Posts Tagged ‘mental models’
Were you a Brownie, Cub, Scout or Guide?
As a girl, I was a ‘Brownie’. I love the “Be Prepared’ part. I like thinking up a plan and making it happen.
It’s snowing in UK
This morning I set off for London knowing that snow was expected. I left London earlier than usual and found I rather like driving in snow. Cars slow down and observe a decent stopping distance!
And I had prepares, a little. I had a sleeping bag and a flask of hot water just in case!
What are the tricks of driving in light snow?
But what I hadn’t expected was losing my brakes. A car in front of me slowed down and I tried to as well. Aha! Judder judder. Nothing but judder.
I pumped the brakes thinking I could dislodge some ice. Nothing happened. I just closed on the car in the front of me.
So I hastily started to change down (we have manual shifts here) and looked left and right to pick a snow bank to skid into if the gears didn’t slow me down.
I did slow down, thankfully. And this happened again several times.
So much for being prepared! I realized that I know nothing about driving in snow. I need to find out!
Competence matters in this world. It really does!
PS I took 1 hour 50 minutes to get back in snow driving most of the way at 25 miles an hour. Going down to London in fine weather this morning took 2 hours 15 minutes much of it at 5 miles an hour. Snow has led to efficiency! I just need to develop a good mental model of safe driving.
Any tips?
Are you wise, sometimes?
Have you ever kicked yourself for making a dumb decision? Have you ever sat there thinking, why did I do that?
Turn on your wisdom
There is a way to turn on wisdom. Peter K Webbs describes the research evidence for promoting wisdom.
#1 Talk a decision over with someone else. They don’t give you answers. The talking brings a wider range of facts and figures to your conscious decision making processes.
#2 Go on a cloud journey. Imagine traveling around the world. Think of different places and cultures. Then make you decision! This is Staudinger’s and Baltes (1996) ‘cloud’ journey.
Complexity in organizatons
Peter K Webbs summarized complexity theory in organizations and psycholoogy very well.
For a poetic account, read Paolo Coelho, The Warrior of Light & Strategy. I particular like the ideas of accepting defeat as what they it is: defeat. I like the idea of preparing to fight by imagining fighting oneself. I like the idea that friends remain with you through good and bad times. They share the journey and the ups-and-downs of the journey.
flowing motion 
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