Drawing on the latest neurological research, the authors explain how mental models stand between perceptions and reality, with a subsequent effect on limits and opportunities. They then describe how to do 'mental R&D', improving the capabilities of the mind and, therefore, its potential.

"Impossible thinking is one of the hallmarks of successful pioneers in almost every field of human endeavour. If you are locked down by narrow thinking in your work or life, this is a book that will open your mind. It will help you be able to see - and do - much more than you thought was possible." Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes Inc.;Make better sense of what's going on around you and you will make decisions that respond to reality, not inaccurate or obsolete models of the world.;Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience, Jerry Wind and Colin Crook explain how your mental models stand between you and reality, distorting all your perceptions and creating both limitations and opportunities. Next, they show how to keep your models relevant and fresh. You'll learn how to develop new ways of seeing; when to change to a new model; how to swap amongst a portfolio of models; how to "zoom in and out" to understand complex environments; and how to do "mind RD" improving your models through constant experimentation. Wind and Crook review why it's so hard to change mental models, and offer practical strategies for dismantling the "hardened missile silos" that are your old and obsolete models. Finally, they show how to access models quickly through intuition, and help you assess the effectiveness of any mental model.;Simply put, this is the first hands-on guide to enhancing your mental models: the key to breakthrough success in business and in life.;"Wind and Crook have written a marvellous book that can teach you how to think more effectively in personal and business settings. Read it and learn!";Drea Zigarmi Author of The Leader Inside: Learning Enough About Yourself To Lead Others and co-author of Leadership and the One Minute Manager "While most of us may recognize that the world we respond to is more in our mind than in any physical reality, often we don't have a clue why this is so. This very important book clearly explains how our mental models work to construct these distinct inner worlds. And more importantly it offers empowering advice on how we can use this knowledge to work for us rather than against us in creating a better outer world for ourselves, our organizations, and our societies." Charles C. Manz;Best-selling author of Super Leadership, Fit to Lead, and Temporary Sanity;"This is an important book that 'makes sense of how we make sense. The authors provide a thorough, fresh, and compelling exploration into the dimensions of mental models. All leaders who want to be more effective in their actions would be served well to leverage the principles in this book to learn about how they think and make sense of the world around them." Nick Pudar Director of Strategic Initiatives, General Motors.

• Preface
• Hijacking Our Minds
• I
• RECOGNIZE THE POWER AND LIMITS OF MENTAL MODELS
• Mental Models
• What They Are and Their Limitations
• Our Models Define Our World
• Running the Miracle Mile
• II
• KEEP YOUR MENTAL MODELS RELEVANT
• How to Keep Your Mental Models in Shape
• Should You Change Horses?
• Paradigm Shifts Are a Two
• Way Street
• See a New Way of Seeing
• Sift for Sense from Streams of Complexity
• Engage in R&D of the Mind
• III
• OVERCOME INHIBITORS TO CHANGE
• How to Manage Issues and Obstacles to Change
• Dismantle the Old Order
• Find Common Ground to Bridge Adaptive Disconnects
• IV
• TRANSFORM YOUR WORLD
• How to Exploit Mental Models to Act Quickly and Effectively
• Develop the Intuition to Act Quickly
• Making Your Own Sense
• Personal, Business and Society
• Conclusion
• What You Think is What You Do
• Appendix
• The Neuroscience behind Mental Models
• Acknowledgments
• Index