1. The Ladder of Inference:
Understanding Our Own Thinking and the Thinking of Others

2. CHALLENGES: Understanding the “current realities”
Understanding the thinking of others and myself

3. Our Beliefs: why we need the ladder
Our beliefs are the truth
The truth is obvious
Our beliefs are based on real data
The data we select are the real data

4. Mental Models
Mental models are the assumptions & stories which we carry in our minds of ourselves, other people, institutions, & every aspect of the world

5. Mental Models
Differences between mental models explain why two people can observe the same event and describe it differently; they are paying attention to different details.

6. Mental Models Can also shape how we act:
If I believe people are trustworthy, then I am more likely to be open to others…
If I believe people can’t be trusted, then I am more likely to be closed to others…

7. Mental Models Are often unexamined
Core task is to bring models to the surface, to explore & talk about them.

8. The skills needed to examine our mental models
Reflection & Inquiry
The skills needed to examine our mental models

9. Reflection
The slowing down of our thinking processes to become aware of how we form our own mental models

10. Inquiry
Conversations where we share our own thinking & through listening & questioning develop knowledge about each other’s thinking or “mental models”

11. How We Examine Our Thinking Processes (Mental Models)
Use the “Ladder of Inference” as a metaphor for our thinking process

12. The Ladder of Inference

13. I take actions based on my beliefs
“Working” the Ladder
I take actions based on my beliefs
I adopt beliefs
I draw conclusions
I make Assumptions
I add meanings
I select “data”
Observable “Data”
& experiences

14. Ladder of Inference: Bottom Step
Observable “data” and experiences as a video recorder might capture it.

15. The Ladder of Inference-Step 2: We GATHER & SELECT DATA
Suggested questions:
The journalist’s questions: Who? What? When? Where? How?
What is the data that I selected to attend to?
Do we have all the pertinent data?
What other information is there about what actually occurred?
Do we have all the perspectives included that have pertinent information?

16. The Ladder-Step 2: We INTERPRET & MAKE MEANING
Connect experience & associations from our past.
Generate patterns.
Add our values & beliefs.
Have emotional responses.
Etc.

17. The Ladder-Step 2: We INTERPRET-MAKE MEANING
Suggested questions:
What connections do I see across these different sets of information?
Am I surprised by any of the data? The information?
What emotional responses to the data/information am I aware of?
Are there discrepant sets of information?

18. The Ladder-Step 3: We MAKE ASSUMPTIONS… “make up our own information which may or may not be true”
About people & their thinking.
About the context & relationships.
About significance.
About outcomes.
About Etc.

19. The Ladder-Step 3: We MAKE ASSUMPTIONS… “make up our own information which may or may not be true”
Questions: What information am I generating that may not be true…
About people & their thinking?
About the context?
About the significance of events or information?
About possible results or consequences?

20. The Ladder-Step 4: We MAKE JUDGMENTS & DRAW CONCLUSIONS.
Individual differences in this step of information processing (MBTI).
Brings closure to the thinking process underlying action.
Issue: “Leaping” up the ladder.
Habit of mind: Awareness of when to climb back down the ladder.

21. The Ladder-Step 4: We MAKE JUDGMENTS & DRAW CONCLUSIONS…
To make an inference:
to arrive at a conclusion that evidence, facts, or assertions point toward but do not absolutely establish;
to draw tentative conclusions from incomplete data.

22. The Ladder-Step 5: WE MAKE DECISIONS & TAKE ACTION
Suggested questions:
What resulted from this action?
Are the results what I intended?
What unintended results occurred?
Are these results moving toward the larger vision, beyond this particular circumstance?
Do the results suggest that reflection using the ladder of inference is warranted?

23. Examining Our Assumptions
Think of a recent conflict you have had with another person
In the right hand column of the “right/left” column form describe the conversation as you remember it
In the left hand column describe your assumptions about what was happening
Share your story and your conflict with the person next to you