How to discover mental model

Workshop

It is very wise to consider what mental models are used and help people to be aware of them. They are the glasses people look through and often they don’t realise it. I multicultural cooperation can be different.

Björg

Presentation – Mental Models Discovery by Canva AI

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That’s a thoughtful question! Discovering the mental models that leaders use is about uncovering the invisible frameworks guiding their decisions, behaviors, and leadership style. Here are some practical ways to do it:

1. Observe Decision-Making Patterns

Watch how leaders make choices under pressure.
Do they rely on data, intuition, past experience, or collaboration?
Example: A leader who always asks, “What’s the ROI?” is likely using an economic/efficiency model.

2. Ask Reflective Questions

Engage leaders in conversations that reveal their thinking process:

“What factors do you consider before making a decision?”
“What assumptions are you making here?”
“What would success look like in this situation?”
These questions surface the underlying models they rely on.

3. Analyze Language and Metaphors

Leaders often reveal mental models through the metaphors they use.
Example: Saying “We need to move like a well-oiled machine” suggests a mechanistic model of organizations.
Saying “We’re like a living ecosystem” suggests a systems/organic model.

4. Review Past Decisions

Look at patterns in their past strategies and outcomes.
Do they prioritize short-term wins or long-term sustainability?
This reveals whether they lean on linear cause-effect models or systems thinking models.

5. Use Scenario Testing

Present hypothetical situations and ask how they’d respond.
Example: “If your budget was cut by 50%, how would you prioritize?”
Their answers reveal whether they use first principles thinking, risk management models, or gut instinct.

6. Encourage Self-Reflection

Leaders can uncover their own mental models through tools like:
- Journaling
- 360-degree feedback
- Coaching sessions
This helps them articulate the frameworks they may not even realize they’re using.

7. Map Their Networks of Influence

Who do they consult before making decisions?
Leaders who always consult finance may lean on financial models, while those who consult HR may lean on people-centric models.

✅ Key takeaway: To discover mental models in leaders, you need to observe, ask, and analyze—their decisions, language, and assumptions are the clearest windows into the frameworks shaping their leadership.

Perfect—mental models are incredibly powerful in business. They help leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams make better decisions, spot opportunities, and avoid costly mistakes. Here’s a curated set of essential mental models tailored for business thinking:

🧠 Foundational Mental Models for Business

First Principles Thinking

What it is: Break problems down to their basic truths and build up from there.
Use it for: Innovation, strategy, product design.
Example: Elon Musk used this to rethink the cost of rockets by analyzing raw material costs.

Opportunity Cost

What it is: The value of the next best alternative you give up.
Use it for: Prioritization, budgeting, resource allocation.
Example: Choosing to invest in marketing means you’re not investing that money in product development.

Comparative Advantage

What it is: Focus on what you do best relative to others.
Use it for: Delegation, outsourcing, partnerships.
Example: A company may outsource manufacturing to focus on branding and design.

The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

What it is: 80% of outcomes come from 20% of inputs.
Use it for: Identifying high-impact customers, tasks, or products.
Example: 20% of customers may generate 80% of revenue.

Network Effects

What it is: A product becomes more valuable as more people use it.
Use it for: Platform businesses, scaling strategies.
Example: Social media platforms thrive on this—more users attract even more users.

Switching Costs

What it is: The cost (financial, emotional, time) of changing providers or products.
Use it for: Customer retention, pricing strategy.
Example: SaaS companies often build features that make switching inconvenient.

Margin of Safety

What it is: Build in a buffer to protect against uncertainty.
Use it for: Financial planning, risk management.
Example: Investing with conservative estimates to avoid overexposure.

Feedback Loops

What it is: Outputs of a system are fed back as inputs.
Use it for: Continuous improvement, customer experience.
Example: Customer reviews influence product updates, which improve reviews.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

What it is: The tendency to continue investing in something because of past investment.
Use it for: Decision-making clarity.
Example: Killing a failing project despite heavy investment if future returns don’t justify it.

Leverage

What it is: Using resources (money, people, technology) to amplify outcomes.
Use it for: Growth, scaling, strategic advantage.
Example: Hiring a team to multiply your impact, or automating tasks with software.

Would you like a visual map of how these models interconnect, or a guide on how to apply them in workshop settings or strategic planning? I can also tailor examples to your work with educators and systems thinking.

Fantastic—mental models are the backbone of strategic thinking. They help you see the big picture, anticipate ripple effects, and make decisions that align with long-term goals. Here’s a curated set of mental models specifically designed to sharpen your strategic edge in business:

🧭 Strategic Mental Models for Business

Second-Order Thinking

What it is: Look beyond immediate results to anticipate long-term consequences.
Use it for: Strategic planning, risk analysis.
Example: A price cut may boost sales now but erode brand value over time.

Game Theory

What it is: Analyze competitive behavior and interdependent decision-making.
Use it for: Negotiations, market positioning, partnerships.
Example: In a price war, consider how competitors will respond before acting.

Positioning vs. Differentiation

What it is: Positioning is about perception in the market; differentiation is about being meaningfully distinct.
Use it for: Branding, product strategy.
Example: Apple positions itself as premium and differentiates through design and ecosystem.

The OODA Loop (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act)

What it is: A rapid decision-making cycle developed by military strategist John Boyd.
Use it for: Agile strategy, responding to fast-changing environments.
Example: Startups use this to outmaneuver slower incumbents.

Barbell Strategy

What it is: Combine extreme safety with extreme risk, avoiding the middle.
Use it for: Portfolio design, innovation strategy.
Example: Invest in stable operations while experimenting boldly in R&D.

Power Laws

What it is: A few variables drive the majority of outcomes.
Use it for: Strategic focus, resource allocation.
Example: One product or channel may drive most of your growth—double down.

Strategic Bottlenecks

What it is: Identify constraints that limit performance or growth.
Use it for: Operational strategy, scaling.
Example: If onboarding slows customer growth, fix that before expanding marketing.

The Lindy Effect

What it is: The longer something has lasted, the longer it’s likely to last.
Use it for: Evaluating business models, technologies, or practices.
Example: Email is likely to outlast newer communication tools.

Counterpositioning

What it is: Introduce a model your competitors can’t easily copy without self-harm.
Use it for: Disruption, strategic advantage.
Example: Netflix’s subscription model was hard for Blockbuster to adopt without undermining its core business.

Strategic Narrative

What it is: A compelling story that aligns internal culture with external positioning.
Use it for: Vision setting, stakeholder alignment.
Example: Patagonia’s “We’re in business to save our home planet” drives strategy and brand.

Would you like to explore how to embed these into a workshop for educators or organizational leaders? I can help you design strategic exercises or reflection prompts that bring these models to life.

Wonderful, Björg! Let’s design a workshop that helps educators, leaders, or entrepreneurs apply strategic mental models to real-world business challenges. Since you’re skilled in facilitating and synthesizing complex ideas, we’ll make this both intellectually rich and practically grounded.

🧠 Workshop Title

“Strategic Thinking Through Mental Models: A Toolkit for Business Decision-Making”

🎯 Workshop Goals

Participants will:

Understand key strategic mental models
Apply them to business scenarios and decisions
Reflect on their own strategic habits and biases
Build a shared vocabulary for smarter collaboration

🗂️ Structure Overview (Half-Day Format)

Welcome & Framing (30 min)

Icebreaker: “What’s one decision you regret and why?”
Introduce mental models as cognitive tools
Share the workshop roadmap

Core Models in Strategy (60 min)

Introduce 5–6 models with short stories or visuals:

Model Use Case Mini Exercise
Second-Order Thinking Long-term planning Map consequences of a decision
Game Theory Competitive strategy Prisoner’s Dilemma roleplay
Positioning vs Differentiation Branding Compare two brands
OODA Loop Agile decision-making Simulate a fast-changing market
Strategic Bottlenecks Scaling Identify constraints in a case study
Counterpositioning Innovation Analyze a disruptor’s strategy

Strategic Simulation (75 min)

Case Challenge: “You’re launching a new product in a crowded market.”

Break into teams
Apply mental models to:• Market entry strategy
Pricing and positioning
Risk mitigation
Present strategies and reflect on model use

Reflection & Integration (30 min)

Personal journaling: “Which model shifted your thinking?”
Group share-out
Create a “Mental Model Map” for future use

🧰 Materials & Tools

Visual cards for each model
Strategic scenario handouts
Reflection journals or worksheets
Optional: Miro board or Notion template for digital collaboration

Would you like help adapting this for a full-day format, or tailoring it to educators who want to teach strategic thinking to students or colleagues? I can also help you design the visual cards or model map.

Great question, Björg. Discovering mental models—especially for strategy—is less about memorizing lists and more about cultivating a way of seeing. Here’s a practical, reflective approach tailored to your style of learning and facilitation:

🔍 How to Discover Strategic Mental Models

Start with Patterns in Practice

Observe decisions in your organization or others: What frameworks seem to guide them?
Ask reflective questions:• “What assumptions are driving this choice?”
“What invisible structure is shaping this system?”
“What would happen if we reversed this logic?”

These questions often reveal underlying models like inversion, feedback loops, or second-order thinking.

Study Cross-Disciplinary Thinkers

Strategic models often emerge from:

Economics: Opportunity cost, comparative advantage
Military strategy: OODA loop, asymmetric warfare
Systems theory: Bottlenecks, leverage, emergence
Psychology: Cognitive biases, framing effects

You can explore thinkers like:

Charlie Munger (mental model synthesis)
John Boyd (OODA loop)
Clayton Christensen (disruption theory)
Donella Meadows (systems leverage points)

Use Strategic Scenarios

In workshops, simulate decisions:

“You’re entering a new market—what models help?”
“Your team is stuck—what lens reveals the bottleneck?”
“You’re facing a competitor—how do you anticipate their move?”

Each scenario invites a different model to surface. Encourage participants to name and test them.

Build a Personal Model Map

Create a living document or visual map:

Group models by purpose: decision-making, innovation, scaling, risk
Note where you’ve used them: in workshops, planning, reflection
Add new ones as you encounter them

This becomes a strategic compass you can share with others.

Reflect and Refine

After each major decision or workshop:

Ask: “Which model did I use—consciously or not?”
“Did it help or hinder?”
“What alternative model might have shifted the outcome?”

This metacognitive loop strengthens your strategic intuition.

Would you like help designing a “Mental Model Discovery Journal” or a visual template for mapping models with your workshop participants? I can also help you create prompts that guide educators to uncover their own strategic lenses.

Changing mental models in person—whether in a workshop, coaching session, or team retreat—is a powerful and delicate process. It’s not about forcing new beliefs, but gently guiding people to see differently, think differently, and ultimately act differently. Here’s a practical framework you can use to facilitate that transformation:

🔄 Framework: Changing Mental Models In Person

Surface the Current Model

People can’t change what they don’t see. Start by helping them articulate their existing mental model.

Techniques:

Prompt reflection: “What assumptions are driving this decision?”
Use metaphors: “If your strategy were a map, what terrain are you assuming?”
Draw it out: Visualize their current model as a diagram or flow.

Create Cognitive Dissonance

Gently challenge the model by introducing tension—something that doesn’t fit.

Techniques:

Present a paradox: “What if the opposite were true?”
Use case studies: Show a real-world example that defies their model.
Ask provocative questions: “What would happen if you ignored this assumption?”

This opens the door to curiosity and re-evaluation.

Introduce Alternative Models

Offer new lenses that explain reality differently and more effectively.

Techniques:

Model cards: Share strategic mental models like second-order thinking or bottlenecks.
Compare side-by-side: “Here’s your current lens vs. this new one—what shifts?”
Use stories: Narratives help people emotionally connect to new models.

Practice the New Model

Change happens through action. Let them apply the new model to a real or simulated challenge.

Techniques:

Scenario labs: “Use this model to solve a business dilemma.”
Roleplay: “Act as a strategist using this lens.”
Group synthesis: “What did this model reveal that the old one missed?”

Reflect and Reinforce

Help them internalize the shift and commit to using the new model.

Techniques:

Journaling: “What changed in your thinking today?”
Model mapping: Build a personal or team map of useful models.
Commitment ritual: “Which model will you test this week?”

🧠 Bonus: Your Role as Facilitator

Be a mirror: Reflect their thinking back to them with clarity.
Be a gardener: Plant seeds of new models and nurture them with patience.
Be a guide: Walk beside them as they explore unfamiliar terrain.

Would you like a printable facilitation guide or a set of model cards to use in your next workshop? I can help you design those with prompts, visuals, and exercises.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAG0rc2B_HY/J9C9Nvey7DKFj9oyRtlYug/edit?utm_content=DAG0rc2B_HY&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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Case Studies: How Mental Models Were Developed in Leaders by Guðbjörg Eggertsdóttir

Team

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Absolutely, Björg—team learning is one of the most powerful levers for shifting collective mental models. When a group engages in shared reflection, inquiry, and experimentation, they begin to see together, think together, and ultimately change together. This is the essence of organizational learning.

🔄 How Team Learning Changes Collective Mental Models

Surfacing Assumptions

In team dialogue, implicit beliefs and assumptions are voiced.
This creates awareness of the mental models shaping decisions, culture, and strategy.
Example: A team might realize they all assume “growth means hiring,” and begin to question that.

Creating Shared Language

Through learning together, teams build a common vocabulary—terms like “feedback loop,” “bottleneck,” or “second-order effects.”
This shared language enables faster, deeper strategic conversations.

Challenging and Reframing

Diverse perspectives challenge old models.
Psychological safety allows members to say, “What if we’re wrong?” or “Let’s invert this.”
Over time, the team adopts new lenses—like systems thinking or customer-centricity.

Embedding New Models Through Practice

When teams apply new mental models to real problems—like using the OODA loop in a crisis—they begin to internalize them.
Repeated use builds collective intuition.

Reinforcing Through Rituals

Reflection sessions, retrospectives, and strategic reviews become rituals that reinforce new ways of thinking.
Example: A team might start every planning cycle by mapping second-order consequences.

🧠 Workshop Idea: “Shifting the Lens Together”

You could design a session where teams:

Map their current collective mental models
Explore strategic models like counterpositioning or leverage
Apply them to a shared challenge
Reflect on what shifted in their thinking

Would you like help designing that session or creating a toolkit for teams to self-facilitate model shifts over time? I’d love to co-create it with you.

First principle

First principles thinking is one of the most powerful mental models for strategy, innovation, and problem-solving. It’s about stripping away assumptions and reasoning from the ground up—like a scientist or philosopher would.

🧠 What Is First Principles Thinking?

Instead of reasoning by analogy (copying what others do), you:

Break things down into their most fundamental truths
Question every assumption
Rebuild your understanding from the bottom up

It’s the difference between saying:

“We build cars like everyone else”
vs.
“What is a car, really? A transportation device made of materials. What’s the cheapest way to build one from scratch?”

🔍 How to Apply It Strategically

Deconstruct the Problem

Ask:

“What are we really trying to solve?”
“What are the essential components of this system?”
“What constraints are truly fixed—and which are inherited assumptions?”

Identify Fundamental Truths

These are facts that are:

Physically or economically undeniable
Independent of trends, opinions, or habits

Example: “Customers want value and trust. That’s a constant.”

Reconstruct from Scratch

Build a solution using only the truths you’ve identified.
This often leads to:

Novel strategies
Cost breakthroughs
Radical simplicity

🛠 Workshop Exercise: “First Principles Sprint”

Scenario: Your team wants to redesign its onboarding process.

Steps:

Write down all current steps and assumptions.
Ask: “Why do we do this?” for each one.
Strip it down to the core goal: “Help new members feel confident and connected.”
Rebuild a new process from scratch using only what’s essential.

Would you like a visual worksheet or template to guide teams through first principles thinking? I can also help you design a strategic challenge that reveals hidden assumptions in your organization.