When I first made the career change to work with critical thinking assessments and services, I had a conversation with my mom about the term critical thinking. ”I don’t like that,” she said. ”That term is uppity.” I remember being surprised and confused. How can critical thinking be a bad thing?
After a long discussion with her I realized her issue was not with critical thinking, rather it was her interpretation of the phrase. Her first impression was that critical thinking is about philosophical or academic conversations that simply discuss theories and fallacies. Once I explained that critical thinking is about better problem solving, decision making, planning, and execution, she was on board.
What does the term “critical thinking” imply to you? Is it uppity and academic or is it for real people who make complicated, strategic decisions every day?
Yesterday, Laurie Ruettimann (my favorite blogger/HR Social Media Consultant) wrote a great post that put critical thinking in very simple and humorous terms. As she struggles with her adorable cat, Scrubby, who occasionally forgets to use the kitty litter, she reminds her readers: We are not animals. We should be able to “Hold our Pee.” We should not react without thinking, let emotions get the best of us, or let our assumptions override logic.
It’s just that simple! Laurie wants you to think better (or as she would say it “think better, yo!”). So do I.
How can I help you think better today?
Editor’s Note: Breanne Harris is the Solutions Architect for Pearson TalentLens. She works with customers to design selection and development plans that incorporate critical thinking assessments and training. She has a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and has experience in recruiting, training, and HR consulting. She is the chief blogger for Critical Thinkers and occasionally posts at ThinkWatson. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter for more of her thoughts.
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