Making Toast, Making Sense

Have you ever noticed how something as simple as making toast can reveal how people think and approach challenges differently? During a recent trip to Bali, I watched guests at a resort breakfast buffet interacting with the same toaster in completely different ways. Some hesitated, unsure how to use it, while others confidently loaded multiple slices without a second thought. It struck me how much our individual experiences, mental models, and assumptions shape even the smallest decisions. This reminded me of a powerful exercise I use in workshops to unlock fresh thinking and foster collaboration: the Draw How to Make Toast exercise.

Why It Matters

Leadership and strategy often involve navigating complex problems and working with diverse perspectives. Teams come together with different mental models and problem-solving approaches, which can feel chaotic but, when harnessed, become a strength. The Draw How to Make Toast exercise, developed by Tom Wujec and featured in his 2015 TED Talk, is a practical way to help teams visualise complexity, uncover hidden patterns, and align their thinking. It introduces systems thinking in a creative, engaging way, helping teams build clarity and solve problems collaboratively.

The Toast That Opened Minds

I was first introduced to this exercise while serving on the IABC International Executive Board. A fellow director (hello, Michael Nord, SCMP®, MBA ) used it to highlight the diversity of thought in the room and encourage us to embrace collaborative problem-solving. It was a lighthearted yet insightful reminder of the value of varied perspectives. Since then, I’ve used it in workshops with leadership teams, boards, and cross-functional groups. In one session, it helped a senior leadership team explore their vision. In another, it set the tone for aligning a reputation management strategy with brand positioning.

The exercise creates space for curiosity and openness. Participants see how their perspectives differ, uncover patterns, and identify connections. What begins as a series of individual drawings often transforms into shared understanding and alignment, enabling teams to tackle challenges with greater clarity.

What Does Draw How to Make Toast Look Like?

The Draw How to Make Toast exercise is simple yet insightful. Participants are asked to illustrate how to make toast for someone who has never done it before, using only drawings – no words. Some focus on the toaster, others start with the bread or wheat, and a few even capture how making toast feels. These varied approaches reveal individual mental models, assumptions, and diverse ways of thinking.

At its heart, the exercise introduces systems thinking by breaking processes into visual elements – "nodes" connected by "links." This makes complex systems easier to understand, helping teams see patterns, challenge assumptions, and align their thinking. It’s an engaging way to set the tone for problem-solving and collaboration.

Lessons from Drawing Toast

The exercise offers valuable insights into solving real-world challenges:

• Diversity of thought sparks innovation: People approach the same task differently, uncovering blind spots and generating new ideas.

• Systems thinking simplifies complexity: Visualising interconnected steps helps teams map relationships and address intricate challenges.

• Collaboration helps build alignment: Sharing individual models fosters trust and creates cohesive strategies.

• Clarity emerges from chaos: Divergent views can feel disorganised but converge into a unified approach through dialogue.

• Patterns reveal insights: Highlighting connections and interdependencies enables teams to craft holistic solutions.

• Opening new possibilities: Challenging assumptions uncover creative solutions and opportunities for adaptability.

 This exercise is a useful metaphor for tackling complexity. It helps teams move from scattered thinking to shared clarity, paving the way for innovative and aligned outcomes.

Five Practical Takeaways for Leaders

1.     Foster a safe space: Create an environment where everyone feels valued and able to contribute.

2.     Reflect on biases and assumptions: To enrich discussions, help your team identify and challenge their mental models.

3.     Embrace curiosity: Encourage exploration and openness to fresh perspectives.

4.     Map the system: Use visual tools to break down challenges, revealing patterns and connections.

5.     Move from divergence to convergence: Guide your team through structured dialogue to align on a shared vision or strategy.

From Complexity to Clarity

Leadership is about solving challenges together and aligning diverse perspectives. The Draw How to Make Toast exercise creatively unlocks new thinking, builds systems understanding, and aligns teams on even the most complex challenges.

If you’re ready to explore fresh approaches to problem-solving and bring clarity to your team’s work, let’s talk. I can help your team navigate complexity and achieve meaningful outcomes through strategic facilitation, advisory, and coaching.

The original version of this article was published in my newsletter Spotlight with Zora Artis. It's published monthly and focuses on insights and trends for building high-performing teams, brands, and organisations through effective communication, alignment, and leadership.

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