Category: MentalModels

We make very few decisions consciously because our brain is trained to run on autopilot and makes most of the decisions for us. Ladder of inference is a mental model that can lead to quick and automatic judgments with biased opinions.

June 24, 2024

How to Avoid Jumping to Conclusions and Make Decisions Based on Reality

Our actions in any given situation are determined by how we perceive the situation. We can all come to very different understandings, depending on what aspects of the situation we choose to focus on and how we interpret what is going on. Ladder of inference is a powerful mental model that explains how we make quick assessments or decisions. Each step in the decision-making process is represented by a rung on the ladder. You start at the bottom, then climb each rung before making a decision and taking action.

The human brain has this remarkable cognitive capacity to perform at levels far beyond what we consider as our natural abilities, but it’s not without its limits. The cognitive biases that enable the brain to prioritize and process large amounts of information quickly also gets in the way of our productivity. These mental shortcuts are the brain's way to conserve energy and work more efficiently. But they also lead to many thinking errors.

MentalModels / Productivity

March 16, 2023

4 Cognitive Biases That Impacts Productivity

The human brain has this remarkable cognitive capacity to perform at levels far beyond what we consider as our natural abilities, but it’s not without its limits. The cognitive biases that enable the brain to prioritize and process large amounts of information quickly also gets in the way of our productivity. These mental shortcuts are the brain’s way to conserve energy and work more efficiently. But they also lead to many thinking errors.

Making good decisions isn’t just about making the right choices, it’s also about being able to recognize and eliminate bad ones. Here are the other 4 thinking traps that add to leadership ineffectiveness. #effectiveleadership #cognitivebias #psychology #cognition #implicitbias #decisionmaking #thoughtleaders #entrepreneurship #makingdecisions #bias #leadership #mentalmodels #thinkingtraps

Leadership / MentalModels

December 8, 2022

Break Free From These 4 Leadership Thinking Traps

Thinking traps are the biggest cause of leadership ineffectiveness. When leaders don’t pay attention to how they think, make decisions and the impact it has on the organization and its people, their actions—however well intended they may be—cease to produce the desired effect. Making good decisions isn’t just about making the right choices, it’s also about being able to recognize and eliminate bad ones. Effective leaders make good decisions by paying attention to their errors in thinking and taking steps to reduce them.

Leaders are ordinary human beings who make mistakes from time to time. While some mistakes are insignificant or have minor negative consequences, others might be potentially harmful and damaging to the organization and its people. Most of these mistakes are unintentional—they stem from thinking errors, applying shortcuts and not using the right mental models. When leaders don’t pause and reflect, they make poor choices and terrible decisions which hurt the productivity of their people and performance of their entire organization.

Leadership / MentalModels

November 23, 2022

These Thinking Errors are the Biggest Cause of Leadership Ineffectiveness

Leaders are ordinary human beings who make mistakes from time to time. While some mistakes are insignificant or have minor negative consequences, others might be potentially harmful and damaging to the organization and its people. Most of these mistakes are unintentional—they stem from thinking errors, applying shortcuts and not using the right mental models. When leaders don’t pause and reflect, they make poor choices and terrible decisions which hurt the productivity of their people and performance of their entire organization.

To build empathy at work, you have to be less wrong when judging other people’s behaviors and actions. You have to stop making assumptions about their circumstances and motivations. You have to step into their shoes to understand what they’re really thinking.

Communication / MentalModels

November 3, 2022

4 Powerful Mental Models to Build Empathy At Work

Most problems we face at work involve people. We think we know others, how they think and what drives them. But most of the time we’re wrong. You can’t be empathetic towards others and lead with your beliefs and notions. To build empathy at work, you have to be less wrong when judging other people’s behaviors and actions. You have to stop making assumptions about their circumstances and motivations. You have to step into their shoes to understand what they’re really thinking.