It is no secret that besides having technical capabilities, you need to exercise these skills to stand out – leadership, communications, teamwork, perseverance, and motivation to become an exemplary employee.
However, there is also one particular skill that will definitely set you apart from the rest. Do you ask the hard questions during challenging situations? Can you spot an underlying problem that others can’t see it at first? And provide creative solutions to solve them?
Critical Thinking: An Imperative Asset
It is none other than critical thinking skill that is by solving problems through the rational process and evidence-based knowledge. Based on the definition by National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, critical thinking means the individual is intellectually disciplined to aggressively conceptualise, apply, analyse, synthesise, and access information collected through experience, observation or reflection, as a guide to taking actions.
In today’s competitive business world, this skill is always in demand among employers and is proven to be an invaluable asset to their business growth when aligned with the right roles.
If you are a critical thinker, you are a rare find. Discover if you are by checking if you do most of the below, if not all:
- You do not get angry when others disagree with your point of view.
- You are naturally inquisitive, which means you ask ‘Why’ A LOT.
- You verify your news sources before you trust the information.
- You do not like people who insult others for no solid reason whatsoever.
- You are fascinated by how things work – your friends and family might even call you news junkie, bookworms, etc.
- You overanalyse a situation or a problem in search of a complex, well-rounded answer.
- You are a perfectionist that strives to achieve the best results.
- You focus on building strategies and detailed planning before carrying out the actions.
The possibilities and benefits of critical thinking are endless, which gives you the power and advantage to contribute positively to the company. Let’s discover what are the changes you can bring about:
No. 1: Using New, Unconventional Ideas In Solving The Problem
When an unforeseen situation strikes, it is common that employees will usually look to solutions based on similar issues that have happened in the past. Not for critical thinkers- you can think out-of-box and weigh all probably solutions before arriving at the ultimate solutions by combining knowledge and research.
Soon enough, you will find that you’ll be able to move up the ladder chain quicker and ensure higher rates of success within your day-to-day activities.
No. 2: You Can Foster Teamwork and Creativity At A Diverse Workplace
More is always better than less. Encouraging critical thinking from the employees will provide each one equal opportunity to have a say in the progression of the company. With the entire workforce getting involved, imagine the collective rounds of solutions you and your colleagues can generate just to solve that issue!
Not only that, this exercise can be used as part of diversity training to promote tolerance within your working environment.
No.3: Your Colleagues Can See Things From Different Perspectives
You are fully aware that there are other valuable approaches to addressing the problem, not just one. By forming non-biased judgments and evaluations, you will create an eye-opening experience for your colleagues to understand from different angles of the issue.
No. 4: You Help Your Company Saves Time and Money
Having too much information is not necessarily relevant. Too often, resources are not spent wisely which does no good to be part of any decision making. On the other hand, by thinking critically you can let your employers know which areas to prioritise and where to delegate their resources at. Ultimately, your talents will be recognised in making correct decisions that grooms you to be an effective leader.
No. 5: Your Solutions Can Be Applied to Other Spin-Offs
The beauty of critical thinking can be seen immediately when similar situations happen – you can use back the same solution which worked for the previous one before. Plus, you’ll uncover extra information that can be useful for future scenarios. For instance, you might think of ways on how to undertake a new business venture which suddenly leads you to new ideas to pursue other business endeavors.
Once you start asking critical questions for that topic, you begin to slowly address other related, unresolved issues.
To put critical thinking into practice, remember to put aside your emotions, your cognitive biases, and make decisions based on logical reasoning, statistics, and evidence rather than just going with your gut feelings.
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