Who is Your Mental Model of Leadership? (Wendy Samson and Curt Swenson, 2016)
There are times in every one of our leadership lives, when we have to access a standard of excellence that will carry us through a precarious moment. If we are able to slow down those moments and mentally focus on a person who exhibits the “right stuff” consistently, we might be able to move through a predicament with graciousness, growing credibility and the building blocks of influence. Why does having a mental model of leadership work?
Human performance teaches us that if we visualize a successful race or a rigorous climb or a difficult dance movement or vocal performance, that we greatly better the chances of being successful. Health care studies reveal that those patients who are confident that they will survive their surgery, DO survive their surgery and those patients who claim that they won’t make it, require special attention from their health care team in order to paint a more positive “mental model” of recovery. Otherwise, they truly might NOT make it. This process occurs because our thoughts and self-talk move us toward the positive or negative “mental models” (cognitive schemas) that we create throughout our lives.
When FutureSYNC consultants tell clients to “Get the Target Right” and to “Be Careful What Gets Your Attention; It Will Get All Your Focus and Energy”, it is because of our brain’s reticular activating system powerfully producing these mental models.
Think of the mental model that immediately comes to your mind when you hear the word, “environmentalist” or “car salesman” or “politician”. Or remember your parents’ advice to “pick your friends wisely.” Why? We form positive or negative mental models about virtually everything in our world and those pictures come from our background, our life experiences and our learning processes. Our mental models deeply affect our behaviors and can either improve or limit our work life trajectory! Knowing this, can empower us to develop and practice our own positive mental models, resulting in our own desired outcomes.
So our challenge to you is to create a mental model of leadership excellence by identifying the leader who exemplifies(d) excellence to you consistently. Then write down the characteristics, abilities and behaviors that they possess(ed) and that you most desire to replicate. With your own mental model of leadership at your disposal, you can then navigate through the difficult situations and scenarios that might cause you to stumble and ultimately, with practice, begin to make those leadership decisions on your own.
For more information on “Getting the Target Right”, contact FutureSYNC International consultants at (406) 254-2326.