Following on from my previous article about Chapter 1 of Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership by Louise Mowbray , here's my summary of Chapter 2, which explores the concept of mental models and how they shape our perceptions, beliefs, and actions.

Lenses on the world

Louise Mowbray introduces the concept of "lenses on the world," describing them as mental models that act as filters, providing shortcuts for processing information. These frameworks, shaped by life experiences, impact our thoughts, beliefs, and decision-making.

"We are prisoners of our own metaphors, metaphorically speaking." ~ Buckminster Fuller

Mental filters are necessary because our brains can process 11 million bits of information every second, but our conscious minds can only handle 40 to 50 bits.

The book Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman distinguishes between two systems of thinking: the fast, intuitive 'System 1,' and the slow, deliberate 'System 2.'

These mental models can also lead to unconscious or implicit bias, with serious consequences for how we perceive and act toward other people.

"As you see the future, so you act and as you act, so you become." ~ Barbara Marx Hubbard

The Ladder of Inference

The Ladder of Inference gives a visual representation of how mental models work and serves as a tool for understanding the layers of inference that influence our decision-making. It was conceptualised by the business theorist Chris Argyris and popularised in the book The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge.

The ladder illustrates the steps from collecting data to taking action, with each rung representing unconscious steps like selection, interpretation, assumptions, conclusions, and beliefs.

This article explains the model in more detail and gives examples of how we might jump up the ladder.

The ladder can also be linked to the structure 'What? - So What? - Now What?' as a framework for reflection and decision-making.

Reflexive loops show how our perceptions and actions create a feedback loop, with our actions affecting the data we observe or consider and our beliefs influencing the data we select.

This feedback loop is akin to the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy, which explores the connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and how these are affected by our core beliefs about ourselves, others and the future.

"The more central the belief is to our thinking, the harder it is to give up. These core beliefs anchor our understanding. We use them to make sense of events, inquire, and arrive at judgments about other ideas. And so we are much more likely to explain away any anomalies rather than revise our beliefs in the face of them." ~ Gary Klein

Self-awareness

Louise Mowbray emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in recognizing and challenging these mental models. This can help to improve decision-making, problem-solving, and communication.

This self-awareness is key in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which aims to develop awareness of automatic thoughts, distorted thought patterns and core beliefs.

In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman also advocates for slow, deliberate thinking ('System 2') when facing complex decisions. By incorporating deliberate thinking, individuals can navigate intricate situations more thoughtfully, making well-informed decisions and avoiding the pitfalls of cognitive biases.

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." ~ Viktor Frankl

Mental trappings

The concept of being "trapped" by mental models is explored through five ways identified by Jennifer Garvey Berger , such as being trapped by simple stories, rightness, agreement, control, and ego.

We can interrupt these mental traps by asking, "How does this serve me?"

"We create the world that we perceive, not because there is no reality outside our heads, but because we select and edit the reality we see to conform to our beliefs about what sort of world we live in." ~ Gregory Bateson

Visual summary