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  • Ann Leach draws in details for a visual recording poster. Leach said using such visual techniques to plan out a person’s future is a little more complicated than just drawing a picture. Globe | Roger Nomer

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January 19, 2012

Life coach implements ‘visual road maps’ to help others set goals

By Andra Bryan Stefanoni Globe Staff Writer

JOPLIN, Mo. — Ann Leach is completely realistic about her artistic ability; none of the 4-by-8-foot masterpieces she creates with magic markers would ever be considered for display in public spaces.

Instead, they’re each meant to be viewed by one person: A person who wants to accomplish goals either personal or professional. Using the end product, a “visual road map” can be quite helpful in getting where you want to go, said Leach, a Joplin-area life coach for 14 years and a visual recorder for three.

“My own personal life coach is one of the pioneers in this field,” said Leach. “When I received notes back from her from one of our goal setting sessions, it came in the form of this visual map. I just loved it. I was so attracted to that. There’s something about color that inspires me. The free-flowing form of it that really drew me in. I thought, ‘I want to do that.’”

The process has been effective for Leach in the past eight months: She lost everything in the May 22 tornado, and utilized visual recording to help get her life and career back on track.

A slew of educators and researchers tout the use of visual elements in helping advance the learning process, and some studies suggest visual aids in the classroom environment improved learning by up to 400 percent.

“It’s been proven that being able to see large amounts of information increases our ability to think systematically,” said Leach. “That’s why color is so important. In visual maps, categories are all in one color, action steps are in another, and so on.”

Although new to this region, the personal or professional visual map concept took root 15 years ago and is recognized as a profession globally.

Leach, who serves as a board member to the International Forum of Visual Practitioners, uses a portable pen board that folds up so she can take it into the work place or a client’s home. While the style may be free-flowing, there is a format to it in terms of color choices and placement of icons on the page.

“I use familiar icons, like a dollar sign for money, coupled with the participant’s words,” said Leach. “It’s not so much about the art, trust me, I’m not an artist. It’s about good listening skills, and reflecting back the words that a person said by literally drawing the big picture of what they want. It’s easy to glance at it and easily separate what the outcome is from the task.”

Leach has found it appropriate in capturing key concepts and strategies in a variety of situations, from a work team’s staff meeting to a keynote speech to individuals ready to embark on their 2012 resolutions in earnest.

“Using graphics is effective in helping you to reach personal goals, improve relationships, improve your health, money, whatever,” Leach said. “We address each of the major areas of life and what you would like to be seeing and talking about in each of those areas 12 months from now.”

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