THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN PROBLEM SOLVING IN ORGANIZATIONS

BY

ADEBAYO JIMOHGMD/CEO

ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED

PAPER PRESENTED TO THE PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

14TH MARCH, 2013

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING

EXAMINING PROBLEM – SOLVING APPROACHES

DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS

CONCLUSION

OUTLINE

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

Impatient.Focus on their own opinions.UnreflectiveLow skill level embraced.Tends to rely on gut intuition.Jumps to quick conclusions.Largely self serving.

Don’t think about it,

just sign it!

Ordinary, lower – level thinking tends to be shallow, uninformed, superficial, biased, distorted & incomplete.

HIGHER ORDER CRITICAL THINKINGHigher 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 problem-solving 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:

ClarityAccuracyPrecisionLogicDepthFairnessRelevance

DECISION –MAKING COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Audience• Access the audience

and their expectations concerning the problem/situation

Argumentation • Focus argumentation

on your audience, using WIIFM (Audience ask: What’s In For Me)

Action• Clarify the

action you desire & recommend that action to the audience

A A A

Decision-making communication involves critical analysis of your Audience, Arguments & Action

CONCEPT #1

Adopting an Audience, Argument, and Action

perspective for planning & preparing problem-solving or

decision making communication, ensures more

buy-ins and approvals.

ASSERTION (or Recommendation)

RESULTS(or Benefit, Goodness)

EVIDENCE(Support, Justification)

ASSUMPTION(S)(too often unstated)

THE “AREA” PYRAMID STRUCTURE FOR PRESENTING ARGUMENT

AAssertion

RResult(s)

EEvidence

AAssumption(s)

What conclusion, assertion, proposition, recommendation, idea, or position am I selling in this particular argument [People frequently assert something in a conclusion]

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?”

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?

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 curiosityLeave yourself with several options and always

have a “plan B” if things do not go as plannedShare ideasAsk pertinent questionsAssess statements and argumentsSeek understanding and information

REFERENCESJack Welch (2002). Get Better or Get Beaten: 29 Leadership

Secrets from GE’s Jack Welch McGraw-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 McGraw-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 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Printed in the United States of America

Thomas Hajduk (2012). Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Persuasion, Argumentation & Decision-Making. McDonough School of Business, GEORGETOWN University

Rieke, Sillers & Perterson (2006). Argumentation and Critical Decision Making. Communication Consulting Group, USA

THANK YOU