[Ailist] Examining mental models

[Robyn Stratton-Berkessel]

Hi Esther,

I immediately think of the Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, Peter Senge et  
Al.   where there is a wealth of information, ideas, exercises and  
activities, including the Ladder of Inference.  Simple one I remember  
is to challenge people to an arm wrestling exercise and get them to  
see how many times they can win in 15 secs.  Winning is pushing the  
other person's forearm onto the table.   Most people will try to win  
and some just sway their arms back and forth with no mental model of  
winning.

It's about the tacit "maps" of the world we hold, mostly  
unconsciously, all about those deep seated beliefs. In how you surface  
them, they refer to the ladder of inference, balancing inquiry with  
advocacy, imagining "if we did do something different what might  
happen?"  Trying out new behaviors to get new results.  How to face a  
point of view with which you disagree; taking on multiple perspective  
and creating new scenarios.  I am reminded of many NLP questioning  
patterns as well to help people recognize the map is not the territory.

Hope it is of some help.

Kindest regards,


Robyn Stratton-Berkessel
Creator, Positive Matrix
Founder, L.I.T. Global
+1 732 291 0462
+1 917 816 5597 (mobile)
Skype: robynsb




On Jan 8, 2008, at 5:13 PM, Esther Ewing wrote:

I will have a group of 14 managers with whom I need to take through an
exercise where they will identify their worldview or their basic  
assumptions
about managing people. Douglas McGregor said that every managerial act  
rests
on assumptions, generalizations and hypotheses (or theory). He said  
that our
assumptions are frequently implicit, sometimes quite unconscious, often
conflicting; nevertheless, they determine our predictions that if we  
do a, b
will occur. (The Human Side of Enterprise, p. 6)



Heil, Bennis and Stephens said that McGregor's most important legacy was
neither Theory X nor Theory Y. It was his insistence that managers  
question
their core assumptions about human nature, and that they see how these
mental models lead to managerial practices.



I agree with the importance of my client's managers examining their  
mental
models. Does anyone have ideas for me about how I could get them to do  
this?





Best regards

Esther Ewing

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