Episode 31: Authenticity in the Age of AI

In this unscripted and personal episode, Nicki Hambleton pauses the regular format to reflect on what it means to stay authentic in an increasingly AI-shaped world.

Recorded straight from her lounge with no script, no polish, Nicki explores the quiet tension between using AI to support her creative work and the risk of losing her own voice in the process.

From a conversation that challenged her to define her "authentic Nicki voice" to her concerns about her hand-drawn visuals being mistaken for computer-generated art, this episode unpacks the growing complexity of authorship, identity, and originality in the age of automation.

Nicki also weaves in:

• Stories about AI-generated music, illustrations, and advertising
• Reflections on the pressure to be perfect, even in podcasting
• A powerful visual metaphor: the fingerprint as a symbol of creative identity

This is not an episode against AI, it's an invitation to rethink how we use it, how we show up, and how we hold on to what makes our work uniquely ours.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 30: Rewind & Recap – 7 Months of Visual Thinking

In this episode of Rethink: the podcast, host Nicki Hambleton reflects on the first 30 episodes and seven months of recording since launching in January 2025. The episode highlights the major themes that have emerged, the problems they help to solve, and the insights that visual thinking continues to unlock.

Nicki revisits four central strands that run throughout the podcast:

• Learning & Memory – exploring concept mapping and design principles to make knowledge easier to recall.
• Visual Frameworks – using metaphors, images, and structures to make complex ideas clearer.
• Big Picture Thinking & Creativity – connecting ideas, revealing patterns, and making the invisible visible.
• Inclusion, Confidence & Authenticity – creating spaces where every voice is heard and valued.

She also reflects on the contributions of her guests: Nici Foote, who shared lived experiences of ADHD and dyslexia; Paul Vincent, whose collaboration with Nicki reframed communicating concepts through his series 25 Questions for 2025; and Brendon O’Brien, who demonstrated how visual landscapes can bring clarity to business challenges.

This recap episode also surfaces Nicki’s own “aha moments,” including how many strategies designed for students also translate directly to the workplace, and how visual thinking provides a consistent golden thread across learning, collaboration, and leadership.

Looking ahead, the podcast will continue with an upcoming episode on authenticity and further conversations with guests, as Nicki expands on the question: what other problems can visual thinking help solve?

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 29: Constellation Mapping – Connecting Ideas into Shared Direction

When ideas are flying in all directions, it can feel like looking at a night sky full of stars, beautiful but scattered. 

In this episode, I introduce Constellation Mapping, a visual strategy for gathering, clustering and connecting ideas so your team, class, or group can see patterns, choose a guiding “North Star,” and move forward together.

You’ll hear how to use this approach, discover the origins of the KJ Method by Jiro Kawakita, and learn a simple 5-step process you can apply right away, whether you’re in a boardroom, classroom, or creative space.

🎯 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What the KJ Method is and how it works
• How to connect ideas into constellations
• The 5 steps of Constellation Mapping
• Why this method is inclusive, visual, and effective

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 28: The Bridge – Turning Insight into Action

You’ve done the deep thinking. You’ve uncovered what’s really going on. But now what?

In this episode, I introduce the Bridge Framework: a visual strategy to help you move from insight to action. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or standing at the edge of something new, this simple tool will help you break things down, find your footing and take your next small step.

I’ll walk you through:
 – Identifying where you are now
 – Defining your desired state
 – Mapping out realistic steps forward
 – And choosing the supports that will help you stay steady

You’ll also hear a story of how I used this with a friend navigating a big life change and how a simple sketch turned into a guiding tool he still uses today.

Plus: there’s a free visual you can download and use for your own conversations.

Because sometimes insight is just the beginning.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 27: Peeling Back the Layers. Visual Frameworks for Deeper Thinking

In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, we’re digging beneath the surface. Nicki Hambleton explores the power of the onion metaphor to unpack complexity and reveal what’s really going on.

Using visual thinking strategies, we peel back the outer layers of what’s being said, how it’s being said and dive into the beliefs, emotions and assumptions hidden underneath. You'll learn how to work through each layer to reach deeper clarity, greater empathy and more meaningful solutions.

🔍 Whether you're coaching, leading, learning, or facilitating, this episode will help you visualise conversations differently with tools to guide others through solving problems or complex thinking.

You’ll hear:

• Why metaphors like the onion work so well in thinking and communication
• A step-by-step visual framework to guide deeper insight
• How to apply this in strategy sessions, team coaching, learning and reflection

Plus, there’s a free template to help guide your own layer-peeling journey to check it out on LinkedIn or on the website: https://nihconsultancy.com/resources

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 26: Rethink Thinking with AI
with guest Nici Foote, founder of Unbarrier Me

In this episode of Rethink the Podcast, I’m joined by Nici Foote, founder of Unbarrier Me, an educator and creative problem-solver who helps schools, multi-academy trusts, and teachers build inclusive, future-ready learning environments using tools that are practical, neurodivergent-friendly, and genuinely engaging.

We explore how both of us are weaving AI into our creative processes, not to replace thinking, but to enhance it. From uploading style references and prompts into ChatGPT, to using AI-generated images as a springboard for design and tracing in Procreate, this episode unpacks how AI can unlock new directions and take the pressure off the blank page.

Together we chat about:

• How Nici blends AI with visual storytelling to support schools and educators
• Our shared workflow of idea generation → AI input → Procreate illustration
• Why working with AI is more spark than shortcut
• The value of visual clarity for neurodivergent learners and thinkers
• How educators and creatives alike can start experimenting with AI tools in thoughtful, human-centred ways

Whether you’re curious about creativity, AI, or inclusive education, this episode invites you to rethink how technology might open up new ways to think, work, and create.

References: Procreate, ChatGPT and Otter.ai

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 20: Can't say it? Draw it! How Metaphors Make Emotions Visible

What do you do when words just aren’t enough? 

When feelings are swirling and thoughts feel tangled? 

In this second episode of our Visual Thinking for Wellbeing mini series, I explore how visual metaphors can help you make sense of complex emotions, stress and  confusion.

We’ll unpack why drawing what you feel can offer clarity, comfort and even humour in challenging moments. 

With real-life examples, a guided reflection and creative prompts this episode will help you turn overwhelm into something visual, memorable and manageable.

Whether you're leading a team, supporting students, or navigating your own messy mind, this episode invites you to rethink how drawing might just be your best thinking tool.

🧠 Visual thinking isn’t just for creatives—it’s for clarity, connection, and emotional wellbeing.

🎧 Listen now and grab your pen: Can’t see it? Draw it.

Book ref: K Blanchard The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Ep 25: Framing the Conversation. How a Folded Paper Game Can Guide Deeper Thinking
What do you do when a conversation feels like too much to hold? 

In this episode, I share the moment that led to creating MapChat, a visual way to map conversations as they unfold. 

Then I introduce the Conversation Catcher, a simple, playful tool for opening up reflective conversations when mapping isn’t practical. 

Whether you're coaching, checking in, or just trying to get unstuck, this tool can help bring clarity, one question at a time.

Download the free Conversation Catcher template so you can try it yourself.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 24: Visual Frameworks – Making the Invisible Visible

Do you ever feel like your brain’s full but nothing’s clear?

In this episode of RETHINK, we dive into visual frameworks: simple, shape-based tools that help you organise messy thinking, untangle ideas and make better decisions. Whether you're planning a project, navigating a tricky conversation, or just feeling overwhelmed, frameworks offer scaffolding for your thoughts.

I walk you through 5 clear steps to build your own visual framework (no drawing skills required) and explain how to match the shape to the kind of challenge you're facing.

🔍 Learn how to:

• Name the real challenge
• Choose a visual structure that fits
• Add prompts to guide your thinking
• Fill it in with the chaos, questions and insights
• Step back and actually see the big picture

Practical, visual and calming, this episode gives you tools to stop spiralling and start seeing clearly.

🎧 Tune in and try it for yourself.
 Because sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to draw it.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 23: The Switch. Becoming visible again.

What happens when you step back into a space you love and suddenly feel seen again?

In this reflective episode, Nicki shares what attending the Jigsaw24 Education Summit unlocked for her: a quiet but powerful moment of clarity, confidence, and reconnection. From feeling on the fringes of education to realising the power of her work anew, she explores how one simple conversation flipped the switch and helped her become visible again.

Whether you’re a creative, educator, or someone whose work doesn’t fit into a neat box, this episode is your reminder that visibility doesn’t require shouting it just takes one moment of resonance.

🎙 You’ll hear:

• The subtle power of being seen and understood
• Why clarity often matters more than credentials
• A light switch metaphor that might just change how you show up
• A listener prompt to help you step into your own visibility

💡 Flick the switch. You deserve to be seen.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?