Critical thinking: An essential skill in today’s workplace

A generation ago, a typical complaint about errant employees was a lack of common sense—“not as common,” the bosses would say.

But with the rise of instantly available information (“just Google it”) the challenge has become how to sift through it all.  Hence the need for critical thinking.

We asked our resource person, Ryan Buenafe, an organizational learning consultant, for his insights on the importance of critical thinking.

How does critical thinking differ from “common sense”?

Common sense is useful, if we’re lucky we grow up with parents and social environments that teach us common sense. Things like being respectful, careful, kind, frugal, polite, and a long list of other traits.  Common sense is about using good judgment regarding practical matters. Critical thinking is an elevated form of common sense; it’s  ‘uncommon’ because it takes practice and discipline to practice it.  How can critical thinking be taught?  Isn’t it a case of either you have it or you don’t?

Critical thinking teaches you how to think but it doesn’t teach you what to think.  Learning how to think more critically is like learning how to play the keys on a piano, there’s a definite science to it.  But we can’t mistake learning critical thinking as being able to compose symphonies and raising to the level of Beethoven, that’s the  ‘talent’ or the  ‘art’ side of it.  And I will agree that some people have it and some people don’t.

Why should businesses invest in teaching their supervisors and employees this skill?

Innovation is what matters most.  If your products or services aren’t improving or innovating, you’ll be left behind by your competitors in time.  Critical thinking keeps supervisors and employees engaged in seeking ways to improve and innovate. Ideas and innovations come from companies with a culture that allows employees to think critically and build the products and services of the future.

Buenafe will facilitate a workshop titled “Critical Thinking in the Workplace: Analyze and Implement Effective Solutions” on Nov. 15 to 16. For more information about the program, email [email protected], call (632) 8341557 or 8008110, or go to www.inquireracademy.com.