From Data to Insight: Critical Thinking Skills at Work by Cor Scheepers Consultant @ pm.ideas
Critical thinking is a key soft skill in the workplace. It helps employees solve problems and build strategies that make them better at their jobs. Critical thinking skills allow a person to analyse information, arrive at conclusions and make sound decisions. It uses your experiences and analytical skills to deduce information and make educated decisions. Employers may look to hire employees who have strong critical thinking skills. Employers value critical thinking – especially in roles where preparing strategy is an essential part of the job. Applying critical thinkings skills can set you apart as a leader, improve the quality of your work, and the perception those higher up the chain have of you.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is not about being cynical or resistant. In the workplace it is a deeper level of thinking where you question, analyse, and draw conclusions about information and evidence. It is the process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you. This means that you think about something without falling prey to personal bias or doing things the way they have always been done. The ability to use information from a broader and more impartial perspective allows you to make a more informed decision and see a comprehensive view of any situation.
When you practice critical thinking, you logically connect ideas, scrutinise, and evaluate arguments, find inconsistencies and errors in your work and the work of others, solve complex problems, and engage in reflection. A critical thinker does not only accumulate information well, but they also know how to use the information to deduce facts and determine outcomes. By conceptualising outcomes, critical thinkers tend to be better at solving problems than people who simply memorise information.
Why is critical thinking important in the workplace?
Critical thinking skills are valuable in all roles in the organisation. These skills enhance communication, creativity and problem-solving. Thinking critically in the workplace allows you to connect ideas, evaluate arguments, find errors, and solve complex issues. The workplace is packed with situations that require teams and individuals to approach complex problems and solve them using new and innovative approaches. Employees who can communicate and relate with coworkers, develop strategies, and overcome issues are more likely to succeed. Not only does critical thinking more openly introduce ideas and solutions that widen the opportunities for success, but it also provides an increase in teamwork and productivity and a decrease in conflict.
Critical thinking is especially important in three areas of business: Leadership, Problem-solving and Communication.
Leadership: Leaders often need to think critically when making decisions that impact the business. They need to employ critical thinking skills when considering situations and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of possible solutions. Critical thinking is an essential skill for successful leadership.
Problem solving: Problems arise daily within all organisations. Some have straightforward solutions, while others require a more complex approach. As a business leader or employee, it is essential to think critically when facing more significant issues. Thinking critically will enable you to produce several alternative solutions to a problem, ensuring that the decision made is best for the company overall.
Communication: There is a strong link between critical thinking and communication. Applying critical thinking skills to communication allows you to consider the perspectives of others, anticipate how they might respond and formulate the most appropriate response. This leads to effective communication and improves productivity.
Conclusion
Top companies are placing increasing importance on critical thinking skills in business. Business success depends on a person’s ability to learn quickly and perform in jobs requiring decision making and problem-solving. To keep up with the rapid advancements in technology and rapidly changing business environments, businesses need critical thinkers to make reliable decisions and ensure the company moves forward.
