Do you know how to practice critical thinking? Why do leaders need to have critical thinking skills?
Every leader needs critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their back pocket. Critical thinking helps you identify ways to improve the situations and organizations you’re involved in.
Keep reading to learn how to practice critical thinking to become a leader among your peers.
Critical Thinking Skills as a Leader
Scroggins specifies that critical thinking and being critical are different: When learning how to practice critical thinking, your goal is to serve and help others by creating positive change. In contrast, being critical usually involves judging and degrading others to elevate yourself. Jesus’ example shows the importance of doing the former rather than the latter: Instead of simply passing judgment on people, he offered them help and guidance.
(Shortform note: Scroggins discusses critical thinking in the context of your behavior toward other people, but his ideas could apply to your behavior toward yourself, too. Critical thinking is comparable to constructive criticism, which some psychologists describe as a style of self-talk where you identify and learn from your mistakes, thus improving your behavior. This contrasts with self-criticism, where you judge and degrade yourself. Some people mistake self-criticism for constructive criticism, believing that judging themselves will help them improve when it actually damages their mental health. Psychologists recommend treating yourself with gentleness and empathy, instead—in other words, treating yourself the way Jesus would treat you.)
According to Scroggins, critical thinking involves constantly observing your surroundings and asking questions about the things you observe. This includes the physical environment, the people around you, and the processes you all use. Questions like “Why do we use this specific process?” or “How could I make this better?” challenge your assumptions and help you identify a better way of doing things. For example, you might ask why your office maintains a waiting area when you don’t offer in-person services. The answer might simply be that most offices have waiting areas, so your organization put one in too. After challenging this assumption, your organization could use that space for something more important.
(Shortform note: In First Things First, Stephen R. Covey agrees that you should analyze your surroundings. Asking questions about yourself, your coworkers, and your processes helps you feel empowered and empower others—an important part of leadership. Ask yourself, are you and your coworkers trustworthy and enthusiastic? Do your processes support the company’s goal? If not, you could ask why that is and how you can improve it. Covey doesn’t discuss the physical environment, but Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point) says you should evaluate it, too, as it conveys messages that affect your behavior. For instance, a dirty office suggests your work isn’t worth the effort to clean, which can reduce the overall effort you’re willing to expend.)
To encourage this observation and evaluation, schedule time for critical thinking throughout your work day, Scroggins says. This gives you a period of time without distractions where you can process information and make decisions carefully, rather than simply reacting to ongoing events. He especially recommends scheduling time between meetings so you can fully process the information from the first meeting and enter the next one with a clear and focused mind.
(Shortform note: In Ego Is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday agrees that taking time to reflect and focus is essential to productively handle your responsibilities. He points out an additional threat to this kind of focus: ego-driven self-promotion. This happens when instead of focusing on ongoing events, you’re distracted by talking about your plans and bragging about your successes. Social media is an especially prevalent source of this self-promotion, he warns, as people talk incessantly about all their thoughts, activities, and interactions. So, you may want to avoid social media when doing things that require a lot of focus, such as making decisions or processing information from meetings.)
