critical thinking is not important when it comes to leadership

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Critical Thinking in leadership: Is it necessary?

October 23, 2020 by Lauren Dunleavy

Critical thinking in leadership;Is it Necessary?

Is critical thinking an important component of leadership? One would think it is a useful tool to have in your thinking toolbox. So, what exactly is critical thinking? It was easy to find many similar definitions but; Critical thinking is defined as “ the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement” (Merriam-Webster, 2020). Critical thinking has been around for at least 2500 years. Mr. Socrates himself supposedly established a method of questioning that was able to shut down claims of knowledge back in the BC era that was very similar to critical thinking as we know it today(Paul et al., 1997). So what is critical thinking used for? It should be used for many things, but mainly we use critical thinking when we want to analyze options in making decisions(Paul et al., 1997). 

How and why is critical thinking applied in the workplace? Critical thinking in the workplace comes in many forms. We see critical thinking being used in teams to help effectively resolve problems. We even see critical thinking being used in the workplace to help teams figure out what issues exist, and then we see teams come up with possible answers for those issues. Why is critical thinking applied to research theories? Lets evaluate this question! 

One place where critical thinking has become a necessity is in leadership. Leadership is defined as a process where a person influences a group of people to achieve a set of common goals (Northouse, 2016). Leadership in theory has dated back to over 5000 years ago, where it was found to have been written in ancient Hieroglyphics (Paul et al. 1997). In ancient times, leadership was suggested that those who appeared powerful were to be followed. The need for critical thinking in leadership has always been around. A model was developed in 1925, called the watson-glaser critical thinking model which helps organizations identify factors in people that are important for critical thinking and judgement making, which explains why critical thinking needs to be a part of leadership approaches (Cox, 2011). 

Critical thinking is applied to leadership approaches because it’s important for leaders to have critical thinking skills, be able to understand logical relationships between ideas, recognize the importance and the relationship of an argument, as well as recognize mistakes in reasoning and then be able to make the right decisions (Sanscartier, 2013). 

There are many different leadership approaches to look at in applying critical thinking. Let’s evaluate critical thinking within the transformational approach of leadership. Transformational leadership theory suggests that it is a process that changes people(PSU WC L10 P2).  It is a leadership approach that is able to get leaders to motivate followers to do more than what is expected (PSU WC L10 P2). A leadership approach that enables a leader to generate and build an empire. It is part of the “new leadership paradigm” which focuses more attention on charisma and affect in leadership (Northouse, 2016). There is a lot of evidence that Transformational leadership focus is highly successful (Northouse, 2016). One factor affects another, in that a leader must appeal to the followers by appealing to their principals and higher cause (PSU WC L10 P4). Critical thinking is a larger component of the transformational theory because, in order to go through a process and be able to transform a person would need to make real, sometimes hard decisions. 

What if a person is not a good critical thinker? Can they still be a good leader? Having poor critical thinking skills can lead a person to make bad decisions, errors, repeated mistakes and even make bad assumptions. Weak critical thinking skills can cause a person to be unable to evaluate and prepare for situations (Sanscartier, 2013). So it looks like being a leader may require some critical thinking skills. So, are leaders that lack critical thinking skills doomed forever? WIll they be able to lead in a productive way? Apparently, there are still ways to develop and master critical thinking skills. 

So what does this all mean? Catherine Rezak from the International Institute of Directors and Managers suggests that leaders should take control of their critical thinking processes, evaluate them and then take action on them (Rezak,2020). So critical thinking skills could be learned, it just depends on a person’s discipline and drive to follow through with the learning process as well as adaptations to understanding it. Whether or not a person has critical thinking skills, the implications of the research suggest that critical thinking skills can be learned, or they can be innate and either way, they are useful in leadership. This is significant because although not everyone may have these skills, they still have an opportunity to learn them. 

       So what’s next? Being able to attain critical thinking skills means that possibly anyone could be a leader because the skills are transferable as long as the person is able to take control and use discipline to learn.  All of this information suggests that a less than good leader, who lacks critical thinking skills may make bad decisions, misjudge an issue, and ultimately fail the leader systems in place. One example of this is when I first started working in wraparound as a family support worker. WHen i first started I had no idea what I was doing. The job was really a fly by the seat of your pants kind of job, until you can learn the skill sets. There was a lot of critical thinking involved, when I was untrained. I had to be able to understand a full situation that I had never experienced before and know when and what skillset to use with the family member. When I used the wrong skill set, the team was unable to plan with a family, in turn creating turmoil. Being able to understand, evaluate and come to the correct decision is such an important part of leading a team. The good thing is that if we don’t know what we are doing, there is always an opportunity to learn! 

In conclusion, the evidence presented today suggests that leaders who have, or attain good critical thinking skills will be able to evaluate, judge, better understand and resolve issues more efficiently. We need more critical thinkers in this world! Using critical thinking within leadership approaches is an important component and probably should not be overlooked. A leader should have good critical thinking skills. 

Paul, R., Elder,L., Bartell, T. (March 1997). Critical Thinking: Research, findings and policy recommendations. Retrieved from: https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/a-brief-history-of-the-idea-of-critical-thinking/408 

Cox, K. (November 25, 2011). The evolution of leadership. A look at where leadership is heading. Retrieved from: https://cvdl.ben.edu/blog/the-evolution-of-leadership-a-look-at-where-leadership-is-heading/

Rezak, C. (April, 2020). Developing your Critical thinking skills. Retrieved from: https://www.marchfifteen.ca/leadership-the-importance-of-critical-thinking/#:~:text=A%20leader%20with%20critical%20thinking,reasoning%2C%20and%20make%20proper%20decisions .

https://www.iidmglobal.com/expert_talk/expert-talk-categories/leadership/leadership_skill/id45293.html#:~:text=Developed%20in%201925%2C%20the%20model,Inference

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. 7th Edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania State University (2020). Leadership in work. Module 7: Power and influence Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2075467/modules/items/30110461

Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

To Improve Critical Thinking, Don’t Fall into the Urgency Trap

Too often at work, people rely on expertise and past experiences to jump to a conclusion. Yet research consistently shows that when we rush decisions, we often regret them—even if they end up being correct. [i]

Why we hasten decision making is quite clear. We’re inundated with incessant distractions that compete for our attention, and, at the same time, we’re facing profound pressure to go faster and drive our businesses forward, even when the path ahead is unclear.

In the aftermath of information overwhelm, evolving technology, and rapidly changing business environments, people often unconsciously fall into a pernicious paradox called the “urgency trap.”

The Urgency Trap

The urgency trap, which can be defined as the habitual, unbridled, and counterproductive tendencies to rush through decision making when under the pressure of too many demands, is a paradox because it limits the very thing that could help us be more innovative, efficient, and effective: Our critical thinking.

The ability to analyze and effectively break down an issue to make a decision or solve a problem in novel ways is sorely lacking in today’s workforce, with most employers reporting that their employees’ critical thinking skills are average at best. [ii]

The good news? Critical thinking is a teachable skill, and one that any person can learn to make time for when making decisions. To improve and devote time for critical thinking at work, consider the following best practices.

1. Question assumptions and biases

Consider this common scenario: A team is discussing a decision that they must make quickly. The team’s options—and the arguments for and against them—have been assembled, but no clear evidence supports a particular course of action. Under pressure to move fast, the team relies on their expertise and past experiences to rapidly provide a solution. Yet, in the months following their decision, the issues that prompted the original discussion persist, and the team wonders why.

The issue here may be that the team failed to question their own assumptions and biases. Indeed, when we view situations solely based on our own personal experiences and beliefs, we limit our options and provide solutions that are often short-sighted or superficial. [iii] To improve critical thinking skills, we must step back and ask ourselves,

• “Am I seeking out information that confirms my pre-conceived idea?”
• “Am I perceiving a past experience as more predictable than it actually was?”
• “Am I overemphasizing information that comes to mind quickly, instead of calculating other probabilities?”

2. Reason through logic

When presented with an argument, it is important to analyze it logically in order to determine whether or not it is valid. This means looking at the evidence that is being used to support the argument and determining whether or not it actually does support the conclusion that is being drawn.

Additionally, consider the source of the information. Is it credible? Trustworthy? Finally, be aware of common logical fallacies people tend to use when trying to speed up decision making, such as false dilemma (erroneously limiting available options) and hasty generalizations (making a claim based on a few examples rather than substantial proof).

3. Listen actively and openly

When we’re in a rush to make a decision, we often focus more on how we want to respond rather than what the speaker is saying. Active listening, on the other hand, is a critical thinking skill that involves paying close attention to what someone else is saying with the intent to learn, and then asking questions to clarify and deepen understanding.

When engaging in active listening, it’s important to avoid interrupting and instead allow the other person to fully express their thoughts. Additionally, resist the urge to judge or criticize what the other person is saying. Rather, focus on truly understanding their perspective. This may mean practicing open-mindedness by considering new ideas, even if they challenge existing beliefs. By keeping an open mind, this ensures that all sides of an issue are considered before coming to a conclusion.

4. Ask better questions

In an article for Harvard Business Review, John Coleman, author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose , writes, “At the heart of critical thinking is the ability to formulate deep, different, and effective questions.” [iv]

To ask better questions, first consider the audience for the question (who is hearing the question and who might respond?) and the purpose (what is the goal of asking this question?). Then, approach queries with rigor and curiosity by asking questions that:

• Are open-ended yet short and direct (e.g., “How might you help me think about this differently?”)
• Challenge a group’s conventional thinking (e.g., “What if we tried a new approach?”)
• Help others reconsider their first principles or hypotheses (e.g., “As we look at the data, how might we reconsider our initial proposed solution?”)
• Encourage further discussion and analysis (e.g., “How can we deepen our understanding of this issue?”)
• Thoughtfully follow up on the solution (e.g., “How do we feel about the progress so far?”)

5. Create space for deliberation

The recommendations outlined thus far are behaviors and capabilities people can use in the moment, but sometimes, the best solutions are formulated after consideration. In fact, research shows that a deliberate process often leads to better conclusions. [v] And sleep has even been proven to help the brain assimilate a problem and see it more clearly. [vi]

When issues are complex, it’s important to find ways to resist unnecessary urgency. Start by mapping out a process that allows several days or longer to sit with a problem. Then, create space in the day to formulate in quiet reflection, whether that’s replacing your first thirty minutes in the morning with thinking instead of checking email, or going on a walk midday, or simply journaling for a few moments before bed.

Critical Thinking Cannot Be Overlooked

In the face of rapidly-evolving business environments, the ability to make smart decisions quickly is one of a company’s greatest assets—but to move fast, people must first slow down to reason through pressing issues, ask thoughtful questions, and evaluate a topic from multiple angles.

To learn more about how organizations can enhance their critical thinking and decision-making skills, download the full paper: Who Is Really Making the Decisions in Your Organization — and How?

[i] Grant Halvorson, Heidi, “Quick Decisions Create Regret, Even When They Are Good Decisions,” Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/1758386/quick-decisions-create-regret-even-when-they-are-good-decisions .

[ii] Plummer, Matt, “A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills,” Harvard Business Review, October 2019. https://hbr.org/2019/10/a-short-guide-to-building-your-teams-critical-thinking-skills .

[iii] Benjamin Enke, Uri Gneezy, Brian Hall, David Martin, Vadim Nelidov, Theo Offerman, and Jeroen van de Ve, “Cognitive Biases: Mistakes or Missing Stakes?” Harvard Business School, 2021. https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/21-102_1ed838f2-8ef3-4eec-b543-d00eb1efbe10.pdf

[iv] Coleman, John, “Critical Thinking Is About Asking Better Questions,” Harvard Business Review, April 2022. https://hbr.org/2022/04/critical-thinking-is-about-asking-better-questions .

[v] Markovitz, Daniel, “How to Avoid Rushing to Solutions When Problem-Solving,” Harvard Business Review, November 2020. https://hbr.org/2020/11/how-to-avoid-rushing-to-solutions-when-problem-solving .

[vi] Miller, Jared, “Does ‘Sleeping On It’ Really Work?” WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/does-sleeping-on-it-really-work .

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How Critical Thinking Helps Leaders Work Through Problems

June 19, 2024 | Category: Blog , Critical Thinking

Most leaders associate critical thinking skills with achieving high-level performance and superior problem-solving abilities.

Modern business is becoming more complex every year, with potential consequences for managers and leaders who don’t keep up with the fast-paced changes. Leaders and their actions are closely watched by the public, and leadership accountability is an integral part of a thriving corporate  culture .

This is why leaders are expected to show skills that enable fast and efficient problem-solving. Critical thinking enables leaders to draw the right conclusions and make the right strategic decisions to create a growing organization. It is one of the most important and expected skills in a modern leader’s toolbox.

Are Good Critical Thinking Skills Vital for Success?

Yes, critical thinking is a vital leadership skill. It enables leaders to rise above the noise, assumptions, and biases that can sabotage decision-making.

Critical thinking is an analytic approach to problem-solving and decision-making. By developing their critical thinking skills, leaders can improve their decision-making and enhance their organization’s position.

Leadership coaching can help leaders develop critical thinking , training their minds to think instead of merely learning facts. This helps leaders anticipate the many potential outcomes and consequences of their decisions and develop innovative solutions with their company.

Critical thinkers understand logical relationships and connect them with the “big picture” corporate vision and mission .

Critical Thinking in Leadership

Critical thinking optimizes decision-making. But in the context of intelligent leadership , it does more. Critical thinking makes strategic decisions with desirable outcomes more likely.

Like intelligent leadership itself, it is reasoned, purposeful, and goal-focused. It allows leaders to formulate informed and relevant ideas and inferences, solve problems, calculate probabilities, and make better decisions.

In my book, Intelligent Leadership , I have defined critical thinking as an essential outer-core leadership competency. Since the quality of leadership depends on the leader’s quality of thoughts, critical thinking skills define one’s effectiveness as a leader.

What Does The Data Say? Critical Thinking for Leaders and Managers

From interviews and surveys of 150 human resources executives, experts estimated that only 1 to 28 percent of current leaders in their organizations demonstrated “excellent” critical thinking skills ( Bonnie Hagemann and John Mattone for Pearson, 2011 ).

Critical thinking helps you differentiate facts from assumptions.

Much of the instinctive thinking as a leader, if not carefully examined, tends to be biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or even prejudiced.

Effective critical thinking requires evaluating all possible aspects of a problem, including emotional, cognitive, intellectual, and psychological factors.

Critical thinking is the opposite of instinctive thinking. Emotional intelligence , which complements critical thinking on the outer-core strategic competencies wheel, plays a critical role in the process by helping leaders manage their emotions and understand others’ emotions, thereby enhancing their ability to think critically and make effective decisions.

Critical Thinking vs Strategic Thinking

Critical thinking is the core component of strategic thinking , a less abstract measure of one’s ability to lead. In addition to strategic thinking, critical thinking allows leaders to:

• Embrace change
• Inspire others
• Create a vision and rally the “troops’ around it
• Understand how the different parts of the organization work together as a whole

Shallow thinking by leaders is costly. It hurts the organization, the employees, and the clients. Critical thinking enables leaders to apply their knowledge to the everyday challenges of their work. Thus, instead of walking-talking encyclopedias, they become valuable decision-making assets for their organizations and employees.

Effective leaders with good critical thinking skills can model this behavior for their peers and reports, further improving the company’s talent and leadership pool.

Are leaders born with critical thinking skills?

The answer is no. Critical thinking skills don’t come naturally to leaders. Even the top five percent of leaders, often considered  “natural born leaders ” have to work and develop the skills of critical thinking to be able to use it effectively in the business world.

The learning process requires leaders to look “under the hood.” If we don’t understand what drives us and how we make decisions, we can overlook fundamental issues that could negatively impact our organization.

How can we cultivate critical thinkers? 

As a leadership development coaching expert, I firmly believe that it is possible to learn and practice all  inner and  outer-core leadership competencies. That includes critical thinking.

In my  executive coaching books and  blog posts , I have deconstructed critical thinking into three components.

The Ability to Recognize Assumptions 

An assumption is a conclusion one reaches through the filter of one’s biases, desires, and views. Facts are observable. They exist without the need for validation. Basing decisions on assumptions instead of facts is risky and ill-advised.

The Ability to Evaluate Arguments

  Leaders capable of critical thinking look to solve problems by reducing them to basic principles, considering alternatives, and challenging or testing assumptions.

The Ability to Draw Conclusions 

Having gathered plenty of quality data and putting it through the filter of their critical thinking skills, intelligent leaders can draw better, more relevant conclusions that lead to better decisions.

Executive coaching can improve critical thinking by improving the sub-skills that contribute to it.

Critical thinking is an essential competency of John Mattone’s Intelligent Leadership framework.

Critical Thinking Process and Approach to Problem-Solving

As described in my book, Intelligent Leadership emphasizes a strategic and reflective approach to problem-solving. This process involves several key steps:

• Deep Reflection : Leaders are encouraged to engage in deep reflection to understand the underlying issues and dynamics of the problems they face.
• Strategic Analysis : Critical thinking requires analyzing the problem from various angles to identify potential solutions and outcomes. This involves evaluating the risks and benefits of different approaches and practical strategies.
• Consultation and Collaboration : Leaders are advised to consult with others, gathering diverse perspectives to enrich their understanding and solution strategies.
• Decisive Action : Once a thorough analysis is complete, effective leaders make informed decisions and act decisively, implementing solutions with precision and adaptability.
• Evaluation and Adjustment : After taking action, the process includes evaluating the outcomes and making necessary adjustments. This continuous loop of reflection, analysis, action, and evaluation forms the core of critical thinking in leadership.

This methodological approach helps critical thinkers not only solve problems more effectively but also develop a deeper understanding and stronger foundation in leadership capabilities by enhancing their analytical and decision-making skills.

How Leadership Coaching Can Help Develop Critical Thinking Skills

Leadership coaching, at least the way I understand it, views critical thinking as one of the fundamental levers through which it can effect meaningful, sustainable, positive change.

Business coaching and executive coaching professionals work with leaders, helping them assess their existing critical thinking skills, provide practical solutions to improve their skills and measure their progress.

Executive leadership coaching can help develop and train critical thinking skills in many ways:  

• A leadership coach can give you an objective assessment of your current critical thinking skills.
• Executive coaches know how to ask the right questions to steer their coachees onto the path of improvement.
• Leadership coaching considers self-awareness and emotional intelligence the cornerstones of intelligent leadership. Self-aware and emotionally intelligent leaders understand the value of different perspectives.
• Business coaching encourages leaders to understand the strategic drivers of success for their organization in practical, financial terms.
• Coaches can provide valuable input, critique, and opinions, introducing alternative views and improving the decision-making skills of their clients.

Critical thinking is the leader’s best friend when it comes to decision-making. This outer-core leadership competency allows you to rise above the fray, eliminate distractions, recognize mistakes, and draw the correct conclusions.

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The Crucial Role of Critical Thinking in Leadership

Leadership is more than just guiding a team; it's about making decisions that shape the future of an organization. Critical thinking plays a pivotal role in effective leadership. Here are five key reasons why it's essential for a leader to have critical thinking skills:

1. Informed Decision-Making

Leaders are constantly faced with complex challenges. Critical thinking empowers them to gather information, assess options, and make well-informed decisions. It ensures decisions are based on facts and analysis rather than assumptions.

2. Problem-Solving Abilities: 

Leaders encounter obstacles and problems regularly. Critical thinking enables them to identify root causes, analyze potential solutions, and implement effective problem-solving strategies. It encourages a proactive approach to challenges.

3. Adaptation to Change

In today's dynamic business environment, change is inevitable. Critical thinking allows leaders to adapt to new circumstances, evaluate the impact of change, and make adjustments swiftly. It fosters resilience and flexibility.

4. Effective Communication

 Leaders must convey their vision and ideas clearly. Critical thinking helps them structure their thoughts logically, present ideas persuasively, and engage in constructive dialogues with their team, fostering collaboration.

5. Innovation and Creativity

To stay competitive, leaders need to foster innovation. Critical thinking encourages creative problem-solving and the exploration of new ideas. It allows leaders to identify opportunities for growth and adapt to evolving trends.

In conclusion, critical thinking is the cornerstone of effective leadership. It equips leaders to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, adapt to change, communicate effectively, and drive innovation. Leaders with strong critical thinking skills not only steer their organizations to success but also inspire their teams to reach new heights.

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• How to Develop Critical Thinking for Leaders

Critical thinking is vital for leaders

If you aspire to be a leader or are already in a leadership role, understanding and mastering the art of critical thinking is pivotal. To develop critical thinking, a leader must possess the ability to objectively assess situations and make well-informed judgments. This skill is fundamental for providing effective guidance and advice to your team, ensuring you lead with insight and precision.

However, it’s important to recognize that not everyone naturally excels at critical thinking. Developing this crucial skill often involves continuous practice from a young age, and it greatly benefits from being nurtured in an environment that encourages analytical thinking. The encouraging news is that it’s never too late to enhance your critical thinking abilities. Regardless of your age or stage in your career, you can still embark on a journey to sharpen your critical thinking skills. By exploring and applying our recommended strategies and tips, you can significantly improve your critical thinking capabilities, an essential trait for successful leadership.

1. Write about your day

Journalism is one of the best ways to develop critical thinking. It allows you to review your day, take a step back, and try to make sense of what happened to you – fundamental steps to critical thinking development. So give it a go, even if you don’t feel like doing it daily. And if you want to take the opportunity also to brush up your writing skills , you can always contact an online service, such as the Essay Republic, to help you out

2. A Problem a Day

This well-known technique gives you the chance to analyze something deeply so you can see what you can make of it. Just pick a problem of any kind – it can be a logic puzzle or a challenge at work – and spend 30 minutes or more just trying to solve it. If you can’t solve it, try to see all the different angles and consequences of that situation for the present and the future. Also, try to understand why it came to happen.

3. Ask questions

If you want to be able to think critically about something, start by asking questions. Not only about a particular problem but everything. Do you know the way that children tend to ask “why” all the time? This is their way of developing critical thinking, among other things. So go back to your childhood and start questioning the world around you. And talking about assumptions…

4. Defy your assumptions

Assumption is a silent enemy of critical thinking. If you think you already know everything, you won’t feel like you need to analyze what is happening to you. But we all know that we can’t have all the answers in life because there are many things that we don’t understand, plus the way that people feel and deal with facts, which might be very different from yours. So if you want to be a real leader, you will have to defy your assumptions and not let them control the way that you think.

5. Analyze your thinking process

Another thing that you will have to do is analyze your thinking process. What do you think? Do you ignore problems? Do you overthink? Does thinking make you anxious? Do you analyze every single detail or do you only see the big picture? Do you write or draw or thoughts down? These are questions that will help you to understand the way that you think and decide if you need to improve it or adjust it somehow.

6. Test your point of view

You might think that the way that you think is the best one. For starters, it has brought you this far, so you shouldn’t be completely wrong. But, if you want to develop your critical thinking, you should always be testing your point of view. Maybe you should try and put yourself in another person’s shoes and find out how you would act if you were in their place. Or ask them directly what they would do facing the same circumstances. You might surprise yourself.

7. Face your prejudices

This probably is one of the most difficult things do to when it comes to improving critical thinking, but it is a crucial one. To improve the way that you think, you should be able to face your prejudices and get rid of them. Unfortunately, in many cases, we aren’t even aware of our prejudices.  We see them as a normal part of our personality. Or we think that we are right about that, they don’t constitute prejudice at all. So you might need to start to listen to other people.  Especially those who don’t appreciate your company very much, so to find out your prejudices and start a journey to overcome them.

8. Make predictions

No, you don’t need to become a fortune teller. But you should start making predictions to improve your critical thinking. Again, it isn’t about predicting the results of a match or the stock market . It is about situations that you might be confronted with within your life or somebody else – even a story in the newspaper can do. Step back and try to guess what will happen in the future depending on the decisions taken. Will it be better or worse? What if the choices were different? How would it reflect in the future scenario? Make as many predictions as you can to evaluate different actions and their respective consequences.

9. Play some games

Yes, now it is a fun time! You can develop your critical thinking a great deal just by playing some games. But not any game, of course. If you are a fan of board games, chess should probably be your first choice. Along with Monopoly, Risk, and Cluedo. Want to go for apps? Then try some of the best games to boost your brain, such as Brain Workout, Brain Age, or Brain Café and if you prefer word games, tools like Unscramblex are great to help you find combinations and increase your options in the game.

10. Read books

Last but not least, read books. More specifically, read fiction books. Even more specifically, read crime and thriller novels, or anything with a plot full of twisters and a puzzle to solve. It will help you to brush up your imagination and play with different scenarios while trying to make predictions and putting yourself in a different point of view.  See how a book can put together many of the tips above? So choose your favourite mystery and suspense, author, from Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle to John Connolly, James Patterson, or Lee Child, and give it a go.

11. Engage in Group Discussions

Participate in group discussions to enhance your critical thinking skills. This activity allows you to hear diverse viewpoints, debate ideas, and refine your arguments. Engaging with others in thoughtful conversation exposes you to new perspectives and challenges your own beliefs.

12. Learn a New Skill

Learning a new skill can significantly boost your critical thinking. The process of acquiring new knowledge and applying it in practical ways encourages problem-solving and analytical thinking. Choose a skill that interests you and dive into the learning process.

13. Take Up Creative Writing

Creative writing is an excellent exercise to develop critical thinking. It encourages you to explore different scenarios, create complex characters, and weave intricate plots. This activity stretches your imagination and challenges you to think outside the box.

14. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation can enhance your critical thinking by improving your focus and clarity of thought. These practices help reduce stress and clear mental clutter, allowing you to approach problems with a calm and collected mind.

15. Analyze Media Critically

In today’s information age, critically analyzing media content is crucial. Practice evaluating news sources, understanding biases, and distinguishing between facts and opinions. This habit is essential for developing informed and objective critical thinking skills.

16. Explore Historical Events

Studying history offers valuable lessons in critical thinking. By analyzing past events, understanding their causes and effects, and learning from historical figures’ decisions, you can enhance your ability to think critically about current events and future implications.

17. Conduct Experiments

Engaging in experimental activities, whether in a scientific context or everyday problem-solving, fosters critical thinking. Designing, conducting, and analyzing experiments help in understanding cause-and-effect relationships and in developing a methodical approach to problem-solving.

18. Explore Philosophical Theories

Delving into philosophical theories and concepts can greatly enhance your critical thinking. Philosophy encourages deep questioning, logical reasoning, and the exploration of complex ideas, all of which are foundational to critical thinking.

19. Volunteer for a Cause

Volunteering for a cause you care about can help develop critical thinking. It exposes you to new experiences and challenges, requires problem-solving, and offers opportunities for leadership and decision-making.

20. Teach Others

Teaching or mentoring others is a powerful way to develop your critical thinking skills. It requires you to understand concepts deeply, anticipate questions, and explain ideas clearly. This process not only benefits the learner but also strengthens your understanding and ability to think critically.

The bottom line

As you can see, there are many ways to improve your critical thinking. Some of them can complement each other, and others are stand-alone. In any case, choose those that make more sense to you and make the most of it. You will see the results in no time.

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Dante Munnis is a blogger and idea maker from Stockholm who is interested in self-development, web related topics and success issues. He shares ideas for students living a better life and building habits that stick. To get strategies for boosting your mental and physical performance.

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Advertisement: register for newsletter, advertisement: cpd small top, developing your critical thinking leadership skills.

Critical thinking enables leaders at every level to understand the impact of their decisions on the business as a whole and ensures both alignment with organisational goals and accountability for results.  

The "new normal" is a different kind of competitive landscape, buffeted by geopolitics and global instability, rapid technological change, unique financial pressures, a rising tide of data and information to filter through, and the proliferation of new corporate business models.

The mind-set that made leaders successful in the past probably won't ensure success in the future. In fact, several recent studies and surveys have identified critical thinking as the number one requirement for successful leadership in the 21st century. Yet there is mounting evidence that many current and emerging leaders lack this quality. And it is this competency gap that is shaking up and reshaping leadership as we have come to know it.

Leadership in the "new normal"

In the wake of the economic crisis, we all know what a failure of leadership looks like. The companies that folded in the GFC serve as stark examples of what happens when decisions are based upon erroneous, partially false or incomplete information and when management fails to think clearly and strategically about the full implications of its actions. The resulting fall-out put an end to business as usual and created a "new normal" that looks markedly different from anything anyone has seen before.

Business organisations must be prepared to do things differently if they expect different results. In this demanding, dynamic landscape, it is only natural that they also require a different mind-set from those in charge.

The equation works like this: Thinking drives behaviour; behaviour drives results. So enterprises that want to change the results - and, indeed, change the organisation itself - can achieve the highest leverage by changing the thinking of leaders and managers throughout the organisation.

But what kind of thinking - or rather rethinking - will be required of leaders if they want to succeed in the "new normal"?

Why critical thinking is critical

Critical thinking appears to be exactly what is needed from leaders who are navigating the volatility of the "new normal". Diane Halpern, an award-winning professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College and a widely read author on the subject, offers this definition in her seminal book, Thought and Knowledge :

"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal-directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions ... it's the kind of thinking that makes desirable outcomes more likely."

If ever there was a time for clear, discerning, solution-centric thinking, this is it.

Every two years since 1983, Executive Development Associates (EDA) has conducted an extensive survey on trends, growth and the evolution of executive development. The 2009/2010 EDA Trends in Executive Development: A Benchmark Report revealed trouble on the horizon for corporations seeking future business leaders.

To gauge the readiness of the next generation of leadership talent, EDA asked senior executive development professionals to share their views on the strengths and weaknesses of the incoming leadership group - the people who are most likely to fill executive-level positions in the next three to five years - and the subsequent impact on executive development.

The survey identified "hot topics" in executive development for the next two to three years. At the top of the list was leadership, followed by "business acumen, honing skills in strategy execution, leading / managing change, and talent management."

But when asked "What competencies are your leaders lacking?" their responses indicated little confidence that leaders had what it takes to execute in these critical areas successfully. Here's what they said was missing:

• Strategic thinking
• Leading change
• Ability to create a vision and engage others around it
• Ability to inspire
• Understanding the total enterprise and how the parts work together

What critical thinking looks like

Having established the need for a mind-set shift to more critical thinking, we need to be clear on what that means in the workplace.

In general, critical thinking is the ability to deal with the contradictions and problems of a tumultuous environment in a reasoned, purposeful, productive way. Decisions are made using an approach that is fair, objective, accurate and based on information that is relevant to the situation.

Critical thinking is also reflective and focused, constantly evaluating the thinking process itself. It is thinking with a purpose. Critical thinking requires a healthy dose of skepticism and an equal measure of good judgement.

For decades, companies have relied on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal , a widely used assessment tool for evaluating the cognitive ability of current and future leaders. Developed in 1925, the model identifies factors that are key to critical thinking and decision making and predicts judgment, problem solving, creativity, openness to experience and other leadership behaviours.

Five sub-tests measure critical thinking as a composite of attitudes, knowledge and skills:

• Recognition of assumptions
• Interpretation
• Evaluation of arguments

Professionals with high scores in these sub-tests are able to identify and examine the assumptions, influences and biases that might sway them. They stand back from the fray and strategically assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. They make business decisions that answer the right questions, solve the right problems, mitigate risk and improve productivity. They also lead from a position of strength, being able to motivate and move people both inspirationally and intellectually by providing solid reasons for actions.

Whether they lead teams, departments or entire enterprises, leaders who apply the skills of critical thinking to their roles perform at a higher level and offer their organisations a distinct competitive advantage.

Critical thinkers think differently about their impact on the organisation - understanding how their decisions and actions influence business both inside and outside their narrow functional silos. These leaders are able to balance department or team issues with broader company issues and embrace a larger responsibility for the success of the organisation. This keen sense of accountability is what enables them to execute for results now while fulfilling their obligations to positively impact the future.

Leaders who engage in critical thinking also understand the total organisation and how the individual parts work together. Context is key. Now more than ever, business acumen is foundational to effective leadership. It is impossible to apply critical thinking skills to the business of making money without an understanding of the business drivers that connect day-to-day decisions and actions to key financial and strategic performance goals of the organisation. It is one thing to understand one's role as a leader. It is altogether another thing to understand how to set direction and directly affect the outcomes.

Critical thinking is big-picture thinking too. As Hagemann describes it, "Leaders need to be able to comfortably climb to the 30,000-foot view and analyse a dynamic system, while simultaneously and adeptly analysing information to quickly make decisions across levels." Critical thinkers operate from a broad perspective in order to make sure the correct problems are addressed and they are taking acceptable risk. They recognise the difference between short-term gains and sustainable, long-term results and lead accordingly.

The advantages of this kind of leadership behavior are readily apparent. Critical thinking enables leaders at every level to understand the impact of their decisions on the business as a whole and ensures both alignment with organisational goals and accountability for results. It's exactly the type of leadership behaviour demanded by the "new normal" - and exactly what's missing. And this disconnect is likely to intensify over time.

Given the critical-thinking competency gap exposed by the EDA survey and other research, the obvious assumption is that the traditional development process that businesses have relied upon in the past to prepare leaders simply hasn't kept up. So, what's the solution? To accelerate development and raise leadership accountability to a whole new level of awareness and action, there needs to be a new emphasis on critical thinking in leadership development.

Learning to think like a leader

The good news is critical thinking is a skill that can be taught. According to Halpern, "There is a large body of evidence showing that people can learn to think better. Of course, education makes us all more intelligent, but critical thinking is more focused. Everyone can learn to recognise and use the skills of critical thinking, and we can always get better."

New competencies, however, may require a deeper, more analytical approach. The challenge today is not to discard what has been learned in the past, but to build upon traditional competencies with a whole new and more complex set of skills, tools and sensitivities.

Leaders in the new normal need to learn how to be discerning, how to think clearly and wisely, and how to be accountable for their impact on the business.

Discovery learning in leadership courses

Critical thinking can be impacted by the right leadership courses. However, the process can be more challenging than improving a behavioural skill, because you can't easily measure it. Success is demonstrated in results.

As with any skill, intellectual or otherwise, the key to building critical thinking - and achieving successful results - is practice. Research has demonstrated that people learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process and engaging in the behaviours they want to learn. But what's vital in developing critical thinking skills is framing the concept of practice within a relevant, job-related context.

Acquiring critical thinking skills requires participating in learning experiences that force you to consider new ways of thinking about and acting within complex situations that are directly related to the work you do. You need the opportunity to respond to issues, reflect on and reframe your experiences, develop new thinking, and, in turn, engage in new behaviours and actions that are relevant to your position and objectives.

Developing your critical thinking skills

In addition to participating in these types of leadership courses, leaders can take charge of their own critical thinking development by taking these actions:

• Get some feedback about your critical thinking skills from a trusted boss, colleague or coach Are you jumping to conclusions or using a reasoned, analytic process as you work toward a goal? Are you able to put aside biases and assumptions during analysis and decision-making? What kind of "thinker" are you perceived to be and why?
• Challenge yourself to develop a deeper understanding of your company's business, especially its financial and strategic drivers of success Are you clear about what drives the organisation's decisions, how financial success is achieved and how you impact both strategy and the bottom line? Are you making decisions that are aligned with this understanding?Is your knowledge of the business strong enough to drive behaviour and to engage teams and employees?
• Use multiple sources of data to form an "information web" before making a decision or forming a conclusion Are you asking a lot of questions? Identifying stakeholders and their issues and opinions? Separating facts from assumptions?Are you using the Internet as "one" source of information rather than "the" source? Can you analyse information from different perspectives and viewpoints?
• Take time to think Are you rising above the fray when it's important to make a decision, take action or form an opinion? Are you aware of the distractions getting in the way of your thinking time and taking action to minimize these distractions? Are you finding time and space to let your mind focus and reflect on important issues?
• Ask for input, critique and opinions from others as you analyse alternatives Are you checking tentative conclusions with others? Using peers, coaches or mentors to critique your thinking process? Are you willing to open your mind to other ideas or alternatives?

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3 Ways to Build Critical-Thinking Skills

When was the last time you practiced your critical thinking skills?

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When was the last time you practiced your critical thinking skills? Helen Lee Bouygues , an expert in business transformation, says many business problems are really about simple errors in critical thinking.

“People believe that critical thinking is something that we do every day and it comes very natural,” she tells IdeaCast host Curt Nickisch . “But in reality, critical thinking is not only extremely important for success in life, but it’s also something that needs to be learned and practiced.”

In this episode you’ll learn how to practice your critical thinking skills. Bouygues outlines three key components of critical thinking: questioning your assumptions, reasoning through logic, and diversifying your thought process.

Key episode topics include: strategy, strategy formulation, decision making and problem solving, managing yourself, critical thinking, managing emotions, strategic decisions.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

• Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: Improve Your Critical Thinking at Work (2019)
• Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast.
• Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org .

HANNAH BATES: Welcome to HBR On Strategy , case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, hand-selected to help you unlock new ways of doing business. When was the last time you practiced your critical thinking skills in your business? Helen Lee Bouygues says many business problems are really about simple errors in critical thinking. Bouygues is an expert in business transformation and she’s been an interim CEO, CFO, or COO at more than a dozen companies. In this episode you’ll learn how to improve your critical thinking skills for business – through (you guessed it) practice. Bouygues outlines 3 key components of critical thinking: questioning your assumptions, reasoning through logic, and diversifying your thought process to avoid selective thinking. You’ll learn how to practice each and why building in time to think without distractions can also help you make better decisions.  This episode originally aired on HBR IdeaCast in July 2019. Here it is.

CURT NICKISCH: Welcome to the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review. I’m Curt Nickisch. You know the story. Maybe it’s even a nightmare of yours. One day, the company is flying high. No reason to change anything. Customers and contracts will always be there. And then one day – the money stops flowing in, and the business is suddenly in real trouble. Our guest today knows this all too well. She has been an interim CEO, CFO, or COO at more than one dozen companies. Sometimes they needed her because they were mismanaged. Some failed to stay in front of changing technologies. In a few cases, members of the senior team were simply negligent. But in her experience, all these organizational problems shared one root cause: A lack of critical thinking. Our guest is Helen Lee Bouygues. She’s the founder of the Reboot Foundation. Based in Paris, the nonprofit helps parents, teachers and employers think more critically about their problems. She’s also the author of the HBR.org article “3 Simple Habits to Improve Your Critical Thinking.” Helen, thanks for being here.

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Thank you for having me, Curt.

CURT NICKISCH: Helen, you worked in transitional periods for a bunch of big companies. And, you say that many people’s business problems really come down to simple errors in critical thinking. That just sounds a little surprising to me and I wanted to hear why you say that.

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Yeah, I think at first glance people believe that critical thinking is something that we do every day and it comes very natural. But in reality, critical thinking is not only extremely important for success in life, but it’s also something that needs to be learned and practiced. Critical thinking skills are very much predictive of making positive financial decisions, even more so than raw intelligence, but people kind of forget what that actually means in terms of tools and practices that they need to exercise in order to make the right decisions, or at least the better decisions. Based on my 20 years of different turnaround and transformation experience, I have noticed that very often when things go sideways or create problems and companies find themselves in a situation of a need for turnaround, it’s typically been because I would argue that the leadership perhaps lacked some elements of critical thinking.

CURT NICKISCH: Why do you think we lack critical thinking skills, or why do you think we think we’re better at it than we actually are?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: That’s a great question Curt and actually we did a survey at the Reboot Foundation about a year ago, where we asked people questions of everything from ranging from how often do they practice critical thinking to how important they think critical thinking is, and how often they teach their children critical thinking? I think one of the reasons why it’s more difficult in today’s day and age is that we live in a world of incessant distraction and technology is often to blame as well. We live in a period when we have a question, we want that instant gratification getting the information, just typing the question on Google, having the answer quickly and so, we don’t actually have as much time to stop and think. And part of the necessity of critical thinking is having that ability to take a step back and actually think about your own thinking. And yet, it’s actually becoming more and more critical because as businesses evolve and there’s more urgency to make decisions, that’s exactly when we need to do more critical thinking than perhaps we used to, because of evolving technology and rapidly changing competitive environments in business.

CURT NICKISCH: You say that getting better at critical thinking is something we can learn and cultivate?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Yes. The opposite of critical thinking could be selective thinking. And naturally selective thinking is something that you can actually do relatively quickly because it’s just a reinforcement of your own opinion. People in business can get better at critical thinking if they just do three things. One, question assumptions. Two, reason through logic. And three, diversify thought.

CURT NICKISCH: How do you actually do that?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: So, the taking a break, and that doesn’t mean doing meditation or yoga, but actually taking the time. It could be going for a run, or a walk around the block. That alone creates that opportunity for an individual to take the time to stop and think. So, that’s one dimension I think that people need to put in their normal practice. The second element that you wouldn’t necessarily think about in terms of an attribute necessary for critical thinking is management of emotions. So, the number of times that you can imagine, especially in a boardroom for a company that’s going through a difficulty, heated discussions, insults across the room. In that type of environment, it’s very difficult to engage in rational thinking. As much emotions are important, when it comes to true important decisions, we need to put aside the feelings and emotions that go awry in a meeting setting. In addition to that, I think the other element of what we need to make sure that we conduct is making sure that we have other points of views.

CURT NICKISCH: When you talk about looking at things from opposing viewpoints, sometimes that’s helpful when you have somebody who plays that role, or when you have a diverse team that you can share ideas with and explore. I don’t know that all of us are as good of just thinking from other perspectives when we’re kind of just in our own thoughts.

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Yeah, but it’s again, that’s why I think I started off this conversation Curt, in saying that critical thinking is something that you actually need to practice and you need to learn. Because indeed, it’s natural and it’s very human to stay in your own personal bubble because it’s comfortable. But you can actually do this from a small scale to a larger scale, and what I mean by that specifically is if you’re starting small, if you work in for example, in accounting. Go have lunch with people in marketing in your organization. I have a good friend, Mathilde Thomas, she’s actually the founder of Caudalie which is a very successful line of skincare products made from grapes. Mathilde grew up spending her time in her family vineyards, so her family originally was in the wine business. And the idea of the skincare product came about because one day a friend of the family, this physician, came to visit the vineyard and he was looking at the vat of grape skins that were about to be discarded and he said, well that’s a pot of treasure, so why are you just discarding that away? And that’s effectively how the business of Caudalie actually began. So, that’s a positive story where people who are not necessarily in the same field can get together and actually come up with innovation or here it wasn’t even intended to be an innovation. It just was an idea that sprung from two people from different walks of life getting together and coming up with the business idea. So, that’s a positive example in terms of diversity.

CURT NICKISCH: Where have you seen this failure in some of the companies that you worked with? Where have you seen the inability to diversify thought and opinions and host costly that can be?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: I think in terms of negative, I’ve seen a specific example for a pharmaceutical company where the founder brought in a CFO who actually had very little experience in accounting. He had experience in mergers and acquisitions, in elements of financing, but not pure accounting. But his true qualification of becoming the CFO was the fact that he was a very, very good friend of the CEO’s and you see that example over and over again, including in boards. The number of times you see the board of a company being surrounded, the CEO being surrounded by his or her friends, which is why often I think from time to time, you have companies, publicly listed companies where sometimes the board may not see certain indications. Be it the case of a Steinhoff or an Enron, which is an extreme case of fraud, but even in terms of general decisions, strategic decisions, that if you have a board composed of just a group of friends of the CEO’s, you don’t have diversity of thought in that type of environment.

CURT NICKISCH: So, we’ve talked some about questioning assumptions and the power of diversifying thought. But another point you make is that people need to get better about reasoning through logic. And I think this is going to surprise people too because logical is just such a household word. We think that we think logically, so why is logic a deficit and kind of a prerequisite for the critical thinking you think we need to see more of in management?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: So, one of the stories that I like to bring up is a specific company that I encountered a couple of years ago. It’s one of the world’s largest producers of aluminum tubes and they have clients ranging from L’Oréal to Proctor and Gamble, all over the world.

And the CEO of this company was blindsided by his own fervor and probably unreasonable optimism about the outlook for the revenue profile of this company. In reality, the company was in relatively dire financial straits, but again he was blinded with his hope that his clients would never leave because the switching costs of his clients would be too high, or that at least was his hypothesis. And for some business leaders I think some optimism is obviously a good thing. There wouldn’t be Ubers or EBays if we didn’t have entrepreneurs who have that charisma and exuberance. But what I often find in companies is CEOss with something I call simply WTF. Now Curt, that’s not what you think that we commonly use in text messages, but it’s for me it’s “wishful thinking forever’. And I think that blinded optimism can often mask the capability and the ability to reason through logic and actually re-question your approach and saying, “well, can my customers decide to change vendors? Is the competitive environment actually shifting? Are there low-cost companies that could actually take over my business even if that hurdle rate is high?” So, it’s again coming back to being able to ask the right questions and looking at your business and saying, “is there a different way of doing things?” And that’s when you avoid the pitfalls of actually reasoning through logic. And it comes back to the argument of having different views from your original views and your original sentiments. And obviously in order to do that, we need to really pay close attention to our own chain of logic.

CURT NICKISCH: Which I like by the way, wishful thinking forever. I’m going to read text messages that way now. Probably make them a little more optimistic. Yeah. A lot of companies pay consultants to do this kind of critical thinking for them and they come in with tools and concept mapping, and all of the sorts of things that maybe they’re a little more deliberate about and also, removed from the emotion of working in the culture of a company. Do you see consultants as essentially paid critical thinkers?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: I think many consultants are good at critical thinking. I don’t believe that the industry of management consulting is a sector that is there to enforce critical thinking for companies. And let me explain why I believe that. A lot of, in a lot of situations CEOs seek validation and look for evidence that supports their preconceived notions. And consultants are often trained to agree with their client’s theories. So, I would almost counter argue and say, for CEOs to effectively use consultants, they almost need to be very precise and be very upfront in their scope of work with the consultants, demand and ask that the consulting firm give a different point of view, or an opposing point of view than the original thesis of a leader. Now that is sometimes hard to do. It goes back to the original part of our discussion. It’s less comfortable for leaders and in a lot of situations why CEO’s are hiring consultants are to justify and explain with more detail to their boards of why they’re doing certain strategic activities. So, that’s where we have to be careful about relying on consultants as quote, “a mechanism to do better critical thinking in business”.

CURT NICKISCH: Have you actually seen companies turn around when they change the way they approach problems and instituted critical thinking across the organization in a more deliberate way?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Yes. I worked with a telecom company in Africa, not so long ago. And they had probably the lowest customer satisfaction rate across the board, amongst the different countries in Africa. And the CEO was somebody who was a very open minded, wanted to challenge – now you could argue Curt, they were on the low, they couldn’t get lower in terms of customer satisfaction, so they only had room to go up. But if you put that aside, what he instituted was to have a sub group of his team to go visit another South African country that had very high customer satisfaction rates. So, it was, I would call creating an environment for its employees to have a bit of a diversity of thought, but also to actually be exposed to give the capacity for its employees to question the assumptions about what they were doing wrong. So, very good CEOs not only are capable of trying to conduct metacognition for him or herself, meaning questioning his or her own way of thinking, but he’ll challenge his team and help them to challenge their own way of thinking by showing different examples of for example, success stories in the same type of work where in a case of this telecom company in Africa, where they could see and visit customer services centers in other African countries where they had high customer satisfaction rate. So, it’s giving the exposure to its team to seek out diversity of thought, but also promoting that, and encouraging that its employees think differently than being focused on their own silos of work and being, trying to be efficient in their own capacity, in their existing dimension.

CURT NICKISCH: Yeah. So, if that was a good critical thinker, as a CEO, what do most leaders do in that situation? What does the “uncritical thinker” do?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: The uncritical thinker would be to try to gain more efficiency out of its existing employees and continue to do more of the same thing. But probably putting in more KPI’s. That’s a popular thing that leaders do. And try to put more pressure in the system so that companies are more productive. Rather than thinking out of the box and trying to say, should we be doing something differently than the way we’re doing it today?

CURT NICKISCH: And for individuals? Because whether or not you have a CEO who’s good at this, you can still affect your own team and you can still affect your own work with your own critical thinking. What should they do to get better at critical thinking?

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Be curious. Ask the questions. “ What if” questions are great. It’s important to constantly challenge yourself saying, what if I did something differently than the way I’m doing it now? What if I approached my client differently than the way I’m doing it now? What if I changed the processes? Would there be improvement? That’s the type of individual who can improve by actually questioning the assumptions of what he or she is doing on a daily basis. And then the second element again, is trying to be very factual and be rigid about gathering facts and proof and accumulating data in order to truly justify why you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s going back to paying close attention to the chain of your own logic. And then the third is expanding your horizon by interacting with people that are not in your existing silo. So, I go back to the example, very simple example, go have lunch, go have a drink with somebody that’s not in your same department, but go reach out to somebody who’s in a totally different building, or even different division within your group.

CURT NICKISCH: Helen, thanks for coming on the show and talking about thinking through how to be a better critical thinker.

HELEN LEE BOUYGUES: Thank you so much. It was a real pleasure to be on your show.

HANNAH BATES: That was Helen Lee Bouygues in conversation with Curt Nickisch on the HBR IdeaCast . Bouygues is an experienced business leader and founder of the Reboot Foundation – for improving critical thinking. We’ll be back next Wednesday with another hand-picked conversation about business strategy from the Harvard Business Review. If you found this episode helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues, and follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re there, be sure to leave us a review. We’re a production of the Harvard Business Review – if you want more articles, case studies, books, and videos like this, find it all at HBR.org. This episode was produced by Mary Dooe, Anne Saini, and me, Hannah Bates. Ian Fox is our editor. Special thanks to Rob Eckhardt, Adam Buchholz, Maureen Hoch, Adi Ignatius, Karen Player, Ramsey Khabbaz, Nicole Smith, Anne Bartholomew, and you – our listener. See you next week.

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The Importance of Critical Thinking to Successful Leadership

Bryan zaslow.

Nov 16, 2021

There’s a crisis brewing in the business world, but almost nobody has been paying attention to it.  

More and more evidence points to a lack of critical thinking skills in today’s youngest aspiring leaders down to today’s college graduates. The Wall Street Journal reported that after four years of classes,  students at some of the country’s most prestigious universities don’t show any improvement in critical thinking skills .

This lack of critical thinking skills is causing what one expert calls a “competency gap” in the newest crop of leaders. According to a survey released by Morning Consult,  64% of employers say it’s difficult to find qualified applicants with critical thinking skills . That’s more than any of the other so-called “soft skills” that employers say they urgently need.

In business, critical thinking is independent thinking that isn’t clouded by bad advice, misleading assumptions, or personal biases. It is the ability to see past public opinion and popularity polls. Do you see a correlation between this and emotional agility, which I discussed in great detail in  one of my previous posts ? Critical thinking allows leaders at every level to evaluate their decision-making and how these decisions ultimately impact results across every part of an organization. 

The leaders who stand out from the crowd as critical thinking rock stars are balanced thinkers who are aware of their own feelings and emotions, as well as those of the people around them, but can set them aside when making a decision. An example could be reacting emotionally to a story. A critical thinker knows there are always at least two sides to the truth and takes the time to put away their initial reactions, uncover the facts, and react thoughtfully. 

Personally, I think that critical thinking is one of the top job requirements for me as a parent of two teenagers. I want to spring into action every time my daughter shares a story filled with emotions about how someone has been mean. The reality is that her story is best handled by setting aside my own emotions and guiding her with care and thoughtfulness that perhaps she is a participant to that chaos as well.

Critical thinking is crucial in the current economic climate. In the “new normal” of the post-pandemic era, leaders have to be more than brilliant spokespeople or charismatic figureheads. They also have to be strategic and forward-thinking, with an emphasis on forward thinking. What made a leader successful in the past is often not what will make them successful in the future.

I want to offer a couple of things to help you work on and develop your critical thinking. Here are a few traits leaders with good critical thinking skills share:

They question assumptions.  Just because something is true today, or has been true for a while, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be true tomorrow. Financial firms learned that lesson after the meltdown in 2008. We all faced that fact in 2020 when Covid-19 shut down offices and businesses around the world. “Crisis can bring out the best critical thinking,” John Baldoni wrote in Harvard Business Review, “because it forces you to question how and why you ended up in trouble.”

They are open-minded and curious.  We all have certain biases based on our personal experiences. We were successful when we did something before, so there’s no reason to do it differently now. But critical thinkers know that the latest data can point to different ways of accomplishing something. New technology can speed up a process that was otherwise working just fine. They gather all the information they can before making a decision. Exceptional leaders know they need to draw on past experiences, but can’t let them be their only criteria. Leaders must ask questions.

They seek out other perspectives.  We all fall into this trap: We trust the people that we work most closely with, so we don’t see the need to cast a wider net. But the best leaders look for other opinions. They talk to people outside of their inner circle who might have an interesting point of view. They reach out to peers outside their company or even outside their industry. They might end up making the same decision, but they have heard what others have to say.

They observe and listen intently.   There is so much to learn from the people that you lead, both individually and in groups. Whenever possible, spend time with them. Be inquisitive and curious. Ask them questions and listen to their answers. Pay attention to their concerns and challenges. You might find valuable information about what can be improved in your organization. A deeper exploration of the situations people bring to your attention can result in a big win for you, your teams, and your companies.

They are comfortable with change.  If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we can’t predict everything that’s going to happen. We all have to be adept at what’s known as “managing ambiguity,” or being comfortable not knowing every possible variable. We must be able to make decisions often with limited knowledge.

Business schools have largely given up teaching critical thinking and other soft skills, largely because education has become more and more transactional: “If I’m paying this much for a college degree, how much can I expect to make when I graduate?” Also, business degrees have become more and more specialized. There are additional required courses in their major, so what gets left behind are the liberal arts classes. The only business school students learning critical thinking are those that specifically seek them out (or those, like me, that put their entrepreneurial spirits to work in startups and side hustles while still in school).

The good news is that like any other skill, critical thinking gets better with practice. If you have team members who you can see moving into leadership positions, it’s time to start passing along some of your knowledge. When you can, include them in the decision-making process, taking them through the steps you go through when solving a problem. Talk about why this particular solution made sense for your teams or company.

When they grasp the concept, let them come up with the solutions on their own. Don’t weigh in until they have explained their thought process. Ask them about alternatives they considered and the pros and cons of each.

You’ll know when one of your employees is a potential leader when they can move from making recommendations about a problem you bring to them to generating ideas on their own. Chances are they’ll become an even more valuable member of your team as time goes by. As it gets harder and harder to hire people with great critical thinking skills, you’ll be able to promote from within.

We’re in the middle of a crisis of leadership, but you can turn the “competency gap” into an advantage for your company. Make critical thinking a priority in your organization. Nurture your staff’s abilities. As your competition is searching for candidates with the right skills, you’ll already have them on your team.

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Mastering Critical Thinking: A Guide for Leaders

Summary: Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for effective leadership. Top leaders think clearly and rationally, analyze and evaluate information, and make sound judgments and decisions. Here is what to know, what matters.

Dear Dr. Sylvia,

I am a great leader. I’m not bragging. I know what I know.

For example, I am great at the thirty-thousand view of what needs to be done.

However, I am a total failure at the lower level, where the weeds (daily work systems) need to be cleared. I also suck where the trees (employees or products) must be pruned.

Similarly, I want to teach my executive team how to be critical thinkers and come to me with their solutions. Then, I, as the CEO, can be extremely helpful with long-term plans.

Critical thinking is falling way behind for most of us.

What can I do to help the various teams I support grow to be the best possibl e?

At the thirty-foot level, I can help them see we are building cathedrals rather than just being stone setters.

Cathedral Builder

Dear Cathedral Builder,

I am sure you are referring to the well-known “Cathedral Story.” It goes like this: a man who passed a bricklayer and asked what he was doing.

The worker responded. “Oh, I am here every day, just putting one brick atop another. It’s a tedious and meaningless job. I can’t wait to go home.”

Then, the same man went around the corner, talked with another worker, and asked, “What are you doing?”

Above all, the response was quite different. “Oh, I’m here putting one brick on top of another to help as we build a beautiful cathedral. I know I am part of a meaningful venture. And I love how most of us work together to create what matters. I only have a small yet important part in the process.”

Critical thinking means seeing both root causes along with future vision.

Leaders skilled in critical thinking are better equipped to solve problems. They also make informed decisions and communicate their ideas effectively.

In addition, great leaders cut through the noise and distractions. Once they identify the root causes of problems, they develop creative solutions that can transform their organizations.

Consider the example of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Bezos has been widely credited with transforming the retail industry through his innovative ideas and business strategies.

Subsequently, one of the keys to his success has been his ability to think critically. For example, when Bezos first started Amazon, he recognized that the traditional retail model was not working. He saw an opportunity to leverage the power of the internet to create a new type of retail experience. The hypothesis was that his way would be more convenient and accessible to customers.

Jeff Bezos used critical thinking to launch Amazon.

This required him to think creatively and develop a business model based on customer-centricity, innovation, and long-term growth.

Similarly, Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motor s, has been praised for her leadership skills, particularly her critical thinking ability.

In addition, when Barra took over as CEO of GM in 2014, the company faced several challenges. A major one included a significant safety crisis related to faulty ignition switches.

Mary Barra at GM recognized that the company needed to change its culture and problem-solving approach.

In short, she emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and collaboration. In addition, she encouraged employees at all levels to speak up and share their ideas. This helped GM to address the safety crisis, restore trust with its customers, and improve its overall performance.

Let’s explore the fundamental principles of critical thinking. This means we will provide practical strategies for leaders to apply these principles daily.

For example, we will discuss the common thinking errors and biases that impede effective decision-making. This includes the importance of effective communication.

Next, We will provide examples and case studies of leaders who have successfully applied critical thinking to achieve their goals.

By mastering critical thinking, you can become a more effective leader and positively impact your organization and community.

Critical thinking objectively analyzes and evaluates information to make informed decisions and solve problems.

All in all, it is a fundamental skill for effective leadership. This means it is essential for making sound judgments in complex and rapidly changing environments. Here we explore the basic concepts of critical thinking and the importance of developing this skill for leadership success.

• Definition of Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is analyzing and evaluating information objectively, without bias or prejudice. It involves using logic and reason to identify the strengths and weaknesses of arguments, knowledge, and evidence. By thinking critically, leaders can make informed decisions, solve problems, and communicate their ideas more effectively.
• Importance of Critical Thinking in Leadership: Effective leaders must make decisions quickly and confidently. This includes the ability to evaluate information carefully. Next, to ensure that their decisions are based on sound evidence. Critical thinking is essential for influential leaders to identify problems’ root causes and evaluate potential solutions.
• Key Components of Critical Thinking: There are several key components of critical thinking, including:

Without critical thinking, mistakes can be costly.

• Evaluating evidence : This involves examining the credibility and reliability of evidence. Then to determine its usefulness in supporting a particular argument or position.
• Identifying biases and assumptions : involves recognizing personal biases and assumptions that may influence one’s thinking and considering alternative perspectives.
• Generating and evaluating alternatives: This involves developing multiple solutions or options. The next step is to assess them based on their feasibility, effectiveness, and potential consequences.
• Critical thinking objectively analyzes and evaluates information: This is how to make informed decisions o and solve problems.

Each specific area of business has its way of looking at what is critical to success.

• Example 1: Effective Decision-Making in Healthcare: In healthcare, critical thinking is essential for making decisions that can significantly impact patient outcomes. For example, a physician treating a complex medical condition must analyze and evaluate the available information. Next, identify potential treatment options and assess their effectiveness and risks. By using critical thinking skills, the physician can make informed decisions that lead to better outcomes for the patient.
• Example 2: Strategic Planning in Business: Critical thinking is essential for strategic planning and decision-making. For example, a CEO planning to expand the company’s operations into new markets must analyze and evaluate potential risks and benefits. After that, identify potential obstacles and challenges and develop a plan that maximizes the chances of success. Using critical thinking skills, the CEO can make informed decisions leading to long-term growth and profitability.

Without critical thinking, we can end up with lost revenue and expensive legal concerns.

3. Example 3: Evaluating Scientific Research: Critical thinking is essential for evaluating the credibility and reliability of research findings. For example, a scientist conducting research on a new drug must analyze and evaluate the available data. That way, identify potential biases or flaws in the study design and evaluate the potential risks and benefits. By using critical thinking skills, the scientist can make informed decisions about the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

4. Example 4: Effective Problem-Solving in Engineering: Critical thinking is essential for effective problem-solving in engineering. For example, an engineer tasked with designing a new product must first analyze and evaluate the available information. Then go on to identify the potential design flaws or issues. And finally, develop a solution that meets the customer’s needs while adhering to safety and quality standards. Using critical thinking skills, the engineer can develop innovative solutions that improve the product and enhance customer satisfaction.

5. Example 5: Effective Communication in Public Policy: Critical thinking is essential for effective communication and decision-making in public policy. For example, a policy analyst evaluating a proposed policy starts by analyzing the potential impacts of the policy after identifying potential unintended consequences and communicating the results to the public.

All leadership teams do better if they are schooled in critical thinking. That is the major way to keep the potholes and pitfalls limited.

In summary, business, the essential motor of society, has an opportunity to be the most creative force on the planet using critical thinking as a base.

In conclusion, to everyone, and especially you, dear Cathedral builder, let’s do deep thinking so that we all have the opportunity to engage in dignified and satisfying work.

Here’s to your success,

Sylvia Lafair

PS. Much of what I learned about critical thinking is based on the work of my mentor, Willis Harma n, who taught at Stanford University and was President of The Institute of Noetic Sciences in California. You would enjoy looking at some of his books for the thirty thousand views of modern business.

PSS. Much of what I learned from Dr. Harman is now available in our Total Leadership Connections online program. Contact us for more information and to join now.

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How Smart Can You Get? Developing Critical Thinking Skills at Work

• Leadership Development

It’s no secret that critical thinking is important to success in the workplace today, but after presenting at the 2019 APA convention on the role of critical thinking, what impacts it, and whether or not it can be developed, we had a number of takeaways that add a little more nuance to the conversation. Here are a few to keep in mind when considering critical thinking and the role it plays in workplace success.

Critical Thinking Is Important; It’s Not Everything

Although critical thinking scores are strongly predictive of job performance across domains, they are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding a person’s capabilities. Critical thinking measures should be combined with multiple other assessment components, such as personality measures and structured interviews, to put those scores in perspective.

Further, critical thinking scores may be more or less relevant depending on the job-specific context. For higher-level positions, scores on critical thinking measures are more relevant compared to roles that are more hands-on and less strategic. Thus, the importance of critical thinking scores should be weighted differently depending on the job, as well as considered as one data point in a larger set.

The EQ/IQ Sweet Spot

High scores on critical thinking measures alone can only get a person so far. In fact, if not balanced with emotional intelligence (EQ), they might not get you that far at all when it comes to leadership.

Years ago, we had a client who made high critical thinking scores the focal criteria for numerous high-level positions. The individuals they hired were very intelligent from a cognitive standpoint, but were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: EQ. Their subordinates hated working for them, coworkers hated working with them, and they were not high performers in their new roles.

Going forward, we helped our client select leaders who had a healthy combination of interpersonal skills and cognitive intelligence. Those individuals were more likely to exhibit exceptional leadership performance and be seen as high potentials than those who were only smart from a cognitive perspective.

The moral of the story: there is a sweet spot where the two skillsets of EQ and IQ intersect, and considering IQ in a vacuum is not going to lead to success and optimal performance. Instead, the two must be considered in tandem.

Fostering Critical Thinking Through a Carefully Curated Culture

Critical thinking can be assessed and selected for, but it can also be dampened by the environment. If your employees aren’t encouraged to reason things out for themselves and, instead, defer to their bosses on every decision, this will hinder their ability to think critically. While it may be tempting to hire “yes men,” evidence suggests this doesn’t make for organizational success. If subordinates always agree with their bosses, there won’t be new ideas coming into the organization, which will result in a lack of innovation and lower critical thinking because individuals won’t be challenged to question their beliefs, assumptions, and ideas.  Employees who are not given the opportunity to make their own decisions will also have a difficult time ascending through the organization. Leadership at the top requires the ability to set direction and think for oneself, and if employees can’t demonstrate this skill, it will be hard to spot those that have it.

Ultimately, organizations that enforce a “do this because I said so” culture are not setting themselves or their employees up for success, and not reaping the benefits of critical thinkers.

The Danger of Deference

When individuals see someone or something as an intelligent authority (e.g., teacher, boss, news outlet), they will often defer to whatever that person or thing says about a situation instead of trying to reason through it themselves. This tendency actively opposes critical thinking, as it means individuals are taking a situation at face value and not attempting to make sense of it on their own. Strong deference to authority makes a person less likely to think critically because they will simply defer to what their boss says. Further, when people are overly concerned about getting to the “right” answer, this stifles exploratory critical thinking.

Certain individuals are more likely to show these tendencies than others. Be aware of employees that may be deferential to the point of stifling their own critical thinking skills, and encourage them to appropriately challenge authority, think outside the box, and not focus  intensely on getting things “right.”

Developing Critical Thinking

Critical thinking can be developed through (1) metacognitive training, (2) encouraging individuals to respectfully question authority and building learning cultures, and (3) building critical thinking into early education. Although there is not much that can be done at an organizational level for building critical thinking into early education, organizations do have opportunities to take action on the first two suggestions.

Metacognitive training involves helping individuals develop skills that increase their awareness and comprehension of the way that they think. One method for doing this involves providing individuals with information on the 5-factor model of metacognition that the Watson-Glaser (one of the foremost tools for assessing deductive reasoning) is based on: inference, recognition of assumptions, deduction, interpretation, and evaluation of arguments. In an organization, this could take the form of employee seminars on the topic or even basic training to help employees break down the general components of critical thinking and learn a couple of metacognitive strategies (e.g., planning how to approach a task, evaluating progress toward task completion) that they could incorporate into their lives for daily use.

Further, ensuring that your organization is actively promoting a culture of critical thinking is essential. Employees should feel emboldened to respectfully challenge each other’s beliefs and assumptions, as well as the beliefs and assumptions of their bosses. When an issue is on the table, there should be brainstorming sessions where it is emphasized that there is no right answer and everyone’s thoughts and input are valued. Finally, organizations should support their employees in their learning and expect them to ask questions and dig deep into issues, avoiding taking things at face value.

The Polymathy Advantage

During our presentations, we had researchers in our audience who study polymathy and polymaths, and this led to an interesting discussion about the relationships between polymaths, critical thinkers, and exceptional leaders.  A polymath is an individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects and is known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. One aspect of critical thinking is having a certain level of domain knowledge to draw from to be able to consider an issue from different angles, so one could make the inferential leap that polymaths are good critical thinkers.

This led to some interesting parallels to leadership development.  Some of the best executives have broad-ranging experiences across multiple functions, essentially giving them knowledge that is both broad and deep. This raised the question: are effective executives polymaths?

This could be a direction for future research, but it does seem likely that individuals who have knowledge that spans many areas are going to be better at leading, especially in organizations with multiple complex functions. In fact, role rotation, in which individuals gain experience by rotating between different jobs in the same organization, is an increasingly common way for organizations to develop emerging leaders and bears similarity to the concept of polymathy. Employees who go through this process develop a deeper understanding of the organization’s operations after gaining a broader view that includes roles outside their own.

Concluding Thoughts

The benefits of solid critical thinking skills are many and undeniable. Although critical thinking scores are not the “be all, end all” and other factors, such as EQ, should be taken into consideration when making decisions for selection, organizations should strive to do what they can to  develop these skills in their employees to help maximize their potential and their contributions to the organization. If your organization has the resources to conduct seminars to help employees improve their metacognitive skills, that’s great! However, every organization (regardless of resources) has the opportunity to cultivate a culture of critical thinking where employees from the bottom up feel comfortable and encouraged to respectfully speak their minds and challenge each other’s beliefs to help bring fresh, new thinking into the organization.

How do you help your direct reports sharpen their critical thinking skills? What have you found to be successful in making sure your team doesn’t become overly deferential? Tell us in the comments below!

Part 1: Evaluative Thinking Should Be a Critical Leadership Competency

I’m an evaluator by training and I have worked in leadership development for decades. There are a lot of competencies that are important for doing well as an evaluator and as a leader. Years ago I wrote a blog post about evaluators thinking more about themselves as leaders and their leadership development. As part of my work with the Luminare Group I was lucky enough to collaborate not only with the Luminare team but also with the Johnson Center on Philanthropy, at Grand Valley State University on a project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation . That work deepened my appreciation for how critical is it for leaders to think evaluatively. In this series of posts, I encourage leaders and leadership developers to focus more on evaluative thinking — going so far as to recommend evaluative thinking as a critical leadership competency. Sound crazy? Hear me out…

Evaluative Thinking is related to, but distinct from evaluation.

Evaluation focuses on the tasks of gathering information to make a judgment while evaluative thinking is being strategically curious and thinking critically in service of stated aims and values within a specific context. Nonprofit leaders would benefit from developing their evaluative thinking; in fact that is often more important than evaluation activities. Without evaluative thinking, evaluation activities are unlikely to be worth the effort and expense. There, I said it.

While conducting evaluations is one of my favorite things, when it comes to making a difference in the world I think it is more important for leaders to think evaluatively than for an organization to conduct evaluations.

Ideally, both are happening because they reinforce each other. For evaluations to be accurate and useful, they have to be developed with input from stakeholders. The clearer the stakeholders are about what they are doing and why (as well as what assumptions they are making), the better the evaluation and the more likely the results are to be useful (and to be used). Is there a place for external evaluation — yes, but to do that work well there needs to be clarity about the context, stakeholders, criteria, standards, and proposed use. While an evaluator can provide that clarity, if that clarity already exists within the program or organizational team, everyone’s time and resources are much better spent.

Developing evaluative thinking within organizations allows the technical skill of evaluation to be more meaningfully implemented and utilized because organizational members understand and value the practice of inquiry, gather and use relevant information, and focus learning on moving towards and demonstrating impact (There, I said it again).

The continued reliance on external experts can focus evaluation efforts on measures and frameworks that may seem useful, but are not actually providing relevant, credible, and useful information; at least not in a way that makes sense to those most poised to use it. Leaders who think evaluatively are focused on creating impact; they are clear about what they seek to accomplish, the values by which that work is done, as well as different perspectives and influences on that work.

Leadership is generally considered to be the process of setting direction, aligning effort, and generating commitment to accomplish shared work (Van Velsor, McCauley, & Ruderman, 2010).

The ways in which people and groups enact leadership vary (by context, by culture, over time, etc) but central skills include; working with stakeholders to define a goal, the desired change or impact, understanding what is needed to achieve that goal or impact, engaging in systematic and structured inquiry to collect information about impact along the way, and communicating and making decisions based on that information. To do those things well, one needs to think evaluatively. Developing evaluative thinking involves building mindsets and skill sets to understand contexts, define impact and what is needed to achieve it, engage stakeholders in systematic and structured inquiry to collect and make sense of information about impact, and make changes. These should be core competencies in nonprofit leadership development efforts, but often are not.

We invite those of you who invest in, participate in, and deliver capacity building and leadership development to reflect on ways you can weave evaluative thinking into your leadership development efforts.

In my next blog post, I’ll share a few thoughts about what this all means in terms of how we think about (and therefore conduct) evaluations.

Part 2: How We Think About Evaluation Needs to Change

Why do foundations struggle with evaluation, evaluation and impact investing: a three-part webinar series.

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important was originally published on Ivy Exec .

Strong critical thinking skills are crucial for career success, regardless of educational background. It embodies the ability to engage in astute and effective decision-making, lending invaluable dimensions to professional growth.

At its essence, critical thinking is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in a logical and reasoned manner. It’s not merely about accumulating knowledge but harnessing it effectively to make informed decisions and solve complex problems. In the dynamic landscape of modern careers, honing this skill is paramount.

The Impact of Critical Thinking on Your Career

☑ problem-solving mastery.

Visualize critical thinking as the Sherlock Holmes of your career journey. It facilitates swift problem resolution akin to a detective unraveling a mystery. By methodically analyzing situations and deconstructing complexities, critical thinkers emerge as adept problem solvers, rendering them invaluable assets in the workplace.

☑ Refined Decision-Making

Navigating dilemmas in your career path resembles traversing uncertain terrain. Critical thinking acts as a dependable GPS, steering you toward informed decisions. It involves weighing options, evaluating potential outcomes, and confidently choosing the most favorable path forward.

☑ Enhanced Teamwork Dynamics

Within collaborative settings, critical thinkers stand out as proactive contributors. They engage in scrutinizing ideas, proposing enhancements, and fostering meaningful contributions. Consequently, the team evolves into a dynamic hub of ideas, with the critical thinker recognized as the architect behind its success.

☑ Communication Prowess

Effective communication is the cornerstone of professional interactions. Critical thinking enriches communication skills, enabling the clear and logical articulation of ideas. Whether in emails, presentations, or casual conversations, individuals adept in critical thinking exude clarity, earning appreciation for their ability to convey thoughts seamlessly.

☑ Adaptability and Resilience

Perceptive individuals adept in critical thinking display resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges. Instead of succumbing to panic, they assess situations, recalibrate their approaches, and persist in moving forward despite adversity.

☑ Fostering Innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of progressive organizations, and critical thinking serves as its catalyst. Proficient critical thinkers possess the ability to identify overlooked opportunities, propose inventive solutions, and streamline processes, thereby positioning their organizations at the forefront of innovation.

☑ Confidence Amplification

Critical thinkers exude confidence derived from honing their analytical skills. This self-assurance radiates during job interviews, presentations, and daily interactions, catching the attention of superiors and propelling career advancement.

So, how can one cultivate and harness this invaluable skill?

✅ developing curiosity and inquisitiveness:.

Embrace a curious mindset by questioning the status quo and exploring topics beyond your immediate scope. Cultivate an inquisitive approach to everyday situations. Encourage a habit of asking “why” and “how” to deepen understanding. Curiosity fuels the desire to seek information and alternative perspectives.

✅ Practice Reflection and Self-Awareness:

Engage in reflective thinking by assessing your thoughts, actions, and decisions. Regularly introspect to understand your biases, assumptions, and cognitive processes. Cultivate self-awareness to recognize personal prejudices or cognitive biases that might influence your thinking. This allows for a more objective analysis of situations.

✅ Strengthening Analytical Skills:

Practice breaking down complex problems into manageable components. Analyze each part systematically to understand the whole picture. Develop skills in data analysis, statistics, and logical reasoning. This includes understanding correlation versus causation, interpreting graphs, and evaluating statistical significance.

✅ Engaging in Active Listening and Observation:

Actively listen to diverse viewpoints without immediately forming judgments. Allow others to express their ideas fully before responding. Observe situations attentively, noticing details that others might overlook. This habit enhances your ability to analyze problems more comprehensively.

✅ Encouraging Intellectual Humility and Open-Mindedness:

Foster intellectual humility by acknowledging that you don’t know everything. Be open to learning from others, regardless of their position or expertise. Cultivate open-mindedness by actively seeking out perspectives different from your own. Engage in discussions with people holding diverse opinions to broaden your understanding.

✅ Practicing Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:

Engage in regular problem-solving exercises that challenge you to think creatively and analytically. This can include puzzles, riddles, or real-world scenarios. When making decisions, consciously evaluate available information, consider various alternatives, and anticipate potential outcomes before reaching a conclusion.

✅ Continuous Learning and Exposure to Varied Content:

Read extensively across diverse subjects and formats, exposing yourself to different viewpoints, cultures, and ways of thinking. Engage in courses, workshops, or seminars that stimulate critical thinking skills. Seek out opportunities for learning that challenge your existing beliefs.

✅ Engage in Constructive Disagreement and Debate:

Encourage healthy debates and discussions where differing opinions are respectfully debated.

This practice fosters the ability to defend your viewpoints logically while also being open to changing your perspective based on valid arguments. Embrace disagreement as an opportunity to learn rather than a conflict to win. Engaging in constructive debate sharpens your ability to evaluate and counter-arguments effectively.

✅ Utilize Problem-Based Learning and Real-World Applications:

Engage in problem-based learning activities that simulate real-world challenges. Work on projects or scenarios that require critical thinking skills to develop practical problem-solving approaches. Apply critical thinking in real-life situations whenever possible.

This could involve analyzing news articles, evaluating product reviews, or dissecting marketing strategies to understand their underlying rationale.

In conclusion, critical thinking is the linchpin of a successful career journey. It empowers individuals to navigate complexities, make informed decisions, and innovate in their respective domains. Embracing and honing this skill isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity in a world where adaptability and sound judgment reign supreme.

So, as you traverse your career path, remember that the ability to think critically is not just an asset but the differentiator that propels you toward excellence.

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10 Most Important Leadership Skills For The 21st Century Workplace (And How To Develop Them)

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With the rise of the gig economy and with many companies adopting flatter, more flexible organizational structures , now is the perfect time to refocus on what good leadership looks like. Because, in our rapidly changing workplaces, leadership will apply to more people than ever before. You may be overseeing a project that requires you to coordinate several team members. Or you may be a gig worker collaborating with other gig workers. Or you may be occupying a traditional management role. Whatever your job title, this precious ability to bring out the best in people will be a vital part of success.

Of course, being a good leader really requires us to polish up multiple skills at once. Here are ten skills that I think are essential for leaders – with a few pointers on how to develop them.

1. Motivating others

The ability to motivate others is all part of inspiring people to be the best they can be. So how can you better motivate others?

· Ensure people know how their role contributes to the company’s vision. That their work matters, basically.

· Be clear on what you need people to do, why, and when. But, importantly, give people the autonomy to accomplish those tasks their way.

· Show your appreciation and celebrate success.

2. Fostering potential

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Great leaders look for potential, not performance. Here are three ways to foster potential:

· Don’t fall into the trap of getting people to think and act like you. Encourage them to think and act like them.

· Let people know that it’s okay to fail sometimes. This is all part of inspiring people to take risks, step outside their comfort zone and test new ideas.

· Don’t let people grow complacent. Encourage them to develop their skills and think about the next stage of their career, whatever that may be.

3. Inspiring trust

What makes a leader trustworthy? The following behaviors are a good start:

· Being ethical. This means being honest and transparent, keeping promises, and generally making sure you don't say one thing and then do another.

· Making your values clear and, of course, living those values.

· Standing up for what you believe in.

4. Taking on and giving up responsibility

Good leaders take on responsibility, but they also know when to let go of responsibility and delegate to others. When doing this, try to:

· Play to the strengths of those around you and allocate responsibility accordingly.

· Ensure people have the knowledge, resources, and tools they need to succeed.

· Decide how you'll monitor progress without micromanaging. For example, you can agree on how the person will report back to you and how often – as well as the best way for them to raise any questions.

5. Thinking strategically

Strategic thinking requires leaders to take a wider view, so they can solve business problems and make a long-term plan for the future. To enhance your strategic thinking skills:

· Remember the difference between urgent and important . Urgent fire-fighting tasks can suck up a lot of your time and energy, leaving very little bandwidth for those things that are important from a big-picture perspective but not urgent. Constantly remind yourself of your priorities, and manage your time accordingly.

· Use critical thinking to gather data and find solutions to your most pressing strategic questions. For example, “Where will our growth come from in three or five years’ time?”

· Don’t rely on assumptions or gut instincts when answering such questions.

6. Setting goals and expectations for everyone

Setting goals is a great way to drive performance. But have you considered a more dynamic way of setting goals?

· Instead of the traditional, top-down approach (where leadership sets strategic goals, then managers set goals for teams and individuals), you might like to consider the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) approach.

· With OKRs, leadership sets some strategic OKRs for the business, then each team and individual designs their own OKRs that contribute to achieving the company's strategic OKRs.

· OKRs should be simple and agile. Forget annual goal-setting; OKRs are typically set on a monthly or quarterly basis.

If you’d like to know more about OKRs, check out my related articles .

7. Giving (and receiving) feedback

Good leaders are able to give and receive feedback, both positive and negative (or, as I prefer to call it, constructive). When it comes to giving people constructive feedback:

· Don’t put it off. You don’t want to overwhelm someone with a loooong list of everything they’re getting wrong. Instead, have a process in place for regular catchups, where you can chat through progress and give feedback.

· Don’t dilute constructive feedback with praise. While it’s important to regularly give people praise, I wouldn’t do it at the same time as constructive feedback. When you sandwich negative comments with a positive comment on either side, there's a risk the person may only hear the good stuff.

· Be specific, not emotional. Just treat it as a straightforward conversation, using specific, concrete examples instead of opinions or emotions.

8. Team building

A good leader is a bit like a football manager in that they have to pick strong players who perform different roles and then shape those players into a cohesive unit. As part of this:

· Remember, each person will bring their own unique skills and experiences, be motivated by different things, have different working styles, and so on. Embrace this rather than trying to get everyone to behave the same way.

· Model the behaviors you want to see: connecting as human beings, showing an interest, listening to each other, treating people with respect and dignity, and supporting one another.

· Give feedback and reward a job well done.

9. Positivity

If you show up with a negative “this won’t work, that thing sucks, why do we bother” kind of attitude, it’ll soon spread throughout your team. Here’s how to lead from a place of positivity:

· Think carefully about the language you use, verbally and in writing. Use words with positive connotations – turning a “problem” into an “opportunity” being a prime example.

· Celebrate successes, big and small. Highlighting the little wins frequently can be just as impactful as sporadically celebrating the big wins.

· Resist the urge to complain in front of your team. As Tom Hanks says to his band of soldiers in Saving Private Ryan , "Gripes go up, not down. Always up."

10. Authenticity

For me, being an authentic leader is a key part of building trust. So as well as being ethical (see earlier), you’ll want to:

· Practice self-awareness. A good leader is aware of their weaknesses as well as their strengths.

· Be open about those weaknesses rather than trying to hide them.

· Bring your whole self to work, as opposed to having one persona for work and one outside of work.

To stay on top of future trends and future skills, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter and have a look at my new book, Future Skills: The 20 Skills & Competencies Everyone Needs To Succeed In A Digital World .

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Leadership & Organisations

The Importance of Knowing Your Team

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People often ask us how to better understand others to be a more effective leader. Can we decipher a frown or someone’s folded arms to better understand them? Of course, some knowledge on  reading people can be helpful. However, the challenge is that humans are, well, human, and that reactions don’t always follow a predefined pattern or set formula. 

Consider Jill, a CEO. Having just introduced a major reorganisation in her firm a day ago, she finds herself sitting in a one-on-one meeting with Jack, the firm’s COO. Jack is frowning, which Jill could reasonably infer as him being unhappy with the restructuring. What she doesn’t know is that Jack is simply thinking about an upsetting argument he had with his son before work.  

If leaders want to lead effectively and implement successful changes in an organisation, they need to inquire into the true feelings of their team and the individuals they work with. Otherwise, Jill and Jack would remain in their individual bubbles, and may never truly meet. 

Inquire beneath the surface

As Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, once said, “Leaders are paid for their discernment.” When making decisions, leaders need to understand the interplay of dynamics between themselves, others and the context. To discover all of this, they need to inquire. 

The capacity to inquire allows for the possibility to interpret the situation in multiple ways, to know how others are approaching it (especially in relation to the leader’s role) and to realise what we might have ignored.  

Collective anxiety

One key aspect of inquiry or information-gathering is understanding and interpreting the sources of anxiety in a team. Anxiety is often about the future. The future is unknown, and that triggers feelings of concern, worry and unease. Most feel a degree of anxiety about their professional trajectories, personal relationships and whether the future will be the one they had hoped for (or feared). 

But it's not all “bad”. Anxiety might mean that you care about what you are doing, the outcome of your efforts, and others around you and your relationships with them. Bring a group of individuals together and you form a team of individual anxieties. This is further amplified by the unspoken and unconscious pressures created by joining a group: Will I belong, will I be accepted, will I be too similar or will I be too different? Anxiety can manifest in patterns of behaviours in individuals that hinder effective operations, including being late, underperforming or creating factions. 

If a leader’s role is functionally interconnected with the team, leaders will feel the anxiety of the group in addition to their own. Rather than viewing anxiety as something to fix, leaders should treat it as data.  Emotions are a source of data when it comes to leadership – a way to learn about the group in that context and locate the source of anxiety. This helps bring hidden and unconscious anxieties to the surface where they can be given space and discussed. The leader can then use this information when making decisions and selecting the best course of action.

To achieve this, leaders must be able to have an internal dialogue with themselves and an  external conversation with their team members about the emotions in the room. 

Know thyself

As clichéd as it may sound,  self-awareness as a leader is important to diagnose the situation fully. The ability to engage in internal dialogue is a self-management skill that allows you to avoid auto-pilot responses and provides space for thought. 

Leaders must reflect on their own reactions and anxieties, whether experienced as emotions or physical sensations. They should use themselves as a gauge to identify the causes of the anxiety in others.  If anxiety arises within the leader, they need to self-manage. Some call it resilience, which we define as “the capacity to be with, and to learn through pain”. If pain is welcomed as a messenger instead of avoided, we can maximise the value of the pain experienced and benefit from it.

Know thy team

Inquiry into – and with – others requires systemic thinking. If the leader believes the anxiety is coming from the team, then motivating team members to perform towards goals is not sufficient. Instead, leaders must consider how to offer structure and containment so that anxiety can be transformed into energy for creativity. 

Leaders need to have  sensemaking conversations with their team to understand individual team members’ assumptions and perspectives. As with Jack’s situation, nobody really knows what issues others are bringing into the room. 

For instance, leaders often see different cliques in the workplace as a “problem” to solve. They invite the people involved to a meeting to align and improve communication. The meeting is cordial (if tense), and everyone says the “right” thing to preserve an impression of harmony. And, nothing changes. 

For real impact, a leader needs to understand how individuals in the group feel about the situation and each other. Using the same example, a leader could ask: “I notice you didn’t say much in the meeting. What was going on for you?” Perhaps the team member’s standoffish expression was not a sign of unwillingness to cooperate but due to a fear that their suggestion would be ridiculed. They may cross their arms because they are defensive, but they might also do so to cope with perceived stress, or simply because the button has fallen off their shirt! 

We need to be careful not to make assumptions from behavioural clues and believe them to be the only truth.

Real conversations are the best policy

Leadership is successful when overall anxiety levels in a group can be managed such that the team can operate, create and collaborate effectively. 

Teams that share their personal experiences freely can reduce hidden narratives and allow others to empathise with their situation. The chances of misinterpreting each other are greatly reduced when inquiry increases understanding. This builds a stronger sense of belonging as the team has a language and openness to process its collective anxiety. Additionally, when a leader can see how the pain they feel does not primarily belong to them, they can avoid being overwhelmed by the responsibility for the group’s collective pain. 

Articulating emotions (including those that might feel unpleasant) is not only good for one’s well-being, it is also a window for others to understand who you are as a leader. Verbalising emotions gives our brains the signal that we have autonomy. This reduces the instinctual “alert” mode and thus prevents impulsive actions, while allowing us to expand our understanding of others and ourselves. This is a core skill we encourage our MBA students to develop during the  Personal Leadership Development Programme (which we direct) and a skill that every leader who wants to be effective needs to practice.

Teams that fear articulating their emotions are depriving each other of the opportunity to build  trusting relationships . They tolerate each other until they no longer can, then quit. Relationships get reduced to the transactional; groups play nice but not real. 

A willingness to offer something of yourself allows others to learn about you and relate to you as a leader. If there is genuine interest in building relationships, teams need to take risks and talk about how they feel towards each other and try to make sense of this. “Inquiry” is an art of actively building relationships that evolve and require constant interpretation.

Leaders should exercise their acumen, recognise their own biases and use their emotional sensitivities to try to understand others’ subjective realities. Only then can they make better decisions according to the team's context at that moment.

Ultimately, there is no set answer. The inquiry process might feel like a detour, and it takes time, patience and curiosity. However, the outcome is more sustainable because the group has built a culture of genuine curiosity, which helps them perform and develop.

About the author(s)

Derek deasy.

is Senior Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. His interests include leadership development, burnout and resilience, the impact of emotionally demanding tasks on work groups.

is a Lecturer at INSEAD on leadership, group dynamics, resilience, and wellbeing in the workplace, and the Co-Director of the INSEAD MBA Personal Leadership Development Programme. She is also the Founder of Bearapy, a workplace mental health consulting and training social impact company in China/Asia. 

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