Powerhouse organizations have one thing in common. They know how and when to challenge conventional wisdom so that they always stay one step ahead. Even more, they know that complacency is a recipe for disaster. That’s because they’re equipped to anticipate change, sense industry swings, and meet client demands, maybe even before the client recognizes a need. But this skill isn’t limited to the Fortune 100. Big, small, or somewhere in between, your organization can gain a competitive advantage with the right mindset.

Each one of us has a perception of reality about how the world works—a mental model. Like an internal hard drive, they provide understanding, guide thinking, and direct decision making. Built from everyday experiences, outside influences, and rewards such as money and success, mental models can be both beneficial and detrimental to success. And just as technology shifts and advances, so does the need for individuals, teams, and organizations to update, flex, and reconstruct mental models to improve performance.

An excellent starting point is to create awareness. Part of the Reproducible Training Library, Mental Models: The Key to Making Reality-Based Decisions shows the people in your organization how to examine their mental models, separate fact from opinion, clarify assumptions, and reveal hidden beliefs. Using interactive exercises and activities, this learning experience illustrates the need to tune into one’s surroundings, look for opportunities, and approach work with an open mind.

Downloadable, customizable, and reproducible, Mental Models is available as a half-day classroom training workshop, a one-hour e-learning program, and a handy self-study e-book.

• Understand what mental models are and how they influence the workplace
• Identify one’s personal mental model
• Recognize the mental model assumptions
• Reveal hidden mental model biases
• Learn how to avoid typical mental mistakes
• Develop the ability to adjust mental models for better performance