Ladder of Inference
Trace how you jump to conclusions
A mental model developed by organizational psychologist Chris Argyris that reveals how we unconsciously climb from observation to action. We see data, select what to focus on, add meaning, make assumptions, draw conclusions, and act—often in seconds, without realizing it. By making this process visible, teams can catch faulty reasoning before it leads to bad decisions or conflicts.
Ready to customize for your team?
AI will generate a workshop tailored to your industry, roles, and challenges
Learning Objective
Participants will learn to recognize how they jump from observation to conclusion, identify where their reasoning might be flawed, and practice checking assumptions before acting.
How It Works
The Ladder of Inference (Bottom to Top):
🪜 RUNG 7: ACTIONS
I take actions based on my beliefs
↑
🪜 RUNG 6: BELIEFS
I adopt beliefs about the world
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🪜 RUNG 5: CONCLUSIONS
I draw conclusions
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🪜 RUNG 4: ASSUMPTIONS
I make assumptions based on the meaning I added
↑
🪜 RUNG 3: MEANING
I add meaning (cultural and personal)
↑
🪜 RUNG 2: SELECTED DATA
I select data from what I observe
↑
🪜 RUNG 1: OBSERVABLE DATA
The facts, what a video camera would record
THE REFLEXIVE LOOP:
Our beliefs influence what data we select next time (confirmation bias)
Workshop Process:
1. Present a workplace scenario (5 min)
2. Identify the action taken (2 min)
3. Climb DOWN the ladder—what belief, conclusion, assumption, meaning, and selected data led to it? (15 min)
4. Return to observable data—what else might be true? (5 min)
5. Discuss alternative paths up the ladder (3 min)Example Scenarios
AI will generate scenarios like these, customized for your context:
- Management: A team member hasn't spoken in three consecutive meetings
- Sales: A long-time client didn't return your call within 24 hours
- Product: A stakeholder frowned during your feature demo
- HR: An employee has been leaving exactly at 5pm for the past two weeks
- Consulting: The client asked for a different consultant on their project
Free to try • No credit card required