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THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN PROBLEM SOLVING IN ORGANIZATIONS
BY
ADEBAYO JIMOHGMD/CEO
ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED
PAPER PRESENTED TO THE PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN
14TH MARCH, 2013
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING
EXAMINING PROBLEM – SOLVING APPROACHES
DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS
CONCLUSION
OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION As a Manager, an entrepreneur, or a leader
you will have to make critical decisions and solve problems everyday
Many Managers, entrepreneurs or leaders make decisions casually or make them on intuition
As a result their decisions are based on faulty assumptions.
The best Manager, entrepreneur or leader uses critical thinking- problem solving mechanisms to gather information and evaluate different options
WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?Commonly called “problem solving”
Knowing, understanding, analyzing, synthesizing, applying and evaluating the idea or problem
Looking for what is implied in a question rather than what is stated
Applying the rules of logic to problem solving
Not letting reason be clouded by emotion
Four Aspects of Critical Thinking
• Abstract Thinking:thinking past what your senses tell you
• Creative Thinking: thinking “out of the box,” innovating
• Systematic Thinking: organizing your thoughts into logical steps
• Communicative Thinking:
being precise in giving your ideas to others.
LOWER ORDER CRITICAL THINKING
Impatient.Focus on their own opinions.UnreflectiveLow skill level embraced.Tends to rely on gut intuition.Jumps to quick conclusions.Largely self serving.
Don’t think about it,
just sign it!
Ordinary, lower – level thinking tends to be shallow, uninformed, superficial, biased, distorted & incomplete.
HIGHER ORDER CRITICAL THINKINGHigher order critical thinking stresses comprehensive problem solving abilities, rigorous analysis, sound argumentation & strategic communication.
• Raises thoughtful questions
• Acknowledge personal limitations
• See problems as exciting challenges
• Consider problems & defines problems clearly
• Gather & assesses relevant information
• Develops well-reasoned conclusion & solutions
• Explores assesses & tests alternatives/options
• Seeks stakeholder insights & advice
• Keep an open mind
• Apply the Nature 2:1 Rule
EXAMINING PROBLEM – SOLVING APPROACHES
• Much of work place activity is about solving problems.
• Using a systematic business-focused problem-solving approach to facilitate critical decision making saves you time and yields better solutions
How do you then go about solving a problem and coming up with a recommendation using critical
thinking?
PROBLEM SOLVING• It is a combination of experience, knowledge,
process, science and art.
• It is a means by which an individual uses previously acquired knowledge, skills and understanding to satisfy the demands of an unfamiliar situation.
• It consist of a series of logical steps that when followed produce an optimal solution giving time and resources as two constraints
COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS ORIENTED PROBLEM-SOLVING STAGES INVOLVED IN CRITICAL DECISION MAKING
• Identify the problem• Identify the pains the problem creates for company/client• Identify relevant objectives/priorities/financial goals• Examine a range of alternatives/options/solutions• Weigh the business costs, schedule, performance & risk• Search for information to support your alternative/option• Criticize the alternative/options/solutions• Examine all stakeholder biases toward/against the
alternative/option• Select, support, & recommend the viable
alternative/option
DIALOGUE SESSION • Critical thinking requires an internal dialogue or
Q&A session. Consider the following:I need to recommend a solution that resolves the problem and allows senior management to make a sound decision
Okay, how can I find out what the assumptions and critical factors are here?
Alright, I need to explore and think about what possible options or alternatives might work here.
CRITICAL THINKING STANDARDS Critical thinking demands that you apply
standards such as:
ClarityAccuracyPrecisionLogicDepthFairnessRelevance
DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Audience• Access the
audience and their expectations concerning the problem/situation
Argumentation • Focus
argumentation on your audience, using WIIFM (Audience ask: What’s In For Me)
Action• Clarify the
action you desire & recommend that action to the audience
A A A
Decision-making communication involves critical analysis of your Audience, Arguments & Action
CONCEPT #1
Adopting an Audience, Argument, and Action
perspective for planning & preparing problem-solving or
decision making communication, ensures more
buy-ins and approvals.
ASSERTION (or Recommendation)
RESULTS(or Benefit, Goodness)
EVIDENCE(Support, Justification)
ASSUMPTION(S)(too often unstated)
THE “AREA” PYRAMID STRUCTURE FOR PRESENTING ARGUMENT
AAssertion
RResult(s)
EEvidence
AAssumption(s)
What conclusion, assertion, proposition, recommendation, idea, or position am I selling in this particular argument [People frequently assert something in a conclusion]
What results, advantages, benefits, goodness can I provide to persuade the audience to accept my claim above or what reasons will I offer when the audience ask “what’s in for me?”
What evidence, support, proof, justification, facts or verification can I offer to support my conclusion and reasons above that will persuade the audience to accept my argument?
What presumptions, assumptions or presuppositions am I making in developing and presenting this argument above? What does this argument presume?
THE “OR” APPROACH IN ASSEMBLING COMPLETE ARGUMENT
OBJECTIONS REFUTATION(S)
Challenges or concerns
Response or counter
arguments
CONCEPT #2• Clarify your message. The need to
shape, reinforce, or change the audience’s response helps lead to the kinds of actions or outcomes you desire
• Use the “AREA” Pyramid structure and the “OR” approach for planning and assembling argumentation
CONCLUSION To become a cultivated critical thinker and a successful manager and leader:
Develop a sense of observation and curiosity
Leave yourself with several options and always have a “plan B” if things do not go as planned
Share ideas
Ask pertinent questions
Assess statements and arguments
Seek understanding and information
REFERENCESJack Welch (2002). Get Better or Get Beaten: 29 Leadership
Secrets from GE’s Jack Welch McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Printed in the United States of America
Jack Welch and The GE Way (2002). Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of the Legendary Leader. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Printed in the United States of America
Jeffrey A. Krames (2002). The Welch Way, 24 Lessons from the world’s greatest CEO. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Printed in the United States of America
Thomas Hajduk (2012). Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Persuasion, Argumentation & Decision-Making. McDonough School of Business, GEORGETOWN University
Rieke, Sillers & Perterson (2006). Argumentation and Critical Decision Making. Communication Consulting Group, USA