How to Use Human Mental Models in Business and Management

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Introduction

As a business leader, you’re often looking for ways to speed up your work with higher accuracy. Perceiving and thinking the right thoughts are deeply linked to how well you action them and achieve your goals. It’s also one reason some people can line up their thoughts well while others struggle with it.

People are either linear or non-linear thinkers. As linear thinking, it’s about sequentially moving from one thing to another before reaching an end. Non-linear thinkers, however, like to use their creative instincts and arrive at a conclusion. Because you often work with a mix of linear and non-linear thinkers, it’s difficult to base your decisions on this alone. It is why mental models and psychology can help you navigate human nature and thinking at work.

Let’s get into the details.

Why Mental Models Matter In Business

Human beings are non-linear thinkers – you are performing one action, are distracted by a second thing, and your subsequent workflow may change based on these concurrent thoughts. But work processes are built assuming sequential thinking.

For example, a marketer may send a drip email sequence over ten days, assuming that the reader picks up from where you left them in the last email. But it’s unlikely most readers will relate to the mail unless a clear relationship keeps them hooked.

Mental models work well to understand the relationship between two or more elements. This relationship study is also a reason for its widespread execution across different business functions.

Types of Mental Models

1. First Order Second-Order Thinking

Suppose you’re currently mulling over the impact of your decisions on a large group of people, probably running in thousands. In that case, it’s wise to approach it with the First Order Second Order Thinking mental model. Quick and easy decisions can start within the confines of First Order Thinking, which is intuitive and has an immediate effect on people and experiences.

Take time to go onto the next step of Second-Order Thinking, which goes beyond experience and assumptions, requires well-thought-out answers that are often complex but logical and deliberate.

2. MAYA (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable)

It’s human nature to work within a familiar area. It’s also normal to expect curiosity to step into unknown territory. But when it’s about having both the standard and unknown ideas together at work, that’s where MAYA is the suitable mental model to follow.

E.g., For social media posts, give it your own unique spin that attracts the right audience without making them feel indifferent to the topic.

3. MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive)

For complex topics, breaking them into small manageable parts is ideal. What also works is using the social media example we took above and using the MECE model. Draw up content with a common theme with sub-topics that don’t overlap but co-relate to the unifying theme across all topics.

How to Apply Mental Models Psychology at Work

Filtering your thoughts through a mental model lets you see how your ideas will pan out if they are new and yet untested in the market. It is worth noting, especially if your product or service is new in the market and is yet to gain traction. What makes it convincing is that the mental models have worked in different business situations for others, increasing the likelihood of it working for you.

1. Sequential thought-based campaigns for short campaigns 

Sequential thought-based campaigns work well for short campaigns. These campaigns could work in a True ad sequence or a Phased ad one. You’re showing the audience ads in a sequence in a True ad sequence, increasing the likelihood of getting in sync with the narrative. In a Phased ad sequence, you’re using time lag to reach out to your audience after days or weeks.

In a PPC ad campaign, a visitor goes through the entire process of clicking the ad, going to the landing page, being nurtured with testimonials and proof, and then effectively converting into a lead. If the lead moves onto buy, they then convert into customers.

2. Non-Linear thinking based campaign for high ticket products

For higher ticket products, work on non-linear thinking-based campaigns.

A good example is small business insurance, where buyers typically spend several weeks comparing and analyzing before they buy.

An omnichannel brand campaign should be ideal here -so, although the prospect’s thought process could be disrupted and they are not thinking linearly, a brand campaign helps with brand recall for your products. So when they are finally ready to buy, they either look into your product or compare their favorite choice against yours before picking one.

3. Use Mental Models as a Leader 

You can apply a similar thought process as a leader.

For short-term decisions, use face-to-face or synchronous communication channels, like phone calls or video meetings. The benefit of going for these channels is it gives you real-time resolutions with in-depth interaction, making it easy to arrive at a decision.

Use asynchronous communication for long-term work processes like email, project management tools, text messaging, and video recordings. In asynchronous communication, you get the flexibility to work at a convenient pace and allow the right mindset to give a reply that isn’t rushed or urgent.

Often workdays can be unpredictable, so factor in that you might have to switch between both at times, even as you use the mental models to your advantage.

Conclusion

As a business leader, it’s crucial to adapt to changing human and technological needs. Using mental models gives you the flexibility to use linear and non-linear thinking to your advantage. It also gives you the benefit of perceiving problems and coming up with the right solution quickly.

Because sequential thinking allows users to move through the buying cycle quickly, it converts leads over a shorter time. For longer campaigns, look at non-linear thinking that can attract high-ticket clients. Synchronous and asynchronous communication lets you take control of your day and execute both short and long-term decisions with the assistance of mental models.

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