A picture in the mind

Everyone carries a different picture of the world in their mind.
How things are. How they should work. How they could be.

Some pictures are sharp and vivid. Others blurry, underexposed, or little more than an empty frame.

We get in trouble when we assume what’s in the mind of others.
“I thought we agreed …”
“I thought you wanted …”
“My understanding was …”

Where did their picture come from? Past experience? Someone else’s sketch? Maybe it's simply a hopeful projection of the best outcome, or a shadow of the worst.

Often people won’t ask for detail, thinking they should already know the answer, or fearing they’ll look silly. They nod, agree, and colour in the blank areas with optimism—or anxiety.

Creative leadership is the art of seeing what they see, noticing what they don’t, and forming a shared picture in the mind.