Mental Models, Tenets, and Org Designs

A mental model is how one understands the world. Great mental models take the complexity of the world and simplify it into impactful actions. Try describing succinctly how a business with $100M in run rate revenue will generate an incremental $75M over the next twelve months. It can be done if a mental model was developed prior. In fact, the quality of one’s thinking is proportional to the models in our head. Arming yourself with more mental models is the equivalent of increasing your decision making toolbox. When it comes to revenue operations there is usually not one clear answer. Consider the questions below:

How should I structure my organization? 

What is the best technology stack?

Should I tie my operations organization’s variable pay to sales results as opposed to a bonus plan?

How should I forecast?

To each and every one of the questions above a variety of highly qualified responses exist. This is what makes the craft of revenue operations so difficult yet so fun. If you had a number of varying mental models at your disposal you could build an evaluation process to determine which one may be the best fit for you, your company, and the situation you find yourself in. Perhaps your evaluation process includes a pros and cons list. Perhaps it uses a weighted criteria scorecard. Or perhaps you’ve used the process of elimination as your tool. All valid processes.