Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the capacity to analyse a problem, clearly comprehend it from all dimensions before taking the necessary action. It helps the business person to separate facts from assumptions and opinions. A person who uses critical thinking is able to understand the implications of each action he may take in an attempt to solve a problem. Critical thinking helps one to take appropriate action effectively and economically. Critical thinkers step back to review a previous action, reflect on it and re-evaluate it to produce better results.

Recent studies have shown the importance of cultivating critical thinking in the work-force of an organisation. They also show that it is difficult to get, hire and keep good critical thinkers. It is therefore the role of the companies to develop this trait in their workforce as it is necessary for the competitive nature of business.

Critical thinking is very important in a business as it advances the thinking process and consequently leads to a better interpretation and evaluation of the assumptions. Critical thinking helps us to come to a seasoned conclusion, having fully understood the consequences. All the applicable consequences are considered hence avoiding the influence of bias among people.

Critical thinking has a great and very important impact on decision making when solving problems and issues. In this respect, critical thinking offers a valid method to measure all possible solutions in the light of the available evidence. The significance of the hypotheses and evidence, and their association to the main issue is identified. In this way, critical thinking enables the problem solvers to reach the best solution with a good level of confidence.

In relation to decision making, creative thinking plays a very important role when situations call for innovative decisions. In this respect, the two processes can work alongside each other. Creative thinking helps to identify new ideas while critical thinking helps to test each of the new ideas identified. Critical thinking gives the same level of thinking to every hypothesis and then determines the best idea. This ensures that all possible solutions are considered equally. Critical thinking and creative thinking, when used together are able to change problems and create new opportunities from them.

Whenever people require investigating a problem, critical thinking comes to play. People at all levels in an industry require solving problems in their regions of proficiency. Most decisions require immediate action and are therefore made without much thinking. Critical problems can however negatively impact a business if poor decisions are made. To eliminate this risk, decisions should be carefully weighted, reasoned and proved before being made. Critical thinking also motivates teamwork as every idea is properly studied before it is discarded

In conclusion, critical thinking leads to well-reasoned decisions through teamwork and application of the various skills available to a company. It can be used and applied in different contexts especially whenever different solutions are provided for one problem. In the work place, critical thinking and creative thinking, although different, can be used together whenever an innovative solution is essential. Critical thinking promotes better results, teamwork and fewer mistakes at the work place.

References

Fisher, A. (2001) Critical thinking: An Introduction. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. Online via Kaplan elibrary at the University of Cambridge http://assets.cambridge.org/052100/9847/sample/0521009847ws.pdf

Kreitzberg A., P., & Kreitzberg C., B. (2009). Critical thinking: A business survival skill of the 2st century. New Jersey, USA, Pearson Talentlens group.