THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN PROBLEM SOLVING

THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN PROBLEM SOLVING IN ORGANIZATIONS BY ADEBAYO JIMOH GMD/CEO ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED PAPER PRESENTED TO THE PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN 14 TH MARCH, 2013

OUTLINE � INTRODUCTION � WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING � EXAMINING PROBLEM – SOLVING APPROACHES � DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS � CONCLUSION

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 Ordinary, lower – level thinking tends to be shallow, uninformed, superficial, biased, distorted & incomplete. Impatient. Focus on their own opinions. Unreflective Low skill level embraced. Tends to rely on gut intuition. Jumps to quick conclusions. Largely self serving. Don’t think about it, just sign it!

HIGHER ORDER CRITICAL THINKING Higher 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 problemsolving 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: üClarity üAccuracy üPrecision üLogic üDepth üFairness üRelevance

DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS Decision-making communication involves critical analysis of your Audience, Arguments & Action A Audience • Access the audience and their expectations concerning the problem/situation A Argumentation • Focus argumentation on your audience, using WIIFM (Audience ask: What’s In For Me) A Action • Clarify the action you desire & recommend that action to the audience

CONCEPT #1 Adopting an Audience, Argument, and Action perspective for planning & preparing problem-solving or decision making communication, ensures more buy-ins and approvals.

THE “AREA” PYRAMID STRUCTURE FOR PRESENTING ARGUMENT ASSERTION (or Recommendation) RESULTS (or Benefit, Goodness) EVIDENCE (Support, Justification) ASSUMPTION(S) (too often unstated)

A Assertion What conclusion, assertion, proposition, recommendation, idea, or position am I selling in this particular argument [People frequently assert something in a conclusion] R Result(s) 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? ” E Evidence 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? A Assumption(s) 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

REFERENCES �Jack Welch (2002). Get Better or Get Beaten: 29 Leadership Secrets from GE’s Jack Welch Mc. Graw-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 Mc. Graw-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 Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. Printed in the United States of America �Thomas Hajduk (2012). Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Persuasion, Argumentation & Decision-Making. Mc. Donough School of Business, GEORGETOWN University �Rieke, Sillers & Perterson (2006). Argumentation and Critical Decision Making. Communication Consulting Group, USA

THANK YOU