U Process Part 2: Those pesky mental models

October 27th, 2008 by Joe Bartmann

This is the second post in a series on the U Process (read the first post here).

A big part of practicing the U process as a method to solve tough problems is learning to recognize the “mental models” that impact our every perception. These mental models are like images or preconceived notions we have formed about the world or people or ideas. They just lurk in our subconscious minds most of the time, and step in to influence our decisions and judgments.

My Example: a calendar

Here’s a personal example. When I was in the second grade in Canistota, SD, Mrs. Cooper taught me to read a calendar. The entire south wall of the classroom was a twelve month calendar, and the months were arranged in three columns, beginning with August in the upper left corner. So, having learned the twelve month calendar by studying that wall, I still today “see” twelve months in that arrangement in my mind’s eye. When someone talks about December, I automatically think of the top of the second column, not the end of the year. Imagine my trouble in Business School when I had to think of the year in terms of quarters–three columns just don’t divide into four parts very easily!

That’s a silly example, but the point is that I’ve had to recognize that mental model that was influencing the way I “see” a year. And I often have to put it aside, and open my mind to other ways of arranging 12 months in my head. That’s the thing about mental models: it’s not so much about whether they are right or wrong, or even about changing them (which is very hard to do), the trick is to just recognize those blinders that your mind and past experiences are putting in your way. Wide zoom the lens and see more of the whole picture.

Mental Models as Blinders

Now imagine all the different experiences and bits and pieces of information in your past that form mental models about people or places or notions. Mental models are blinders to new ideas. They “help” us form pre-conceived judgments and prejudices. They become a prison, and block the way–prevent us from listening from a place of quiet and openness.

That’s why it’s so key, if we want to see the whole of whatever tough problem we intend to solve, that we learn to recognize more and more of the mental models that are blocking the view. Once we “see our own seeing,” as Otto Scharmer often calls it, then we can kind of set those blinders aside one by one and widen our view.

There’s more to come about the U Process in future posts. If you have personal mental model examples, or any thoughts about this post, please share them in the comments.

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