Summary: The article discusses seven mental models that can help engineering managers make better decisions and avoid mistakes. These models, such as Inversion and Second-order Thinking, encourage managers to change their perspectives and consider the long-term consequences of their actions. By applying these models, managers can improve their decision-making and overall effectiveness in their roles.
Invert the problem to look at the opposite perspective. You can list all the things that should be avoided. (View Highlight)
New highlights added March 1, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Second-order thinking is a mental model where you consider more than just one immediate result of your decisions. As its name states — you also look at potential future results (View Highlight)
Things will eventually degrade without taking action. Entropy guarantees this. Entropy is the measure of disorder. The more disorganised things are, the higher the entropy. We need to put energy into making sure we will keep operating at the same quality. (View Highlight)
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” — In other words, assume good intentions. (View Highlight)