Lean Business Consultant | Leadership & Executive Coach | LinkedIn Top Voice| Lean Solutions Podcast Co-Host
The ability to process information, make decisions and solve difficult problems matters more than ever in the workplace. Day to day, too many people get involved in unnecessary conflict, make poor decisions and waste organizational resources because they fail to stop and think intentionally and deliberately. According to PwC, 77% of employers in financial services say that critical thinking skills are crucial for their business, compared with digital skills at 70%. The same goes for most other industries! The first step to thinking critically is to stop automatically accepting what you read or hear...and take time to question it. Here is a simple framework to help you develop your critical thinking skills. This framework consists of five steps: Questioning, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis, and Reflection (QAESR). 1. QUESTIONING Objective: Cultivate curiosity and the habit of asking questions. Actions: Ask open-ended questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. Challenge assumptions: Why do I believe this? Is this always true? Seek clarification: What does this mean? Can you explain more? 2. ANALYSIS Objective: Break down information into its components. Actions: Identify the main ideas: What are the key points? Examine evidence: What evidence supports this? Is the evidence reliable? Look for patterns: Are there any recurring themes or concepts? 3. EVALUATION Objective: Assess the credibility and validity of information. Actions: Check for bias: Is there a bias in the information? Who is providing it? Compare perspectives: How do different sources view this issue? Evaluate sources: Are the sources credible and reputable? 4. SYNTHESIS Objective: Combine different pieces of information to form a new understanding. Actions: Integrate information: How do these pieces of information fit together? Formulate hypotheses: What conclusions can I draw from this information? Develop new ideas: How can this information be applied in a new way? 5. REFLECTION Objective: Think about the thinking process and its effectiveness. Actions: Reflect on conclusions: Do my conclusions make sense? Are they supported by evidence? Assess thinking process: Was my approach effective? What could I improve? Plan for improvement: What will I do differently next time? 💡 Practice this framework regularly in different scenarios: reading articles, solving problems, discussing ideas, and making decisions. Over time, these steps will become more intuitive, and critical thinking skills will improve. #criticalthinking #criticalthinkingskills #professionaldevelopment #personaldevelopment
Wouldnt it be great to see these kind of valuable life skills being taught to kids in schools. All too often people just accept what they are being told and in many instances people have lost the ability to question things. Brilliant piece and could also be applied to everyday life to question what we are reading and seeing through the msm.
And nothing to do with "'Critical Theory" https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/thoughts-on-thinking/202402/the-relationship-between-critical-thinking-and-critical-theory
There's so much attention on solving problems quickly, it risks not understanding what the actual problem is.. Time on critical thinking pays off, great set of questions Catherine.
Absolutely! In today’s fast-paced work environment, cognitive agility, the ability to process information, make sound decisions, and solve complex problems, is a critical skill. As you rightly pointed out, intentional thinking is key. By pausing, reflecting, and approaching tasks deliberately, we avoid unnecessary conflict, optimize resource allocation, and drive success.
This is so valuable! Critical thinking separates good decisions from bad ones. The QAESR framework provides a clear path to improve. Thanks for sharing! Catherine McDonald
Critical thinking is indeed crucial for effective decision-making. How do you incorporate critical thinking exercises into your team's routine to ensure these skills are consistently practiced?
Key sometimes starts with getting clear and specifics about the decision itself.
Important questions to ask indeed however answers to these could be relative and not sacrosanct always.
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Talk about #Coach #worklifeharmony #employeesatisfaction #value #energy
3wVery interesting , it resonates with the suggestion in the book “Radical Candor” in execution having steps in , Learn, Teach, Debate, Decide Meeting type .