Critical Thinking - Roaring Fork Leadership...CT: An Important Skill •Decreasing Supply of...

Session Overview

• Define critical and non-critical thinking

• Describe other thinking styles, including left/right brain thinking and whole-brain thinking

• Work through the critical thinking process to build or analyze arguments

Learning Objectives

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Session Overview

• Develop and evaluate explanations

• Improve key critical thinking skills, including active listening and questioning

• Use analytical thought systems and creative thinking techniques

• Prepare and present powerful arguments

How it Applies to RFL Civic Project Ideas +


CT: An Important Skill

• Decreasing Supply of Critical Thinkers: SHRM reports in the 2019 State of the Workplace that problem solving and critical thinking is the number one soft skill missing among workforce applicants. It’s a skill gap that remains prevalent, with more than 50% of survey respondents stating that this sought-after competency is actually declining within their organizations.

• Increasing Demand for Critical Thinkers: According to the Future of Jobs Survey 2018 by World Economic Forum, critical thinking in the workplace was third on a list of top 10 in-demand skills in 2018 and it is trending to still be on that list in 2022.

https://www.outbackteambuilding.com/blog/boost-critical-thinking-workplace/


https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/Documents/SHRM%20State%20of%20Workplace_Bridging%20the%20Talent%20Gap.pdf

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf

CT: An Important Skill

• Through critical thinking we acquire a means of assessing and upgrading our ability to judge well.It is critical thinking that capacitates us to go into virtually any situation and to figure out the logic of whatever is happening in that situation. It provides a way for us to learn from new experiences through the process of continual self-assessment. Critical thinking, then, enables us to form sound beliefs and judgments, and, in so doing, provides us with a basis for a rational and reasonable emotional life.

Elder Linda. (1997). Critical Thinking: The Key to Emotional Intelligence. Journal of Developmental Education, 21(1), 40–41.President of the Foundation for Critical Thinking

Non-Critical Thinking…

• Sees the world as black and white

• Is uninformed and indifferent

• Is passive or aggressive

• Is lazy

• Looks at only the superficial aspects of a problem

• Is reactive

• Is stubborn and rigid

• Is closed-minded

Critical Thinking…

• Accounts for shades of gray

• Is informed and curious

• Is assertive

• Is active

• Looks deeply at a problem and its surrounding issues

• Is proactive

• Is flexible

• Is open-minded

Understanding Critical Thinking

What is Critical Thinking?



SOLVE THIS (Hint – it's a sentence.)

Every fine exemplar exceeds what we expect.

©2021 Roaring Fork Leadership. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate, distribute, train from, or create derivative works fromwithoutwritten permission.


• All fruit is good for you.

• Apples are fruit.

• Therefore, apples are good for you.




Glossary

• Argument

• Conclusion

• Evidence

• Issue




• I pay attention to the world around me and try to be observant.

• I am open-minded and listen to other people’s point of views.

• I am able to admit when I am wrong.

• I am able to admit that I am not perfect.

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker



• I know that I see the world through a particular set of glasses.

• I welcome criticism from others.

• I listen actively.

• I speak with impact.

• I have independent opinions.

• I communicate and think assertively.

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker


Left-Brain Thinkers…

• Work with words

• Prefer to talk and write

• Think logically and sequentially

• Control feelings

• Look for differences

• Are planned and structured

• Are objective

• Look at the parts

Right-Brain Thinkers…

• Work with images• Prefer creative methods of

expression• Think intuitively• Allow feelings to affect their

lives• Look for commonalities and

patterns• Are spontaneous and random• Are subjective• Look at wholes and think

holistically

LEFT BRAIN/RIGHT BRAIN


Where Do Other Types of Thinking Fit In?

Whole-Brain Thinking


Which letter doesn't fit?


The Critical Thinking Process

Typical Problem-Solving Model

The Critical Thinking Model



The Standards of Critical Thinking

• Clarity

• Relevance and Significance

• Logic

• Accuracy

• Depth

• Precision

• Breadth




Getting to the Root of the Problem

• Try writing it as a question that can be answered yes or no.

• Be neutral and objective.

• Review the issue statement with others.

• If there are one or more issues, separate them out.

Identifying the Issues


Worst Case Scenario

• You are on a hijacked plane

• You are stuck in a burning house

• Come up with a list of 10 must-have items to get to safety.


A Critical Thinker’s Skill Set

• How did I get this information?• What does common sense tell me?• Have I encountered this type of issue before? • How did I deal with it?• How believable is the argument?• Who can provide first-hand information?• Where can I find more evidence?• Which explanation is the simplest one?• What other alternatives are available?

Critical Thinking Questions



• Active listening/Empathy means that we try to understand things from the speaker’s point of view.

• It includes letting the speaker know that we are listening and that we understood what was said.

• This is not the same as hearing, which is a physical process.

• Active listening/empathy can be described as an attitude that leads to listening for shared understanding.

Active Listening/Empathy Skills



• Responding to feelings

• Reading cues

• Demonstration cues

– Physical indicators

– Verbal cues

– Questions for clarification

– Summarizing statements

EQ Skills



Tips for Becoming a Better Listener

• Make a decision to listen.

• Don’t interrupt people.

• Keep your eyes focused on the speaker and your ears tuned to their voice.

• Ask a few questions throughout the conversation.

• When you demonstrate good listening skills, they tend to be infectious.

Active Listening/Empathy/Interpersonal Skills


Creating Explanations

Explanations and Arguments

• Explanations allow you to understand why something happened.

• Explanations focus on causes, where argumentsfocus on evidence.

• Arguments can be identified by the presence of evidence, such as hard facts or specific events.

• Explanations can be identified if they appear as an answer to a question.

Defining Explanations


Creating Explanations

• Argument: A survey of 200 employees shows that attendance is down because the meetings have been moved to Fridays, which is the day that status reports are due.

• Explanation: I think attendance is down because the meetings have become more boring.

Defining Explanations


Creating ExplanationsSteps to Building an Explanation


Critical and Creative Thought Systems

• Brainstorming

• Imagine the opposite

• Breaking down assumptions

• Random word method

• The triad

• Secret characters

• Don’t re-invent the wheel

Techniques for Thinking Creatively


Critical and Creative Thought Systems

• White Hat

• Red Hat

• Black Hat

• Yellow Hat

• Green Hat

• Blue Hat

DeBono’s Thinking Hats

See Recommended Reading: Six Thinking Hats to Solve Your Next Creative Challenge


Critical Thinking - Roaring Fork Leadership...CT: An Important Skill •Decreasing Supply of...

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