By Armin Forstner
I recently taught a Mental Model class to a group of Master trainers from UNICEF partners in Lebanon as part of the Serrano 99 Positive Leadership Module we are integrating into the UN Life Skills Curriculum that is being taught to Youth in the region. It always gives me great joy when I teach this class, in less than an hour, attendees have a profound A-HA experience and start questioning their reality and their perception of it. Here is why:
What are Mental Models?
We all live with active mental models throughout our day. They can be both a positive and a negative influence on our behaviours and our decision-making processes. Understanding why we have mental models, how they influence us, and what we can do to improve how we use them, is an important facet of personal development. Mental Models can restrict, as well as, expand our view of the world we live in. Identifying some of the Mental Models can help place where personal and collective anxiety or disengagement come from. Consequently, awareness of mental models can increase the likelihood of a broader engagement with others across divides by challenging the status quo or commonly accepted ‘musts’ within organisations.
Our brain, the organ that uses a great deal of the energy we consume throughout the day, has come up with some very clever tools to help save energy and stop us from decision fatigue in order to make our lives easier. One such tool is Mental Models, they are our explanation of how things “should” work.
How Mental Models work
Let’s start with a simple example: This morning we all got up and got dressed. No need to debate if we are getting dressed or not, we knew the answer. Now depending on what you do, or where you live, what you are wearing might differ. A suit maybe when you work in a bank, protective gear if you work on a construction side. All very easy decisions to make, no need to really think about it. This type of mental model works for us. It saves mental energy and is helpful.
As always when our brain is involved, there is also a flip side to its helpfulness: as soon as mental models keep us from seeing opportunities or making decision based on assumptions, they can have a negative effect.
One such example, ever present in the workplace, is our tendency to listen to a select few because: of the position or title they hold; our opinion of them; or indeed because of their perceived experience. Consequently, if our mental model is a negative one, we tend to tune out the opinions or advice provided by those whom we have placed in a particular category or box (mental model). As a result, we continue to draw on opinions from those with whom we feel connected, respect, or fear. Our decision-making processes are in turn devoid of cognitive diversity.
Challenging Mental Models
- Analyse if your mental models work for you. They are never ‘true’ or ‘false’ they are both. Your perceived reality, unique to you as an individuum.
- Get more knowledge, ask more questions, avoid labels, increase the cognitive diversity of your group and create a more complete picture of your reality.
- Create check points:Pause – Flip it – Decide Mindfulness can be a great tool to help you with this. Don’t forget your brain likes short cuts so it will react first before you can actually respond. Mindfulness will give you the extra pause to respond more often than reactt.
We all have mental models. Focusing on positive self-development and enhancing your awareness of how they can negatively impact your decision-making, behaviours will significantly and positively influence your leadership performance.
We, at Serrano 99, work with our clients to design positive organisational work cultures and build on what is present and successful within their organisations. We enable an evolution in how our clients lead, design, develop and do business. Get in touch if you would like to know more about our Leadership Development Programmes or our work with UNICEF.
