overwhelm, and capturing ideas I’d actually us
In this episode, I share a personal story about discovering I likely have dyslexic thinking and how that realisation helped me reframe not only my challenges but also my greatest gifts. From struggling to retain information through spoken word to t
In this episode I talk to Paul Vincent, Global Leader in Service Design, Randstad Enterprise. Paul set himself a challenge: to create 25 Questions for 2025, a series of thought-provoking prompts designed to help leaders, businesses, and individuals r
In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how spatial organisation transforms the way we think, communicate, and design—whether in presentations, learning materials, or even how we arrange our workspaces. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how storyboarding can transform the way you think, communicate, and bring ideas to life. 📌 What you’ll discover: 🔹 Why storyboarding works for different types of thinkers—from creatives to leader
In this episode of rethink: the Podcast, we explore how visual metaphors can transform the way we think, communicate, and problem-solve. 📌 What you’ll discover: 🔹 How metaphors help make abstract ideas concrete. 🔹 The power of turning concepts in
In this episode of rethink: the podcast, I explore how concept mapping can transform your thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills by mirroring the way your brain naturally organises information. 🔹 Why mapping works – backed by neuroscience & G
Ever been in a meeting where only the loudest voices dominate? Thought Threads is a spatial, silent brainstorming technique designed to ensure every idea gets seen and valued—especially for introverts, reflective thinkers, and neurodiverse team membe
Think you can’t draw? Think again! 🎨 Most of us stop drawing around age 7 to 9, the last time we truly enjoyed it. But what if drawing isn’t about art—it’s about thinking? In this episode of rethink, I explore how sketching can boost memory, enhanc
Crazy 8 is designed to help you rethink brainstorming and spark connections and it is fast, fun, and full of ideas. Whether you’re working alone or in a team, this quick and creative technique gets ideas flowing and uncovers patterns you might not se
In this first episode of reThink, I introduce you to the heart of the podcast—exploring creative ways to reimagine ideas, improve processes, and gain fresh insights. You’ll learn what the three pillars of reThink—Ideas, Innovation, and Insights—reall
Ep34: What Leaders can Learn from Teachers
Nicki Hambleton Nicki Hambleton

Ep34: What Leaders can Learn from Teachers

In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton reveals what leaders can learn from teachers. Discover how simple classroom strategies, like starting with a hook, encouraging participation, scaffolding tasks, using feedback loops and making ideas visual, can transform meetings from boring to brilliant.

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