The Power of Critical Thinking inthe Workplace

Leaders and managers shoulder heavy responsibilities. They routinely deliberate on concerns, assess different options, formulate ideas, as well as solve problems that emerge from time to time. Being able to do so in a way that enables the right action to be taken depends fundamentally on the ability to think critically.

Critical thinking occurs when one learns to focus on what matters and maintain that focus until the desired result is achieved. This requires concentration of the mind, an art developed through persistent practice. Through critical thinking, one gradually improves the ability to focus on thinking correctly, completely, and carefully. The concept of critical thinking hinges on the extent to which this is accomplished by default.

Thinking correctly implies having the ability to discriminate between what is perceived to be true and what is true. This calls for an innate ability to re-examine information and data provided by validating assumptions made before accepting them as being correct.

Thinking completely implies thinking broadly along the lines of as many different perspectives as possible. It requires one to maintain an open mind, seeking to understand deeply on a range of different avenues before making decisions. In addition, thinking completely requires assessment of both short-term and long-term implications of decisions made.

Thinking carefully implies avoiding common thinking traps that most people inadvertently fall into. These include mental filtering, emotional reasoning, overgeneralization, mind reading, as well as catastrophizing. Through practice, one can recognize the emergence of thinking traps and avoid falling into them.

Despite the benefits of critical thinking, several thinking traps serve as barriers that can hinder its effective application in the workplace. One common barrier is cognitive bias, where individuals may unconsciously favour information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs, leading to flawed decision-making.

Groupthink is another challenge, as cohesive teams may suppress dissenting opinions, limiting diverse perspectives. Resistance to change can hinder critical thinking when employees are unwilling to explore alternative solutions due to fear of the unknown. Recognizing and overcoming these barriers is essential for fostering a culture of robust critical thinking in organizations.

To illustrate this point further, let’s consider an organization that would like to promote innovation within its ranks. Management claims that this will be possible only if partnering with global players to provide design and R&D capability to emerge. This suggestion is in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recently launched "mission-based industrial master plan," which outlines the government's objective to become a high-tech industrialized nation by 2030.

At first glance, this seems plausible. But when we engage in critical thinking, gaps in this proposition begin to emerge. Gaps associated with the extent to which the statement is based on thinking correctly, completely, and carefully.

For successfully partnering with global players, two key requirements have to be met. An abundance of creative thinkers who are technically skilled and a highly agile manufacturing sector. Validating these assumptions will require two sets of data. One that indicates an upward trend of growth in technical skills and another that denotes an increase in agility in the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.

Unless these assumptions are validated based on facts, one would be misled into thinking that merely forging partnerships is the way forward. Failure to validate these assumptions denotes a line of thinking that is incorrect.

Extending the horizons of thinking by ensuring it is complete is another feature associated with critical thinking. This requires a more inclusive and multilateral approach to decision-making. Stakeholder engagement and involvement are critical aspects in this regard. To make this idea workable, being aware of limitations and aspirations of all key stakeholders is crucial.

Taking into consideration only the worldview of top management, without integrating perspectives of key stakeholders associated with this proposal, fails to meet the criteria for completeness with regard to critical thinking.

In summary, critical thinking is an art that needs conscious effort to be enhanced. It improves one’s ability to deliberate on concerns, assess different options, formulate ideas, as well as solve problems. The next time you need to think, make sure your line of thinking is correct, complete, and careful. This is best done by validating assumptions made, engaging others to share their perspectives, as well as staying clear of thinking traps that you could fall into.

Although this article is focused on the manufacturing industry, however, critical thinking is today applicable across all industries. This is because being innovative is key to staying competitive today. Hence, everyone needs to be critical thinkers.

Sharma Management International conducts courses on critical thinking. For more information, please request for more details by clicking on this link.

by Dr Rumesh Kumar,

Sharma Management International.