Beginner's Guide to Leadership

Critical thinking involves logic, and asking the right questions to increase the probability of achieving the desired goal. The phrase is equivalent to describing a way of thinking that is goal oriented. But the most interesting point that critical thinking can offer to a business and its employees, is that it is a way of thinking that asks those involved to evaluate their own thinking along the way. It asks that the “thinker” consider whether their thinking is valid and to be able to give rational reasons for their thoughts and ideas.

Essentially, critical thinking is a manner of thinking that moves from the general to specific, ever narrowing the focus until the logic of both the questions and arguments come to the same conclusion. Executives and employees can also use this form of thinking to narrow the focus of a problem until one or more solutions become evident as both possible and logical.

Critical thinking and teamwork go hand in hand. Critical thinking used in a problem-solving mode, can take a team of coworkers from the brain storming session to the final solution through a process of ever-narrowing the questions and possible solutions until the group cooperatively agrees that they have arrived at a logical and satisfactory conclusion. During this process, each person in the group is asked not only to offer ideas, but also to be able to support those ideas through a workable rationale. Because people are asked to evaluate their own thinking and ideas, the process of hashing through what will and will not work is done individually. Then as ideas are presented, further narrowing of focus will lead the group to select from all the possible solutions.

Posted by John at 11:44 AM | Permalink

Critical thinking, and how to achieve it, can be taught. However, this process takes some time and patience. By developing a cooperative work environment, employees are freed from the idea that they must come up with every idea and product on their own. This team strategy leads coworkers to view themselves as part of the team, working cooperatively with the rest of the team toward a common goal. Competition from one team with the next may still exist, but team members are not asked to compete against each other. When competition within the team is eliminated, they are comfortable asking each other for input and also for help. Coworkers are called coworkers for a reason and when a group of people work cooperatively, they co-labor to achieve common goals.

The process of teaching critical thinking will take an investment of time and energy, but will deliver an increasingly significant, and consistent, work product. The time investment will pay off in dividends such as increased productivity, fewer relationship problems, a better quality work product, and higher morale among those on the team.

In order to incorporate critical thinking into a business plan, it is important to start from the top and work all the way through the ranks to those who are implementing the plans. Keep in mind that working cooperatively, while incorporating, and thus teaching, the use of critical thinking, yields an ongoing implementation and process. This is not something that, once taught at a corporate retreat, is then placed on the shelf with teaching packets from years past, never to be thought of again. Critical thinking is a way of looking at every aspect of the day, from checking the calendar and task list for the day, to problem solving and implementation of new and better ideas along the way.

Posted by John at 11:45 AM | Permalink

It has been proven that collaborative learning and cooperative goal setting increase learning in all levels of schoolchildren all the way to the college level. This foundation of thought can be applied to the workplace as well. When generalizing the idea that critical thinking and collaborative learning are similar in process to critical thinking, collaborative goal setting and teamwork in the office setting, one can conclude that the final work product in the workplace will also be increased.

The increased ability to be connected by technology also lends itself to the team approach in the office. No longer do managers need to wait for staff meeting to spread the word about a goal or deadline. A few keystrokes can send an email memo or instant message to the entire staff. Staff members are no longer disconnected from the office rhythm and pace when they are away from their desks thanks to cell phones, PDA’s and wireless internet on laptops.

By making use of this technology, while incorporating the cooperative teamwork approach to critical thinking, team members are freed to think more creatively, see problems as common to all members, and not something to be blamed on someone else. Team decision-making can now be a constant process, made possible by these ongoing technological connections.

By incorporating a strategy of critical thinking, connecting team members face to face, then placing common goals before them, management can ask these team members to work collaboratively. By giving team members the tools and technology to be constantly available to each other, each team member is able to focus on their part of the puzzle until the final picture falls into place by cooperative efforts from every member of the team.

Posted by John at 11:45 AM | Permalink

Teaching a group of executives and employees how to use critical thinking every day may take some time. Ronald Reagan’s “trickle down” theory might be the best way to explain how best to incorporate critical thinking into a business. By empowering each level of workers to train and empower the levels under them, management fulfills the multi-tiered ideology that it was created to be, thus eliminating the fruitless micro-management style that frustrates both the manager and his or her staff.

Employees, not material assets, are a company’s real strength in today’s communication driven economy. By utilizing the group’s differences to bring expanded knowledge and idea power into the mix, managers are free to move from team to team, making sure each one is on track toward corporate goals. By teaching and relying on the use of critical thinking, this management style leaves the manager free to trust that in his or her absence, work is still progressing at an acceptable, effective rate.

Conversely, there seems to be no down side to this management style. When the team knows that management trusts their common knowledge and experience, they are empowered to convert that knowledge and experience into tangible benefits for the company and for themselves. The process of critical thinking improves problem-solving, increases creativity and builds mutual respect among employees, rather than creating an atmosphere of competition and mistrust. The cooperative atmosphere fostered by a team approach utilizing critical thinking contributes positively to the work atmosphere, thus reducing conflict and competition among employees.

Posted by John at 11:46 AM | Permalink

Equating the benefits of critical thinking, collaborative learning, and the proven effects of increased learning to the increased productivity of a collaborative work environment is simple.

Consider the automobile assembly line. Each worker is responsible for a particular component, and when each employee has contributed according to his or her own expertise, the result is a car. Each worker is responsible for a small, but significant part of the puzzle and without any one part of that puzzle, the final product is profoundly affected.

In the early 90’s General Motors created an offshoot company that changed the way cars are made. The difference was not so much in the actual manufacturing process, as in the way the company, Saturn, is managed. From the CEO’s office to the employees who sweep up at the end of the day, each person realizes they are an integral part of the team and that their opinions and ideas are valued. They believe this because management took the time to teach critical thinking and its place in the team approach to car manufacturing to these employees. Then they empowered the employees to use critical thinking along each step of the manufacturing process.

The Saturn team approach shaped itself into a corporate strategy giving power to each person on the assembly line. If any one of those employees sees a problem, they have the power to stop production until the problem has been resolved. Employees take this responsibility seriously and believe that each car that rolls off that line is their personal accomplishment. When a beautiful new car rolls through those doors, they all win.

Every business has the potential to incorporate critical thinking and cooperative achievement into the workplace. The time investment necessary to implement the process is validated by the increased benefits of employee participation, shared goals, and increased productivity.

Posted by John at 11:47 AM | Permalink