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SessionFour013

Making Conscious Choices For Change
BeckyWinant and DonGray

What one believes to be true either is true or becomes true within limits to be found experientially and experimentally. These limits are beliefs to be transcended. - John Lilly, Mental model explorer

Imagine a disappointed child and harried parent at the grocery store. The child wails and screams. Perhaps this is just his way of expressing displeasure. However, the parent, unwilling to deal with what might become a "scene", acquiesces to the child. After a few events like this, a pattern forms, and eventually a model of "If I scream and yell, I get what I want." Now fast-forward 35 years, and imagine this child as the manager of a team whose project is late, buggy, and over budget. Any guesses how the manager might respond to the situation?

Mental models start being built when we're born, and are based on our personal experiences. These become our unconscious and virtually automatic behaviors. When an mental model is not "working", we might consider what changes might produce better outcomes.

In this session you will be examining your mental models, new opportunities for personal growth, healthier inter-personal relationships, and leverage for creating new realities.

Objectives

• How to recognize when mental models are in action.
• When to choose between "autopilot" and "exploring new territory".
• What to do to change a mental model.

Prerequisites None. This session will be individually and collectively experiential.

Minimum: 4

Maximum: 20