Mental models are turning out to be a recurring topic between Harry and I — mostly because I keep bringing it up. In episode 18 of the podcast, I read the following passage from Framers: Human Advantage in an Age of Technology and Turmoil by Kenneth Cukier, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, and Francis de Véricourt:
The mental models that we choose and apply are frames: they determine how we understand and act in the world. Frames enable us to generalize and make abstractions that apply to other situations. With them, we can handle new situations, rather than having to relearn everything from scratch. Our frames are always operating in the background. But we can stop and deliberately ask ourselves which frame we are applying, and whether it is the best fit for the circumstances. And if it’s not, we can choose another frame that is better. Or, we can invent a new frame altogether.
Framing is so fundamental to human cognition that even those who study the workings of the mind rarely focused on it until relatively recently. Its importance was overshadowed by other mental capabilities, such as sensing and memory. But as people have become more aware of the need to improve their decision-making, the role of frames as fundamental to choosing and acting well has moved from the background to center stage. We now know that the right frame applied in the right way opens up a wider range of possibilities, which in turn leads to better choices. The frames we employ affect the options we see, the decisions we make, and the results we attain. By being better at framing, we get better outcomes.
The gist: we can intentionally choose which mental models we adopt. How? There are several techniques. Harry brought up Precision Questioning; I countered with the Iceberg model. On listening back, it felt like we might have talked a bit past each other at time — I wish I’d drilled into PQ a bit more. But this might be the topic of a future episode.