Mental ModelsOctober 2018

Our mental models are those connections,

assumptions or “pictures” we hold of …

How things work or the way things are

Trees

Leaves

Branches

Grass

Sidewalk

Bench

Park

Pergola

Lamp post

Bushes

When your born, your brain is unassembled.

Can you imagine buying a computer not assembled?

Your brain is very agile.

Mental Models allow a person to predict the

results of their actions

Our mental models are…

• Usually invisible

• Fundamentally flawed

• The source of made up data

You can’t believe everything you think!

Things aren’t always as they seem.

Mental Models include what a person thinks is

true, not necessarily what is actually true.

I have zero brothers.

I have zero sisters.

I have zero pets.

I like Star Wars.

Mental

ModelPerception Reality

Real auto

plants have

inventories

Japanese automakers

staged fake plants for

Detroit Executives

Japanese

automakers

used just-in-time

inventory

Our Mental Models limit our thinking

Mental models are often the greatest barriers to

implementing new ideasin an organization.

Exercise: Mental Models Revealed

Objective – To gain as many points as you can by

coming up with the same words

Directions – As a group answer:

1. How many like words do you think you will identify?

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that

you will accomplish your goal?

Get into groups of 5, 6 or 7

Why Do Mental Models Matter?

Our mental models or assumptions are

behind everything we say and do!

Mental models affect our behavior

Mental Model Behavior

“That will never work.” Unsupportive, closed minded

“It won’t change anything.” Don’t look to improve

“We tried this before.” Shut down

“How can we make this

change work?”

Supportive, open minded

Develop a growth mindset

Instead of… Try thinking

I’m not good at this What am I missing?

I give up I’ll use a different strategy

It’s good enough Is this really my best work?

I can’t make this any better I can always improve

This is too hard This may take some time

I made a mistake Mistakes help me to learn

I just can’t do this I am going to train my brain

I’ll never be that smart I will learn how to do this

Plan A didn’t work There’s always a Plan B

What Mental Models do you hold about…..?

Products

Systems

Product owners/Stakeholders

Processes

Team Members

Your company

People with different Mental Models will

see the same situation and describe it differently.

Mental Models

Remember…

Past Experiences

Mental models are insights, not knowledge

Mental models are conscious and unconscious

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at

change

Be aware of your thinking and

assumptions and lookat things differently.

Be able to set your Mental Models aside

when necessary.

Because sometimes your Mental Models prevent

you from …

Breakthrough Thinking

It’s only when you set aside your

mental models, that you are able to

create, innovate and learn faster