The document discusses the concept of mental models, which are internal representations of how individuals perceive and act in the world, influencing behavior and problem-solving. It emphasizes the brain's capacity for abstraction, optical illusions, and the importance of continual improvement in a leader's mental model for effective leadership. Additionally, it touches on the complexities of thought processes and organizational dynamics in relation to decision-making and leadership effectiveness.

1. Continual improvement of the
leader’s mental model
Elmer L. Meneses, PhD

2. A mental model is an explanation of
someone's thought process about how
something works in the real world.
It is a representation of the surrounding world,
the relationships between its various parts and a
person's intuitive perception about his or her
own acts and their consequences.
Mental models can help shape behaviour and
set an approach to solving problems (similar to
a personal algorithm) and doing tasks.

3. Way of thinking…
Approach, View, mind, perspective, viewpoint,
logic, mindset, school of thought,
pragmatism, framework...

4. The phenomenal power of the human mind
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I
was rdanieg
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! Aoccdrnig to a
rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer
inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt
tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos
not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas thought slpeling was
ipmorantt.
NOTE: I read this somewhere and I just had to pass it around. I do not know the origins
of the text

5. The brain is like a parachute

6. A vision …

9. Mental concept…
It is not necessary to articulate the problem
of other minds in detail since it
is one of the classical problems in
philosophy of mind (for an overview, see
Avramides 2001). The problem has three
formulations: ontological,
epistemological, and, the most recent one,
conceptual.

10. A paradigm…
a typical example or pattern of
something; a model.

11. Albert Einstein
◼ “Our theories determine what we
measure”

12. The human brain …
… tricks us whenever it can!

13. The phenomenal power of the human mind
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch
at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a
wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in
the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed
ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh,
and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.
NOTE: I read this somewhere and I just had to pass it around. I do not know the origins of the text

15. If something‘s rotating – go
home, you need a break! *g*

16. Take a look at the picture? What do you see?

17. Research has shown that young children
cannot identify the intimate couple because
they do not have prior memory associated
with such a scenario.
Children see nine dolphins.
This is a test to determine if you already
have a corrupted mind. If it is hard for you
to find the dolphins within six seconds,
your mind is indeed corrupted.

18. Optical Illusions and Visual Phenomena
Want to confuse your eyes and brain a bit?
Yes? Then you might want to have a look at the following pics ..

19. It ...

20. … doesn‘t move!

21. ... parallel or not?

22. Coil or circle?

23. Concentrate on the cross in the middle, after a while you will notice that this
moving purple dot will turn green!
Look at the cross a bit
longer and you‘ll notice that
all dots except the green
one will disappear.

25. * Follow the instruction below.
* 1) Stare at the 4 little dots on the middle of the
picture for 30 seconds
* 2) then look at a wall near you
* 3) a bright spot will appear
* 4) twinkle a few times and you‘ll see a figure
* 5) What do you see? Or even WHO do you
see?

27. This activity shows abstract
mental activities….
Remember , the eyes are the
windows of the mind…

28. Why the best ideas fail?
◼ Realism vs. idealism
◼ Interaction among matter, time and space
◼ Insistence
◼ No perfect solution

29. Incubating a New Business
Worldview
◼ Perspective: myopic vs. hyperopic view
◼ Dimension: Micro vs. Macro thinking
◼ Vision , goal , a mental model
◼ Group Planning , scenario Planning, “what
if…”
◼ Global trends, going against the drift
(Shell Petroleum , the ugly sister)

30. Overcoming
“The Basic Diseases of the Hierarchy”
◼ Hanover’s CEO, Bill O’Brien- new dogma:
vision, core values and mental models to
face any scenario.
◼ Values: Openness (transparency) and
Merit ( importance based on the SUG test)
and localness (contextualization/reality
/that exist)

31. Traditional Organization
◼ Merit-doing what the boss wants
◼ Openness –telling the boss what he wants
to hear
◼ Localness –doing the dirty stuff that the
boss doesn’t want to do

32. ◼ Beckett’s Systems Thinking: Reductionism-
the pursuit of simple answer to complex
issues:
◼ Disruption
◼ Volatility
◼ Uncertainty
◼ Complexity
◼ Ambiguity
◼ Diversity

33. Skills of a mental model expert
◼ Recognizing “leap of abstractions” ,
noticing our jumps from observation to
generalization.
◼ Exposing the “ left –hand column”,
articulating what we normally do not say
◼ Balancing inquiry and advocacy, skills for
honest investigation
◼ Facing up to distinctions between
espoused theories (we say) and implied
theories (we do).

34. Hanover’s Credo on Mental Models
The effectiveness of a leader is related to
the continual improvement of the leader’s
mental model: a shift of paradigm based on
systematic analyses, syntheses of facts
considering the Revised Blooms Taxonomy
of Learning.

36. Integrative
Inclusive
Collaborative
Consultative

37. Be a modern fixer…

38. Be a Facilitator…

39. Be a “bridge-stone”