10 good reasons why maps

Introduction
On training courses, delegates usually get trained in one of
two ways: either the trainer leads the delegates through thick
manuals or the delegates listen while the trainer lectures.
At Gazing Performance, we think both of these approaches
are fatally flawed, so we have deliberately chosen a different
method of training. Essentially, we teach everyone how to
read a ‘map’ of the performance domain or skill in question –
a simple 1-page diagram either in the field of business, sport
or education.
Then, as familiarity with the map increases, we help delegates
to practice applying it to situations which resemble how
they will use it in real life. The map, therefore, is the central
tool which provides the foundation for effective skill
development.
Why have we placed this emphasis on learning maps, as
opposed to working through manuals or listening to gurus?
Because history has shown us that maps are one of the most
effective forms of communication ever developed. Far from
being a training company gimmick, maps provide an elegant
solution to the major problem
of ineffective training. Maps can do this because they have
special properties which make them the ideal format to
transfer information to delegates in a way that they can apply
it in the real world,
transforming knowledge into skills. But we have become so
familiar with maps and how they work that we have lost sight
of exactly why they work in this way.
This article sets out these principles so you can see why an
10 GOOD REASONSWHY
MAPS CAN GUIDEYOUR PERFORMANCE
TO A NEW LEVEL Map: “A diagrammatic representation of a specific area or domain”.
accurate map is invaluable. But first, what is a Gazing map?
Maps are comprised of components and connections. We
break each skill or task down into its
component parts or ‘locations’. Our maps contain a graphic
representation of these ‘locations’, and show the routes or
pathways for moving between these locations. This simple
description belies the process of developing accurate maps.
Effective movement is often prevented in a certain area if
there is no clear description of that territory. And maps only
work if they are reasonably accurate and comprehensive
– a map showing only parts of the territory is of limited
usefulness. We have spent several years looking at each skill or
performance domain we train very closely, to try to make sure
we have got all of the important and relevant components
on each map.
The maps have been ‘tested out’ in numerous courses so that
they have undergone multiple revisions, improving
their accuracy. Delegates have given us invaluable suggestions
about pathways not originally on the maps. In the end, each
map represents several years of research, development, and
testing summarised graphically on one page.
Of course, at one level the maps can just be seen as simple
diagrams of performance for a specific skill.
In what sense should they be considered ‘maps’ in their own
right? We think this description is justified for three main
reasons.
Gazing Performance Systems international Ltd www.gazing.com E: gazing@gazing.com T: +44 (0)20 8568 0298 F: +44 (0)20 8568 9782

First, the frameworks are comprised of an original collection
of multiple sub-structures and concepts, which are combined
in such a way that movement between them is important.
This ‘movement between locations’ seems to us to accurately
represent maplike qualities.
Second, as the content of each map has been developed and
refined over several years to represent a
comprehensive approach to a particular skill or task,
the breadth and depth of each map represents much more
than a personal ‘mind-map’ held loosely in someone’s mind.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, whereas mind-maps
are designed as very individual, personal aide memories,
Gazing performance maps are designed to provide shared
platforms for groups of people and teams. Imagine the chaos
if they all worked from different maps!
With that general background in mind, what are the
principles which explain why the map format is such a
powerful method of communication?
1. Maps chart the territory.
The first and most important reason why maps are important
for performance is that they chart the territory, revealing what
is there.
A major problem with the whole area of the psychology
of high performance is that there is a degree of mystery about
precisely what it involves. We are much more aware of the
physical requirements of sports performance or the technical
components of selling – but when it comes to the mental
aspects of performing under pressure, most people readily
acknowledge it is important, but are much less clear as to
what it entails. Some of us even get lost. Maps help demystify
the
area by simply showing us what is there – they describe the
territory so there are no surprises or secrets.
And, very importantly, we can all see what is there.
Maps can be used by individuals but they are at their most
powerful when groups of people (and especially teams) use
the same map. This is because they create a common language
for the group, making communication clear and efficient.
There is a standard reference point to guide decision-making
and problem
solving. Implicitly, we all know that this is important – it has
even entered our colloquial language – “we need to get on
the same map”. We know that everyone working off different
maps does not lend itself to high performance. Yet much of
the time, this is precisely the situation in which groups and
teams find themselves in. They have a general idea in verbal
or written format about the domain they are operating within,
and maybe
even a personal internal ‘map’, but there is no clear, explicit
external map that everyone can see and refer to.
2. Maps are descriptive (rather than interpretative).
The job of a map is to visually show you the territory – to
simply describe what is there. They are not designed to put
a spin on it, create an angle, interpret the data, or propose
a theory. Because they are descriptive, maps are inherently
‘neutral’ structures, which are not emotional or controlling.
They do not make judgments about what is good or bad
or right or wrong - their purpose is just to provide useful
information.
It is up to humans to traverse the territory in the way that we
see fit. Maps might guide your thought and action but they
do not enforce it by telling you that you MUST take a certain
path or route. This means that if used correctly, maps provide
flexibility and choice rather than rigidity.
You remain in control and the map is a tool at your disposal,
for when you need it. The fact
that maps are simply a diagram of the real world coded onto
a 1-page summary means that they do not create resistance
– there may be discussions or even disputes about which way
to go (there commonly is!), but as long as the map is accurate,
no one criticises the approach the map has taken.
3. Maps are inherently practical devices.
There are several reasons underpinning the practicality of
maps. First, no one ever criticises maps as being ‘theoretical’
because we all appreciate that they are meant to be practical
representations of the real world, with the clear job of getting
us from our current location to our preferred destination.
Maps do not generate resistance of negative emotional
responses because we
appreciate that their whole purpose is to help us by generating
movement, to guide us when we are uncertain about which
way to go.
Maps help us make decisions and get things moving
again. For this reason, maps are practical because everyone
knows how to use them. We work out where we are, where
we want to get to, what we want to avoid, and work out our
preferred route. And then we get going.
Maps, therefore, are powerful tools because they transform
mental activity – the thinking part– into behaviours in the
real world – the doing part. This simple function of maps
is important because performance is fundamentally about
movement because when we are under pressure, we lose
direction and sometimes even get into a state of overwhelm
and stop.
Maps guide our thoughts and actions, generating movement,
and ultimately improving performance.
More than just generating movement, maps provide
direction to the movement so that it is purposeful. It avoids
situations where individuals or teams are full of activity but
lack direction and their efforts are poorly coordinated and
focused.
First, the behaviour (movement) has intent. The direction
given by maps is essential for performance under pressure so
that individuals do not lose their way. The directions provide
stability, allowing the individual to just concentrate on their
immediate role or task, rather than becoming anxious about
whether outcomes
will be achieved or not.
Second, there are important psychological reasons why
people find it easy to use ‘maps’ as a way of learning and
improving performance: we do it naturally as human beings.
As long ago as the 1940’s research was conducted to show
that when we find ourselves in new surroundings, we arrange
things around key landmarks in our minds to form mental or
‘cognitive’ maps, so that we remember our way. These maps
are an internal representation (images in our minds) of the
way objects and landmarks are arranged in our environment.

Put simply, humans find it very practical to arrange
information spatially inside our heads. We locate ourselves in
a particular place and think about how to move to where we
want to go. The Gazing approach
taps into this natural tendency for humans to organise
complex information into mental maps.
Third, maps are practical because people like the fact that the
maps are transportable and can easily be carried around and
used whenever they are needed.
4. Maps are highly memorable
Maps are easy to remember because they are simple – they
are summaries of the real world. They work because of this
simplicity – if they were more complex, they would lose their
usefulness.
This inherent simplicity helps make the terrain more
memorable. They are a summary of the parts we need to know
about. However, maps can be deceptive in containing an
immense amount of information. For example, they contain
both the ‘main centres’ and specific detail. Maps rely on both
levels of
information for their effectiveness. If only the main centres
were included but no local detail, it would be like arriving
in the town where your friend’s live, but driving around not
being able to find the right street they live in. If only the detail
was included, it would be very difficult to get an overview of
the simplest way to travel from where you are to the general
location of your destination.
So, maps do include some local detail around specific
locations, but you don’t have to use all of the information on
the map all the time, just the pieces of information that are
relevant to the task at hand. It doesn’t mean that the other
information (locations, routes) is redundant, just that it is not
needed at
the current time. It could be very important in a different
situation.
Maps are also memorable because they utilise important
principles of brain functioning, making them highly
memorable. Information is summarised in a format
superbly designed for memory recall. This includes the use
of hierarchies: as for all maps, some locations are major
centres and their names are written in big type; others are less
dominant and are written
in smaller type. Similarly, major routes are drawn in a
different colour or in a bold format, while minor routes are in
the background.
Maps also enhance memory by invoking the visual aspects of
brain functioning by arranging things spatially, using colour,
and connecting different locations with links (or routes). It
is a widely understood psychological principle that humans
remember pictures or visual diagrams many times more
effectively than the written word.
All this means that the main structures of well designed maps
are easy to remember. Certainly easier than a whole book.
Certainly easier than a lecture from a guru. So easy in fact,
that even when we do not have the maps physically in our
hands during performance of a skill, the fact that the main
locations and routes can be remembered means that we still
have the maps available mentally.
In fact, maps can be so memorable that once it is inside our
head (we say that we have ‘internalised’ the map), we don’t
actually have to get the map out to look at it. We form an
image or picture of where we are in our minds and adjust
what we are doing accordingly. This means that a map of the
mental domain is an ideal approach for performance under
pressure – we don’t have to take it out on the pitch with us or
into the business interaction or into the classroom because
it is already inside our heads. Better still, in team situations, it
is inside everybody’s head.
5. Maps are especially useful at times of uncertainty.
You don’t have to use a map if you are clear about where you
are going. They become useful when you are uncertain and
need some guidance. At these times, maps are priceless, giving
back immediate control to the user. Behaviour becomes
focused, directed and full of intent. This intent leads to
intensity and commitment.
Maps are widely accepted because you remain in control,
tailoring your use depending on your level of uncertainty.
Beginners have to refer to their map more frequently than
experienced practitioners. But this doesn’t mean that the
master doesn’t refer to their map on occasions, whether just
internally or privately, on the few occasions when they are
uncertain. Beginners and experts can use the same map. They
may concentrate on different aspects of the map and use them
with different frequencies, but both experienced people and
those unfamiliar with the territory still use the same map
because its primary value is that it is an accurate
representation of the terrain.
6. Maps highlight hazards
Because maps are intended to be representations of the real
world, they are not designed to be idealistic models that show
only the positive aspects of a domain. Maps are especially
useful when they show hazards, diversions, and the areas to
avoid. Maps are helpful to us as much because they show us
where not to go, as they are for showing us where to go. And
seeing as we all end up in the wrong place from time to time
(some more than others!), maps are particularly useful when
they help us to avoid these traps or hazards, and to escape
from the traps when we find ourselves in them.
7. Maps encourage adaptability
Although maps are often consulted at the start of a journey
to plan the route to be taken, the fact that they are used when
we are uncertain means that we typically use them during
the journey as well. They retain their usefulness at all stages
– before, during, and after the journey. And because we can
check on our progress literally while we are mid-journey
(mid-performance), this allows us to make any necessary
adaptations.
This creates a kind of feedback loop – we check where we are,
and if we need to make adjustments, we can easily make these
decisions. This quality, the ability to adapt and adjust mid-
performance, is a defining feature of high performance.
Maps provide an excellent vehicle or framework
for this process of constant checking and adjustment.

8. Maps are universal tools
Everybody understands what a map is and how they are used.
And we mean, just about everybody. Think about it: you
don’t try to explain to people how to use the map. Knowledge
of the method of using the map is just assumed. No
explanation is required It’s simple: you work out where you
are, where you want to get to, choose between alternative
routes to meet your needs, and you set out.
The universality of the acceptance of maps and their
application is a testament to their practicality and a statement
of their importance to everyday life: they are, without doubt,
one of the most practical tools known to mankind. Every
culture on the planet uses maps. More than this, maps are
iconic cultural documents because in many ways they define a
culture or region.
As a further reflection, the universality of maps has been
demonstrated by the audiences who have attended Gazing
training courses. Gazing training has been conducted in over
100 countries so far. And the maps have been used in
education (including examples of the best and the worst
schools!), sport, and business. And the Gazing maps have
been used in surprisingly sophisticated ways by primary
school children as young as 9. Aside from potentially
embarrassing some of us, this tells us just how universal maps
are: they are understood across the age range and across
cultures.
9. Maps have longevity depending on their accuracy
Maps have been used throughout history. In fact, when we
look at maps centuries old we find that the earliest mapmakers
were remarkably accurate. This is an impressive
achievement given the rudimentary equipment they had at
their disposal at the time, compared to today’s sophisticated
technology.
But it also illustrates a very important principle:
A map is practical and used only insofar as it is accurate.
Maps that are inaccurate are quickly thrown away because
there is no sense in using them. But, if a map is accurate and
adequately captures the essence of the real world, it can be
used time and time again. There is no need to change it.
Certainly, it can be refined and small details can be clarified
if needed, but its essential structure is maintained and is
enduring.
This is certainly an attractive quality in today’s commercial
world, which emphasises marketing ploys which lead to
transient fads and trends and, ultimately, obsolescence of the
innovation as it is overtaken by the next or latest craze. But
accurate maps have not been overtaken, and with good
reason.
They remain relevant because they show us what is there.
Maps may have been presented to us in different ways, for
example, electronically. And we may have been exposed to
new maps of new territories – space comes to mind. But a
striking gap has been a map of our minds. A practical map of
the brain and its functioning which is readily accessible to the
layman, remains elusive. Any ‘map’ of how the mind functions
– for our purposes, performance under pressure – would, if it
isaccurate enough and if there is enough general agreement
thatit captures what really goes on in our minds, be valuable
indeed.
This brings us back to the point that maps are descriptive
–they stay in use because they describe part of the world we
live in.
They are not intended as the latest management innovation
to be used only until the next idea comes along – they are
representations of the real world and therefore stay with us.
Because the accuracy of a map is so stark – it is either accurate
or it is not – there is an extreme degree of accountability when
it comes to their accuracy. If someone can show that a map is
inaccurate, it will immediately become worthless. However,
if it is accurate, it will continue in use. Forever.
And, this accountability on accuracy on maps also leads to
accountability on those that use them, certainly a feature that
is encouraged in high-performance domains. If someone has
an accurate map and they end up in the wrong location, they
have some explaining to do. It is their responsibility – not the
maps! They had the basic information at their disposal; they
knew the routes; they made the decisions. And therefore, their
outcomes largely flowed from their thoughts and actions.
Maps are very powerful vehicles for establishing
accountability because they make everything –the task, the
strategy, and the roles – so explicit, so clear.
10. Maps allow discoveries to be made.
An enticing feature of maps is that they show the way to
buried treasure – or at least they do in stories about pirates
stashing their ill-gotten treasures on desert islands. Although
there is a story-telling aspect to this, maps of the real
world can also have this quality. They sometimes throw up
something unexpected.
If there is enough depth in the map, people who use them
sometimes find that it reveals something of value to them,
which they have previously not realised or been aware. This
is certainly the case when it comes to a map of the mind
under pressure. The more familiar we become with the map,
the more likely we are to identify our own personal patterns
and sensitivities. This might lead to some interesting insights
or discoveries, when we connect our current patterns with our
previous experiences and make sense of our particular
strengths and vulnerabilities.
Conclusions
These 10 qualities mean that maps stand out as a superbly
efficient, effective method of recording, storing, and
transferring information. The map format is universally
understood, as is the way that they are used. And in a domain
such as high performance under pressure, where there is such
an enduring sense of mystery and suspicion, the first step of
developing an accurate map of the terrain so that we all know
what we are talking about, seems such an obvious task. It
may look like a simple diagram on a single piece of paper, but
its inherent simplicity should not lead you to underestimate
the value of the map. This familiarity with maps as everyday
tools may lead us to become complacent about them. But if
we extend our common understanding of maps as tools to
assist physical travel, to apply them to ‘mental movement’,
the possibilities quickly become apparent. A map of mental
pathways to drive effective performance is certainly an
attractive and challenging goal but because of the properties
of maps described here, it is a goal worth pursuing.
To training skills for performance under pressure, Gazing
maps really are ‘the way to go’.

10 good reasons why maps

More Related Content

Similar to 10 good reasons why maps (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

10 good reasons why maps