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30 views13 pages

Critical Thinking 1713436913

Uploaded by

yzgxtp6xyp
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Ivan Carillo

CRITICAL THINKING
HOW TO BUILD YOUR CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS IN 7 SIMPLE STEPS
Ivan Carillo

Our minds are bombarded with decisions, both


big and small.

Various sources suggest that an adult makes


roughly 35,000 decisions in a single day.

Our subconscious mind drives 95% of these


decisions. This is by necessity - our brains would
short-circuit if we had to weigh them individually.

However, when we leave too many decisions to


our subconscious, we miss out on growth
opportunities.

Critical Thinking is key to better decision-making.

It's simple in theory, but tougher in practice.


Ivan Carillo

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?


Critical Thinking is the ability to evaluate facts and
information, remain objective, and make a sound
decision about how to move forward.

Does it sound like how you approach your decisions?

Well, it doesn't come naturally to a lot of us.

And 65% of employers say their organization needs


more critical thinking.

Critical Thinking isn't...

-something you can take a class to learn


-just being intelligent or analytical

It's a challenge worth taking on.

Here are 7 proven steps to build critical thinking skills


for better decision-making:
Ivan Carillo

1. IDENTIFY the problem


Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you
first need to identify the problem you’re solving.

Take a look at the problem from different perspectives


and ask questions like:

+What is happening?
+Why is this happening now?
+What assumptions am I making?
+How do I think we can solve this issue?

Learn how to come to unbiased conclusions.


But first, be aware of the bias you currently have.
Ivan Carillo

2. Gather information
Critical thinking hinges on objectivity.

And, to be objective, you need to base your decisions on


the facts – which you collect through research.

Dig deeper into your problem to come up with the best


solution.

Collect as much information as possible that’s relevant


to your problem (e.g. historical data, statistics).

But keep in mind that it isn’t just about the quantity of


information – quality matters too.

Make sure you gather information from a variety of


sources.

If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make


a final decision will be skewed.
Ivan Carillo

3. Determine data relevance


It's key to determine how relevant your info sources are.

After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s


relevant.

Ask yourself:

+Is this information outdated?


+How reliable is this information?
+How significant is this information?

Sift through the noise and distinguish what is relevant


from what is not.
Ivan Carillo

4. Ask questions
We all have bias — and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

But, in the case of critical thinking, it's important to be


aware of your biases to put them aside.

Take a step back from the process and challenge your


assumptions.

Ask yourself:

+Is there anything I’m missing?


+What assumptions am I making?
+Have I connected with key stakeholders?
Ivan Carillo

5. Identify the best solution


Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion.

Draw connections between causes and effects to


identify the best solution.

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution.

Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and


intricate. Critical thinking can help you understand the
different variables at play so you can make an informed
decision.
Ivan Carillo

6. Present your solution


Communication is key for critical thinkers.

It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to


share your conclusion with other stakeholders.

If there are multiple solutions, present them all.

There may be a case where you implement one solution,


then test to see if it works before implementing another
solution.
Ivan Carillo

7. Analyze your decision


No process is complete without evaluating the results.

Put your solution into place.

Once the new page has been live for some time,
evaluate whether it did better than the previous page.

Ask yourself:

+What worked?
+What didn’t work?
+How to improve for next time?

Document lessons learned in a central source of truth.


Ivan Carillo

Critically successful
Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and
patience, you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to
any situation.

The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure


you’re approaching a problem from the right angle,
considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased
conclusion.

It's useful for complex decisions in areas you are less


familiar with. Alternatively, it can help you look at a
problem you’re familiar with from a different angle,
without any bias.

Critical thinking skills make you an effective team


member, manager, and leader.
Ivan Carillo

TL;DR:

1. IDENTIFY the problem


2. Gather information
3. Determine data relevance
4. ASK QUESTIONS
5. Identify the best solution
6. Present your solution
7. Analyze your decision
Ivan Carillo

REPOST THIS
AND FOLLOW ME FOR DAILY POSTS ABOUT LEAN,
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION

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