Flexibility: Ready to switch mental models? 

Did you crack the Color Code? This game measures a key leadership skill for today’s rapidly changing environment – cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to switch one’s attention between different processing modes.

Our two processing modes were described by Daniel Kahneman (2011) as System 1 and System 2. System 1 specializes in automatic or unconscious thinking, where your brain interprets and makes judgments with little cognitive effort. By contrast, System 2 is effortful, controlled, and slower.

Leaders must be able to quickly perceive and respond to dynamic conditions using both System 1 and System 2, as required. Cognitive flexibility counteracts potential biases in decision-making that can result from letting System 1’s unconscious thinking go. t helps leaders to be able to switch between the varying demands as they move between checking a board presentation for accuracy to shaping a five-year strategy. Cognitive flexibility predicts leader performance, above and beyond fluid intelligence.

What you may have experienced in the Color Code game is a drain on your cognitive resources when you need to switch between System 1 and System 2. English speakers are likely to read the word unconsciously, care of System 1. To succeed in the task, you need to overcome this automatic response and engage System 2. Cognitive flexibility allows us to engage the more effortful response, System 2, to get the right answer.