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INNOVATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

Training Your Brain to Solve Problems and Create Solutions

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Workshop Objectives• What is critical thinking?• How can I use nonlinear thinking strategies?• What does it mean for me to apply logic to situations?• How do I know when, how and why to think critically about a

challenge?• What skills allow me to better evaluate facts and data?• How will thinking differently effect my decision outcomes?• How can I challenge myself to see alternative perspectives?• How can I increase my problem-solving abilities?

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Module 1:

“Intelligence is something we are born with. Thinking is a skill that must be learned.”

- Edward de Bono

What Is Critical

Thinking?

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What is Critical Thinking?• Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an

issue in order to form a judgment.

• Critical thinking is logic-based thinking.

• Critical thinking relates to how we make decisions and use our judgment.

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Why is Critical Thinking Important?As new professionals, the ability to think critically and be creative is important because we live in a knowledge-based society, and the more critically you think the more knowledgeable you will be. Critical thinking cultivates your ability to analyze and evaluate information so that you can best use the information to your advantage.

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Components of Critical ThinkingIn this module, we will discuss four components of critical thinking. They are:

• Applying Reason

• Open Mindedness

• Analysis

• Logic

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Applying Reason

Applying reason is the process of thinking about something in a logical way in order to form a

conclusion or judgmentTry to avoid emotional bias when

applying reason

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Open Mindedness

Consider relevant evidence

Be receptive to different ideas or opinions

Be open to alternatives

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Analysis• Systematic examination and

evaluation of data or information

• Break down complex problems into its component parts

• Gain a better understanding of cause-effect relationships

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Logic

Logic is the science of how to evaluate

arguments and reasoning

Logic provides rules for deriving valid conclusions

Logical statements are based on facts called “premises”

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Riddle: The Fox, the Sheep, and the Haystack

A farmer is traveling with a fox, a sheep, and a small stack of hay. He comes to a river with a small boat in it. The boat can only support the farmer and one other animal/item. If the farmer leaves the fox alone with the sheep, the fox will eat the sheep. If the farmer leaves the sheep alone with the hay, the sheep will eat the hay. How can the farmer get all three, as well as himself, safely across the river?

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Riddle Answer: The Fox, the Sheep, and the Haystack

1. The farmer takes the sheep across the river to the other side.2. The farmer returns to the first side.3. The farmer takes the fox across the river to the other side.4. The farmer returns with the sheep to the first side.5. The farmer takes the hay across the river to the other side.6. The farmer returns to the first side.7. The farmer takes the sheep across the river to the other side.

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Reflect

What kind of problems do you face? How do you go about solving them?

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Module 2:

“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires a creative imagination…”

- Albert Einstein

How Can I Use Nonlinear Thinking

Strategies?

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What Is Nonlinear Thinking?• Two common ways to analyze a problem

are through linear and nonlinear thinking

• Linear thinkers follow a step-by-step process

• Nonlinear thinkers use more creative, unorthodox methods

• Nonlinear thinking is also called “lateral thinking”

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Nonlinear Thinking StrategiesFour strategies to activate your nonlinear thinking process are:

• Stepping out of your comfort zone

• Don’t jump to conclusions

• Expect and initiate change

• Be ready to adapt

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Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

View information from a different

perspective

Stretch your thinking

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Don’t Jump to Conclusions

Take the time to acquire all necessary

informationKnow the premises

(facts)

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Expect and Initiate Change

“Be the change you wish to see”

Nothing stays the same

Expecting change will better prepare

you to adapt

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Being Ready to AdaptAdaptation is a survival skill

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Module 3:

“Reasoning is simply a matter of getting your facts straight.”

- B.F. Anderson

What Does It Mean For Me to Apply

Logic to Situations?

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Major Steps of Logical ThinkingThe four major steps of logical thinking are:

• Asking the right questions

• Organizing data

• Evaluating the information

• Drawing conclusions

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Ask the Right Questions

Ask many questions

What are the premises?

Any vital information missing?

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Organize the Data

First, make sure you know the premise

Make a diagram organizing the data

Make meaningful connections

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Evaluate the Information

Is the information

valid?

Is the information

true?

Belief bias Confirmation bias

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Draw Conclusions

Infer only what the data implies

Ensure inferences are consistent

Identify underlying assumptions

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Module 4:

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”

- Voltaire

How Do I Know When, How and Why

to Think Critically About A Challenge?

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Characteristics of Critical ThinkingWhat are some characteristics of critical thinkers? In Module 4, we will discuss eight characteristics of critical thinkers:

• Active Listening• Asking Powerful Questions• Focus and Reflection• Being Humble• Seeing the Big Picture• Thinking Objectively• Using Your Emotions• Being Self-Aware

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Active Listening As a Critical Thinking Strategy

Active listening allows you to gain all the critical information and facts that you need to support you in making better decisions.

“The ear says more than the tongue.” - W.S. Graham

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Powerful Questions Lead to Better Outcomes

• Raising powerful questions advocates self-improvement and allows you to find out more information.

• Examples of powerful questions:- What does the organization value?- What is important to the organization’s culture?- What are my strengths and weaknesses?- How does my job fit into the structure of the

organization?

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Focus and Reflection

Use reasoning skills

Evaluate and reflect

Ask for support when

needed

Think positive and be aware of the environment

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Be HumbleBe modest regarding your own opinion

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Seeing the Big Picture

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Thinking Objectively

Thinking objectively means basing our

ideas on facts rather than feelings or

opinions

Helps us engage more thoughtfully and

deliberately

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Using Your Emotions As A Critical Thinking Strategy

• Emotions should not be ignored entirely

• Professionals need empathy

• Allow your emotions to help you, not cloud your judgment

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Being Self-Aware

Being self-aware means being conscious of your own personality or character. Specifically, you should be aware of your:

• Feelings

• Opinions

• Assumptions

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Module 5:

“True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.”

- Winston Churchill

What Skills Allow Me To Better

Evaluate Facts and Data?

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Evaluating Information

A big challenge in the process of critical thinking is how to evaluate information. The best critical thinkers are those people, as Winston Churchill noted, who are capable of gleaning through information that may be unclear or conflicting. In this module, we will delve deeper into the process of evaluation.

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Be Careful When Making Assumptions

Assumptions are the beliefs upon which we base our logic

Assumptions are ideas that we accept as true without proof or evidenceWhen assumptions are proven to be true, they become information

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Riddle: The Bus Driver

A bus driver was heading down a street in Colorado. He went right past a stop sign without stopping, he turned left where there was a “no left turn” sign, and he went the wrong way on a one-way street. Then he went on the left side of the road past a cop car. After all this, he still didn’t break any traffic laws. How is this possible?

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Riddle Answer: The Bus Driver

The bus driver is walking. Be sure not to assume anything that the facts (premises) don’t tell you.

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Watch Out for BiasUse objectivity to oppose bias

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Ask Clarifying Questions• Asking the right questions is important

• Helps to acquire more information

• Other questions will arise

“Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous

mind.” - Samuel Johnson

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SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis allows us to think about business situations objectively by identifying internal factors (strengths and weaknesses), as well as external factors (opportunities and threats).

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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Module 6:

“The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.”

- David Bohm

How Will Thinking Differently Effect My Decision Outcomes?

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Benefits of Critical ThinkingCritical thinking helps us make better decisions and rationally apply information. While there are many benefits to critical thinking, in this module, we will examine only the following:

• Being more persuasive

• Better communication

• Better problem solving

• Increased emotional intelligence

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Being More Persuasive

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we

must be credible; (to be) credible we must

be truthful.”- Edward R. Murrow

• Persuasiveness is the characteristic of being able to influence others

• Utilizing a deliberate and thoughtful thinking process will improve your ability to persuade others

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Better Communication

The use of analogies and metaphors can

improve persuasiveness

Use clear language

The ability to communicate effectively is

directly related to your ability to be

persuasive

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Better Problem Solving

Critical thinkers interpret information effectively to reach well-reasoned conclusions

Critical thinking allows you to develop multiple viable solutions to a single issue

Critical thinkers test all possible solutions against relevant criteria and standards

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Increased Emotional Intelligence

• Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand one’s own state of mind and one’s capabilities to manage oneself, to respond constructively to situations, and to engage successfully with other people.

• High performing professionals have the ability to effectively execute their duties without being negatively influenced by their emotions.

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Increased Emotional Intelligence

SELF AWARENESS Emotional Self-Awareness Accurate Self-Assessment Self-Confidence

SOCIAL AWARNESS Empathy Organizational Awareness Service Orientation

SELF-MANAGEMENT Self-Control Transparency Adaptability Achievement Drive Initiative

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Inspirational Leadership Developing Others Influence Change Catalyst Conflict Management Building Bonds Teamwork & Collaboration

WH

AT

I SE

E W

HA

T I

DO

SELF SOCIAL

Figure depicts Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence model

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Module 7:

“Everyone sees drama from his own perspective.”

- Jean-Marie Le Pen

How Can I Challenge Myself To See Alternative

Perspectives?

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See Alternative Perspective

Keep an open mind

Be receptive to the ideas

and viewpoints of others

Alternative perspectives can lead to alternative solutions

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Don’t Limit Your Point of View

Closed

mindBias

Limited

point of

view

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Consider the Viewpoints of Others

Be empathetic

Helps to see the bigger picture

Promotes objectivity in the critical thinking process

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Influences on Bias

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When New Information Arrives

Organization schemas help to compartmentalize new information

Identify the role that the new information plays

Organization schemas also make information easier to use in the future

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Module 8:“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

- Albert Einstein

How Can I Increase My

Problem Solving Abilities?

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Increasing Problem Solving Abilities

Utilize your critical

thinking skills

Follow a problem-solving model

Practice your skills and

reflect upon the

outcomes

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Problem Solving Model

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Riddle: 12 Balls, 1 Different

You have 12 balls, identical in every way except that one of them weighs slightly less than the other 11 balls. You have a balance scale and are allowed to do 3 weighings to determine which ball weighs less than the others. What process would you use to weigh the balls in order to figure out which ball weighs less than the others?

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Riddle Answer: 12 Balls, 1 Different1. Place 6 balls on each side of the scale. One side will weigh less.2. Take the 6 balls from the side of the scale that weighed less.

Place 3 of these balls on one side of the scale and the other 3 balls on the other side. One side will weigh less.

3. Take the 3 balls from the side of the scale that weighed less. Place one of these balls on each side of the scale (which will leave you with one ball that is not on the scale). If one side weighs less, then you know the ball that weighs less than the others is on that side of the scale. If the two sides weigh the same, then you know the 3rd ball (the one that isn’t on the scale) is the ball that weighs less than the others.

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Riddle: A Truth Teller and a LiarYou are walking down a path when you come to two doors. Opening

one of the doors will lead you to life of prosperity and happiness, while opening the other door will lead to a life of misery and sorrow. You don’t know which door leads to which life.

In front of the doors stand two twin brothers who know which door leads to which life. One of the brothers ALWAYS lies and the other brother ALWAYS tells the truth. You don’t know which brother is the liar and which one tells the truth.

You are allowed to ask ONE single question to ONE of the brothers (not both) to figure out which door to open. What question should you ask?

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Riddle Answer: A Truth Teller and a Liar

Ask one of the brothers, “If I asked your brother which door is the good door, what would he say?”

If you ask the truth-telling brother, he will point to the bad door, because this is what the lying brother would point to.

Alternatively, if you ask the lying brother, he will also point to the bad door, because this is NOT what the truth-telling brother would point to.

So whichever door is pointed to, you should go through the other one.

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Identify Inconsistencies

Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors

Use logic and objectivity to see variancesNatural tendency to eliminate inconsistencies

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Trust Your Instincts• Instincts are your natural intuitive

power

• Beneficial when paired with trial and error, informed guesses and brainstorming

• Watch out for biases and assumptions that are not based on facts

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Always Ask Questions

Asking questions helps you gain more information

Asking questions can lead to new solutions

Ask questions at every stage of problem solving process

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Evaluate the Solution(s)Rate the proposed solutions

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Review: Workshop Objectives• What is critical thinking?• How can I use nonlinear thinking strategies?• What does it mean for me to apply logic to situations?• How do I know when, how and why to think critically about a

challenge?• What skills allow me to better evaluate facts and data?• How will thinking differently effect my decision outcomes?• How can I challenge myself to see alternative perspectives?• How can I increase my problem-solving abilities?