Sometimes our greatest strength is also our achilles heal. Great leaders are able to process and adapt to new information in the blink of an eye. The problem comes when we stop adapting to new information and instead only hear the parts of the message that reinforce our existing world view. We all have examples of this, but how does it happen? More importantly, can we prevent it?

It all starts with being open to learning. How do I learn something new? What steps do I take to explore an unknown application, skill or concept? Some people jump right in and try. Others go off and read books or study. Different types of learners prefer to receive information in different forms. One of the most popular models for describing our learning preferences is VAK. VAK breaks learning preference into three buckets. Since these buckets align well with our senses, they’re easy for mere mortals to grasp.

“A little learning is a dangerous thing.” — Alexander Pope

Visual learners come in two forms, linguistic and spatial. Visual linguistic learners like to learn by reading. They commit things to memory by writing them down. Written text carries a special weight for them. Visual spatial prefer videos, charts and demonstrations.

Auditory learners prefer to consume information by discussing it. Asking an auditory learner questions helps them to store information. Allowing auditory learners to restate and summarize information is beneficial for comprehension.

Kinesthetic learners consume information by touching or doing. Kinesthetic learners take notes to keep their hands moving. They tend to be distractible and have a hard time sitting through lectures. They like to visualize tasks and enjoy seeing the big picture.

Which learning style do you prefer? Does it vary based on situation or do you express a clear preference? Personally, I tend to be more of a Kinesthetic learner.

Regardless of learning style, humans rely on the same foundational tool when approaching a new concept. That tool is the mental model. Humans are interpreters. We can’t help but try and make sense of the things we perceive around us. From first exposure, we begin making assumptions about a new concept. We are mapping the concept to our previous life experiences.

Have you ever used a new application and immediately been able to articulate how it works? What about navigating in an unfamiliar city or a store you’ve never been to? This is the power of the mental model. In his 1943 book, Nature of Explanation, Kenneth Craik explained the modeling concept.

The model allows us to interpret the unfamiliar in terms that are familiar to us. This interpretation is not limited to the parts of a system that we can see or touch. Mental models allow us to envision the inner workings as well. Absent mental models, people would not be able to make predictions about the future.

Our mental models dictate how we perceive the world.

Think about that for a second. What a powerful tool. Based on my own experiences, I took in a new concept and translated it into something I’m comfortable with. What a blessing! What a curse! Since mental modeling is assumption based, we can start with the wrong assumption. We often experience conflict with others when they don’t share our mental model.

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” — Aldous Huxley

In the era of fake news, how can two people find common ground? It helps to understand the process by which people perceive and react to facts. The ladder of inference is an excellent tool for this purpose.

Image sourced from toolshero.com

We use the ladder subconsciously to determine what to do with new information. At the very bottom of the ladder, we have indisputable facts. As we ascend the ladder, we internalize those facts based on our beliefs and experiences. We then interpret them to derive meaning. Of course, this interpretation is subject to assumptions and biases on our part. Based on these assumptions and our interpretation of the facts, we draw conclusions. We then take actions based on these conclusions. Of course, these actions seem “right” to us. There couldn’t really be any other outcome. Of course, we’re lying to ourselves.

So how can we use the ladder to do better?

Start by questioning yourself. Have I drawn the right conclusion? Why am I making these assumptions and where did they come from? Is this course of action based on all the facts or did I cherry pick them to tell my story? Why do I think this is the right course of action?

Recognize when communicating that every party has their own inference ladder. This knowledge alone can make a huge difference. On your end, try to communicate how you reached your conclusion. Seek to convey the context or the why.

When trying to understand a peer with a different point of view, question how they arrived at their view. Changing the conversation to the process uncovers shared ground. Shared ground is how we broaden our horizons and learn from our interactions.

When creating something new, such as a product, I find it helpful to think through the prospective user’s mental model. How will they perceive your product or service. What might they relate it to? How does your mental model as the designer differ from theirs as the consumer? Since perception is reality, the user’s mental model is more important than our own. How can we adapt our design to fit better into the user’s world view?

“T o know an object is to lead to it through a context which the world provides.” — William James

It’s also useful to strengthen your mental modeling muscle. This article by Gabriel Weinberg, founder of DuckDuckGo provides some great tools.

It is our responsibility as leaders to recognize that personal biases exist. We must work to create opportunities for peers and subordinates to contribute. It is our duty to create safe spaces and foster open supportive communication within our teams.

Better communications are a journey. There is no easy road. You are unlikely to improve without putting in work. If you’re committed to better communication, you might enjoy my article on becoming a more genuine leader. It provides tactical steps that you can take to improve your communication skills.

👋🏻Hey there — I’m Zac

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