Discover the Magic of Personal Maps and Truly Connect with Your Team!

Welcome to the powerful practice of Personal Maps, a simple yet revolutionary tool from Management 3.0 that transforms the way we connect at work.

MANAGEMENT 3.0AGILETEAM BUILDING

Lautaro Martín

4/11/20252 min read

Introduction

What if you could understand the people you work with on a deeper level? 🤔

What if you could create a more empathetic, collaborative, and human workplace with just a piece of paper and some colorful pens? 🎨 📝

🌱 What is a Personal Map?

A Personal Map is a visual technique that helps you get to know a person through topics beyond just work.


💡 It’s a structured, yet free and deeply human conversation.


It includes topics like:

  • Family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

  • Hobbies 🏄‍♂️🎸

  • Travel ✈️

  • Dreams and goals 🎯

  • Personal values ❤️

  • Fears 😬

  • Favorite food 🍕


📌 Goal: Foster empathy, trust, and authentic connection between team members.


How to Create a Personal Map

It’s super easy! All you need is paper, pens, and 30 minutes of conversation for an on-person modality, or a teams collaboration digital board like Miro or Mural for a remote version.


  1. 🧍‍♂️ Write the person’s name in the center.

  2. 🧠 Draw branches around it with personal life topics.

  3. 💬 Ask open-ended questions about each branch.

  4. 🖍️ Draw, write, connect… make it visual and fun!

  5. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Switch roles and repeat with everyone in the team.

Why Use Personal Maps in Your Team?

🔹 Humanize the workplace: stop seeing “job titles” and start seeing people.

🔹 Build trust: when we share, we connect — and that strengthens relationships.

🔹 Break the ice: perfect for onboarding new team members.

🔹 Unlock collaboration: when you know what matters to someone, you work better with them.

🔹 Prevent conflicts: empathy lowers misunderstandings and judgment.

🧪 Real Experiment: Try It This Week!

🎯 Team Challenge:

During your next team meeting, take 10 minutes to create a Personal Map with a colleague.


Then, share 2 things you learned about each other with the group.


You’ll be surprised by what you discover!

Bonus: What if You Did It with Your Boss?


Yes — it works with leaders too. 😲


Leaders who show their human side create more open, psychologically safe cultures.

✍️ Conclusion

Personal Maps are more than a doodle with branches.

They’re an invitation to see others with curiosity, respect, and connection.

💛 Because the best teams aren’t the ones that work the hardest — they’re the ones that understand each other best.

👉 Have you tried this practice before?


🗨️ Share your experience in the comments or post a photo of your Personal Map!

#Management30 #PersonalMaps #AgileLeadership #TeamBuilding #WorkCulture #HumanizeWork 💬🌈🤝