Mental Models (Essay Sample)

Mental Models
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Summary
           Sam Nolan was Chief Information Officer at Century medical, a medical products company. His four years in the company were significant progress with integrating technology into the company's process and systems. His major projects were a benefits-administration system for the human resources department and a web-based purchasing system. The projects were up and only running for a few months, but they would save Century 2 million dollars annually. The web-based system saved time for processing requests and placing orders. This would give purchasing managers extra time to be with the stakeholders to look for great suppliers for better deals. Sam had built his trust in the company and had a friend, Ethel Moore, who had supported her all through. After Sam had introduced the idea to Executive Vice President Sandra Ivey, she had agreed with it. A few weeks after the project kicked off, Sandra resigned, and Tom Carr took her position. Tom disapproved of some features of the project and termed it as a waste of time. He said that it is better to talk to people because one will learn more than in computers. Tom also said that the internet obsession Ethel and Nolan had would blow off in a short period. This leaves Sam in thoughts whether Carr is correct that Human Resource is a people business that does not need technology or is just illiterate about technology.
Introduction
           Mental models are how people understand something. They are more on simplifying difficult things, prioritizing things, and reasoning. A mental model is a representation of how something works. Mental models significantly affect how people intake information and their reaction to it. Companies need to understand the impact of their thinking and behaviors. Mental models impact company results as per the leadership reasoning and behavior (Baratgin et al., 2015). They become mostly the obstacles to transformation rather than catalysts. That is why many excellent and profitable ideas are never practiced in companies. The problem with mental models is that a person is embedded so much in the company that they tend to forget to challenge their thinking. Companies and organizations should shift to new mental models. This could be through formulating a company culture of learning and safe for information sharing. Encouraging teamwork and collaboration via reflective discussions could also shift to new mental models (Vink et al., 2019). Leaders should share their personal mental models. Strategic planning and innovation promotions to project mental models in the future are other ways companies could shift mental models. Working and building good relationships for interactions with people from different departments also helps mental models shift in organizations.
1. Describe the two different mental models represented in this story.
           The circle of competence mental model is about being an expert in the area one is familiar with. Sam Nolan concentrated on the circle of competence when he told Tom about the project and how they would support teamwork, encourage information sharing, allow the workers to have more control over their jobs, not forgetting the time and money saved (Baratgin et al., 2015). However, Tom did not concentrate on his circle of competence because he said that the projects were a waste of time. This shows he did not understand how the projects will operate and did not ask for more clarification either but just decided.  
           The inversion mental model is also represented in the case study. It involves thinking about an outcome to avoid instead of thinking about the desired result to succeed in something. For instance, when a person wants to get promoted, instead of thinking about the things to do to get promoted, the person thinks about what would prevent him/her from being promoted (Baratgin et al., 2015). Instead of Tom Carr focusing on the progress Century would make when the two systems would start operating, he focused on what would prevent the progression of Century. He expressed inversion mental model when he said that the project was a waste of money and time and that people should be talked to understand them more than the computer would do directly. He also spoke of the internet obsession blowing up Century in a few years and said that instead, that money could have been used to buy filing cabinets.
2. What are some of the assumptions that shape the mindset of Sam Nolan? Of Tom Carr?
           Sam Nolan had several assumptions that shaped his mindset. Nolan had the assumption people are trustworthy. He also thinks change is good and finds ways that the systems would benefit Century. When Nolan presented the project to Sandra, he gave the project deliveries and how the project was meant to increase the profit of Century. This was shaped because he had integrated technology in Century's systems and processes, and they had been successful (Cooke, 2018). Sam Nolan's way of handling the project also shaped his mental model. He knew how the systems would work and got positive that they will work. Nolan explains his insights to colleagues, and he perceives matters from other individuals' perspectives. Assumptions that shape Carr's mindset are that some individuals may be undependable (Cooke, 2018). Carr does not like transformation and would rather use the traditional and manual ways of undertaking roles. He presumes that a Human Resource department does not require a good system since it is about pe