Advance Praise for
Todd Cherches and VisuaLeadership

“Have you added visual communication to your leadership toolbox? According to Todd Cherches, if you haven’t, you’re missing out on a powerful tool to capture attention, aid comprehension, and enable your team members to retain the information you need them to use. Packed with examples, VisuaLeadership will help you develop this skill so that you can become a better communicator, innovator, and leader.”

—Daniel H. Pink, author of When and Drive

“The most effective communicators and leaders use the power of story to influence and inspire action. In VisuaLeadership, Cherches demonstrates how every role can express their ideas through the use of visual imagery and visual language. This book will help anyone discover how to become a visual leader.”

—Nancy Duarte, CEO and bestselling author

“I always say that ‘what got you here…won’t get you there.’ To help you ‘get there,’ executive coach Todd Cherches, in his wonderful new book, VisuaLeadership, demonstrates how we can all leverage the power of visual thinking to envision—and to achieve—a more successful future.”

—Marshall Goldsmith, the world’s #1
Leadership Thinker and Executive Coach

“One of the greatest challenges that leaders face is simplifying complexity—to crystallize their strategy and insights in ways that people can understand and remember. Todd Cherches has been a pioneer in using visual techniques to capture ideas, and VisuaLeadership is an invaluable playbook to help leaders make their messages stick.”

—Adam Bryant, Managing Director, Merryck & Co.,
and author of The Corner Office, and Quick and Nimble

“As a designer, it’s all about using visual thinking to create innovative solutions. In VisuaLeadership, Todd Cherches expertly applies this basic concept to the world of leadership to help us envision—and to design—a better future.”

—Ayse Birsel, author of Design the Life You Love

“What Susan Cain did for introverts, Todd Cherches does for anyone who thinks in pictures. And that’s most of us. VisuaLeadership opens up a world of communication that many of us avoid and very few of us understand. After reading this insightful and entertaining book, you cannot help but instantly become a better communicator and influencer.”

—Peter Bregman, CEO of Bregman Partners,
and author of Leading with Emotional Courage

“With VisuaLeadership, Todd has hit the trifecta of what makes a truly great business book: a big idea, supported by real-world experiences and stories, with provocative and fun techniques to help the reader bring these ideas into action. Wow! I challenge any reader to not get at least two dozen new and original leadership ideas they can start implementing immediately!”

—Bryan Mattimore, Chief Idea Guy, Growth Engine Innovation Agency,
and author of 21 Days to a Big Idea

“Todd Cherches is a legitimate Doodle Revolutionary. In this engaging and illuminating book, he skillfully explores how anyone can ‘draw on’ the power of pictures to more effectively solve problems, amplify insights, innovate, communicate, and lead. VisuaLeadership conclusively shows that visually-literate leaders will have a competitive advantage in the future of work.”

—Sunni Brown, Founder of Sunni Brown Ink, and The Center for Deep Self Design, and best-selling author of
The Doodle Revolution

“This book is a great example of Plato’s dictum that ‘learning is remembering what you already know.’ So yes, we already know that a picture is worth a thousand words—but Todd gives us a way to really learn what that means and, more importantly, to put it into practice. Anyone who communicates for a living—and that’s pretty much everyone—will find useful nuggets in VisuaLeadership—and some of us will probably find entire gold mines. What a great book!”

—Ron Ashkenas is an executive leadership consultant and coach whose books include The Harvard Business Review Leader’s Handbook, and Simply Effective

“VisuaLeadership does what few leadership books can do: it helps us see our way to a better way to lead. Compelling, engaging, and thoughtful, Cherches’s book will help leaders where they often need it most: communicating a compelling and fun vision for their organizations.”

—Jerry Colonna, CEO, Reboot,
and author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up

“Todd Cherches’s book puts into context the meaning behind the idea that a picture paints a thousand words. VisuaLeadership is a meaningful departure from the business world of briefs, PowerPoint presentations, and reports. All who implement the principles from this terrific book will benefit from stronger communication and presentation skills that will lead to a greater ability to innovate, influence, motivate, and sell their ideas.”

—Seth Merrin, CEO, Liquidnet,
and author of The Power of Positive Destruction

“With inflation, a visual image is now worth 10,000 words and climbing. Whatever the number, this book vividly demonstrates visual literacy is the glue that holds all literacy together and produces a literate leader.”

—Steven Heller, Co-Chair School of Visual Arts (SVA)
MFA Designer as Entrepreneur program

“Whether you aspire to be a leader, or inadvertently have leadership thrust upon you, one needs a plan…as passion can only take you so far. In this entertaining and engaging book, Todd Cherches presents his approach to leading called ‘VisuaLeadership’—the ability to make visible to oneself and to others the vision you seek to bring to life. With wit, storytelling, metaphor, pictures, and science, he outlines a path to becoming a successful leader, providing you with both a visual roadmap and the navigation tools you need to obtain the career you want. This important book is a must read.”

—Dr. Ronald Ruden MD, Ph.D., and author of
The Craving Brain, and When the Past is Always Present

“In an increasingly visual world, the most successful influencers and leaders will be those who can leverage the power of imagery. In this must-read book, master storyteller Todd Cherches paints a colorful portrait of visual leadership by entering into a dialog with his readers and unleashing their imagination. Through his many simple, yet powerful and memorable images, anecdotes, and examples, Cherches skillfully enables us to see, observe, and impact human interactions through a new lens.”

—Negar Farakish, Ed.D., Executive Director of Academic Affairs
and Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU School of Professional
Studies/Division of Programs in Business

“Simply groundbreaking. How would you communicate with your team if none of you could speak the same language? In VisuaLeadership, Todd Cherches shows us how it’s done. With wit and wisdom, along with creative visuals, baseball, and Seinfeld references, and other fun and pleasant surprises, the author is a master storyteller who exposes the missing key that unknowingly motivates us all: a compelling vision. Get a pen and a set of highlighters, because this is not a book you read…but one you participate in. As I was, you will be hooked from the very first page.”

—Brad Szollose, author of Liquid Leadership,
and host of Awakened Nation®

“Is leadership in the ‘eyes of the beholder’ or are there fundamental truths about ‘leading with the viewer in mind?’ Todd Cherches’s engaging and entertaining book helps to find the answer.”

—Anna A. Tavis, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor and Academic Director,
NYU School of Professional Studies/Division of Programs in Business,
Human Capital Management program

“Todd Cherches will jolt your leadership brand. My work and communication have been uprooted—in an excellent way—by his visual concepts and techniques. The various tools, tips, and methods are now close at hand for me as VisuaLeadership sets a new standard for innovative leadership.”

—Sandra Long, author of LinkedIn for Personal Branding

“As a Broadway stage manager my entire professional career, I know firsthand the value and the power of imagery, metaphor, character, and story. In his entertaining and engaging new book, VisuaLeadership, Todd Cherches shows us how leadership is continuously hiding in plain sight, and demonstrates how anyone, at any level, can apply his innovative visual thinking-based approach to be a more effective leader at, or on, any stage.”

—Michael Passaro, Production Stage Manager, and Associate Professor,
Columbia University Theatre Arts Program

“Though I’ve been leading and coaching others, including hundreds of CEOs, for almost forty years, it was not until Todd Cherches became one of our Vistage speakers last year that I truly began to recognize and appreciate the power of visual thinking as an approach to leadership. In his ‘eye-opening’ and entertaining new book, Todd shares with us one engaging model, metaphor, and story after another to illustrate and demonstrate how any leader, at any level, can use visual thinking to bring their leadership vision to life.”

—Mark Taylor, NYC Master Chair and CEO Coach, Vistage Worldwide

“In VisuaLeadership, Todd Cherches introduces us to an innovative, visual thinking-based approach that is not only practical and easy to implement, but creative and fun as well. Through his collection of tools and engaging storytelling, Todd provides the reader with a wide variety of ‘eye-opening’ new ways to not only become a better leader, but a better person as well. Todd’s visually-based approach to leadership has helped me to see my own business challenges in a new light and to envision a world of possibilities that I had not considered before. I would encourage every leader to read VisuaLeadership…and then encourage those leaders to have their people read it as well.”

—Jeff Schwartzman, Head of Learning, Liquidnet, and Adjunct Professor,
NYU School of Professional Studies

“Todd Cherches’s new book, VisuaLeadership, is a rapid-fire masterclass in leadership development. Reading this book is like being invited into Todd’s home where he has cooked up a smorgasbord of delicious entrees for you to dine to your heart’s content on a visual array of leadership content. This is not the type of book you will want to read and put on the shelf, but one you will want on your desk much the same way you keep your best kitchen recipe book close at hand. And, in the world of work, we are always in need of a good recipe to help guide us to create a dish that is not just palatable but meets the palette of the pickiest eaters. Bon appétit!”

—Rob Salafia, CEO of Protagonist Consulting Group and author of
Leading from Your Best Self

“How can black socks, pink spoons, and a yellow ball propel your leadership skills? How about elephants, remote controls, and showers? In VisuaLeadership, Todd Cherches demonstrates the unexpected gifts in everyday objects and the transformative power of unleashing your imagination through daydreaming, doodling, and visual metaphors. Through entertaining stories, he offers a bounty of tools to help you master leadership in your professional and personal lives. Cherches is a playful punster—you may never see a drawbridge in quite the same way again.”

—Nancy Ancowitz, Career Coach,
and author of Self-Promotion for Introverts®

“Todd Cherches masterfully uses metaphors, stories, and visual models to share a raft of outstanding insights and tips on both professional and personal leadership. Like a letter from an old friend, this is a book to keep nearby for frequent reference as—in addition to its many practical suggestions—its folksy words of empathy, encouragement, and wisdom will be an invaluable guide as we travel along on our own journey of career, leadership, and self-growth. A truly fun read, VisuaLeadership makes for both a highly inspirational and delightful learning experience.”

—David Kruczlnicki, President,
High Peaks Strategic Business Advisors

“VisuaLeadership is a brilliant compilation of Todd’s personal and professional experiences defining and refining visual thinking and visual communication through the use of simple, practical visually-based models. Todd’s big personality, quick wit, and humor reverberate throughout the book, engaging the reader on a journey of self-exploration and insight while demonstrating the power of visual thinking and its critical place in the future of work.”

—Maryanne Spatola, Founder & CEO, C3 Talent Strategies
and author of Careers in the New World of Work

“Imagine in your mind’s eye a ‘key’ that unlocks your full leadership potential. Got it? Packed from cover to cover with actionable ideas and superb, real-world examples, VisuaLeadership is that key. The very witty Todd Cherches has written a clear, compelling, and comprehensive guide to using visual models, metaphors, and stories to increase your leadership influence and create a profound impact with your communication. Read it—and apply it!”

—Richard Kuepper, Founder and Chief Experience Architect, L.E.A.D. USA, LLC

“If you’ve ever struggled to ‘picture success’ or articulate what great leadership ‘looks like,’ then this book is for you! VisuaLeadership’s smart, practical approach is a gift to anyone who leads people and teams and needs a simple and effective way to communicate more clearly. If a picture is worth a thousand words, VisuaLeadership is worth a thousand leadership books.”

—Deborah Grayson Riegel, CEO and Chief Communication Coach, Talk Support

“VisuaLeadership is one of the most generous—and entertaining—business books I have ever read! In showing us how he uses visual thinking to lead his clients, his students, and himself to success, Todd freely gives away many of his most valuable models and methods so that we can apply them to our own personal and professional lives. Filled from start to finish with engaging stories and proven, practical tools, this captivating book will expand your horizons, and become a go-to resource for improving yourself at work, and beyond.”

—Brian Tally, Talent Development Consultant and faculty of Liquidnet University

“VisuaLeadership is filled with Todd Cherches’s world-class expertise in visual elements and leadership ideas. Combine this with his endearing and funny personal stories and this book is a home run! Todd distills his concepts and lessons down to their most important and relevant elements, making them easy to grasp—and to put into practice—both personally and professionally. This book will tickle both your mind and your heart, provide numerous aha! moments, and leave you with an undeniable truth: your leadership style is a direct reflection of your view of the world.”

—Helena Escalante, Founder, Speaker, Bibliophile, and Writer, Entregurus.com

“Filled with actionable insights and superbly-written stories based on many years of experience, Todd Cherches has created a compelling, fun, engaging book that’s different from all the other books on leadership. You’ll not only learn how to lead in a whole new way, you’ll be entertained and coached by a good friend as you do.”

—Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, Ph.D., CEO of Alignment Strategies Group,
and author of Optimal Outcomes

“VisuaLeadership will fundamentally change what you think and how you feel. As a strategist, the lessons learned within it will help my clients to picture a better future, execute their strategy, and turn their vision into reality.”

—Marc Emmer, President, Optimize Inc.,
and author of Momentum: How Companies Decide What to Do Next

“I am a huge Todd Cherches fan. He is a powerful storyteller who always finds the right story for the right leadership lesson. It’s not just about being visual. It’s about having vision, integrity, and a way forward. This brings together many challenges with examples and perspectives that will help you lead more effectively.”

—Fawn Germer, global leadership speaker and Oprah-featured,
best-selling author of nine books

“In the future of work, one of the most important capabilities of successful leaders will be the ability to tolerate, embrace, make sense of, and utilize chaos and volatility to their advantage. To help navigate this increasingly complex and fast-paced world, Todd Cherches provides an incredible and innovative framework to help leaders visualize and apply mental models in order to make sense of the chaos and transform it into a competitive advantage. VisuaLeadership is a powerful concept and capability that leaders need to embrace if they want their organizations to thrive and succeed in the future.”

—Enrique Rubio, Founder, Hacking HR

“VisuaLeadership combines and utilizes our mind’s natural inclination to make stories, associations, and mental discoveries with visuals. However, what Todd Cherches does extraordinarily well is make VisuaLeadership both practical and inspiring. I can’t recommend this book enough!”

—Donna Scarola, Head of Performance Management & Leadership Model,
Johnson & Johnson

“VisuaLeadership brings new meaning to the phrase ‘what you see is what you get’ (or ‘WYSIWYG’), as Todd Cherches shows us how the power of visual thinking can greatly enhance our leadership, communication, and understanding.”

—Bill Maw, CFO,
and author of The Work-Life Equation

“If you have ever wondered how to quickly improve your impact, VisuaLeadership is an excellent resource! In it, Todd Cherches provides a wide range of practical visual models, metaphors, and self-assessments, accompanied by a wealth of personal stories, quotes—and of course, great visuals—to bring his concepts to life. It’s obvious that Todd put his heart and soul into writing this ‘masterpiece’…so as to help us all to become more visual thinkers.”

—Mary Abbazia, Managing Director of Impact Planning Group,
and co-author of The Accidental Marketer

“Todd is a master at showing anyone how to leverage visual models to be a more effective leader and communicator at work and in life. VisuaLeadership is chock full of simple, powerful frameworks you can put to immediate use to cut through the clutter of today’s digital landscape, connect viscerally with distracted audiences, and positively influence behaviors and outcomes.”

—JP Laqueur, Chief Connector, BrandFoundations

“VisuaLeadership, by Todd Cherches, provides a cutting-edge approach to creativity, problem solving, and action-taking. As an author and mental training coach for athletes, I understand the importance of being able to adapt and adjust to situations in seconds. VisuaLeadership provides a framework, structure, and plan in which businesspeople, presenters, and athletes can creatively, effectively, and efficiently approach and solve problems, as well as continuously raise the bar on their expertise to enhance their performance.”

—Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach, Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group, LLC,
and author of Baseball Inside the Zone, and Tennis Inside the Zone

“As a leadership development professional, I’ve always helped leaders get their message across in a clear and compelling way. Their biggest challenge has always been simplifying the complex and conveying thoughts in an easy-to-understand way. Todd Cherches’s VisuaLeadership provides a practical and immediately applicable set of tools and approaches for doing exactly that—enabling leaders to convey their vision in images, frameworks, stories, and a variety of other great communication vehicles. This book is a must-read if you want your leadership communications to be more effective.”

—Mike Figliuolo, Managing Director, thoughtLEADERS, LLC,
and author of One Piece of Paper, Lead Inside the Box, and The Elegant Pitch

“Todd Cherches’s new book, VisuaLeadership, is a treasure trove of stories, models, and metaphors illustrating the power of visual thinking and visual communication. Todd, who is an excellent live stand-up facilitator and coach, brings his unique, engaging presentation style to his writing, and his numerous tips and techniques will immediately enable you to be a visual leader. Enjoy it!”

—Steve Gardiner, President, Gardiner Associates

“Todd Cherches hits a grand slam with this innovative leadership book! Through a mix of engaging stories, thought-provoking metaphors, and illustrative examples that bring his concepts to life, he creatively and playfully reminds us of the value of visuals to both educate and inspire.”

—Marc Levine, Founder, Improve My Sales Consulting