Fundamental

Leadership Skills
-Examining Mental
Models
Karen J. Hannan
Collaboration Works, Inc.

Why Mental Models Are

Important
How
We Think

What
We Think

Behavior
or Actions

Potential for
Greatest Change
Collaboration Works, Inc.

Products

Understanding Mental Models

Mental models or maps
Tacit, subconscious, unexamined
Determine how we interpret different
situations
Influences our reactions
Can be made conscious with some effort

Discovery requires reflection, inquiry,

advocacy skills
Collaboration Works, Inc.

Ladder of Inference

Take actions based on beliefs

Draw conclusions
Adopt beliefs about the world
Make assumptions based upon
meanings Ive added
Add meaning (cultural &
personal)
Select data (unconsciously)
Observable data
Collaboration Works, Inc.

VIDEO CLIP
Material based on research by Daniel J.
Simons and his colleagues

Collaboration Works, Inc.

The Brains Job

Translates perception into appropriate
thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
Ensures emotions are consistent with beliefs
Processes information based on
experiences, regardless of quality of input
(blind organ)
Basically, we see what we believe
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Working with Mental

Models
Reflection
Stepping down the ladder of inference
Inquiry
Active exploration of others ideas
Advocacy
Active exploration of your own ideas

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Building Reflection Skills

How?

Ask questions about our own reactions:

In reacting this way, I am reacting as if I
believe what about the current situation?
What might I be missing?
What alternative explanations are possible?
In what ways may I have contributed to this
situation?
What buttons have been pushed for me?
(i.e., personal needs, values, process
preferences, etc.)
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Building Reflection Skills

How?
Observe your own ability to listen (including

your willingness to be influenced)

Develop a reflective practice
Put the day to bed practice
Left-hand journaling
Create an environment for reflection
Build a group practice for reflection and
lessons learned
Collaboration Works, Inc.

Exercise

Address the following questions

individually and then in your table groups:
What are some of the limiting factors that
discourage your ability to reflect?
Consider culture, relationship, environment,
individual belief systems, individual habits

What support might you put in place to

encourage your opportunity to reflect?
Make a plan for yourself for the next week how
could you begin or build on what you already do?

Large Group Debrief

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Conversati
onal
Choices
Conversation

Suspend

Deliberation

Choic
e
Point

Defend

From William Isaacs Dialogue

And the Art of Thinking Together

Reflective
Dialogue

Generative
Dialogue

Skillful Conversation Dialectic

Choice
Point
Controlled Discussion Debate

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Skillful Conversation
Inquiry
Actively listen to understand & help others
make their thinking process visible
Share your thoughts based on what youve
heard -- compare your thinking

Advocacy
Explain your thinking
Gather input, ideas, feedback

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Examining Mental Models Practice follow the directions on the

Individually,

Mental Models Sheet

In pairs or groups of 3, share your
document (one person at a time). Avoid
in-depth story-telling.
Discuss the questions on the Left-Hand Column
Question Sheet

Debrief in large group

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Taking It Forward
What one thing do I want to take with
me from today for future use?

Collaboration Works, Inc.