Critical Thinking

Overview

Course duration: 1 day.

A One Day Workshop customised specifically for your organisation to improve Critical Thinking, Judgement and Persuasive Communication

Critical Thinking is the ability to think well, use good judgment and make sound decisions. You need it most when problems are complex, when the risks and consequences are high and when it’s important to make the right decision. Critical Thinking matters when you need to influence, gain approval and persuade others of a specific course of action.

Is it right for me?

The Critical Thinking workshop is customised for the specific needs of your business and your target audience. Typical delegates would include;

• Experienced managers who have to deal with increasingly complex and difficult issues
• High potential leaders who need to develop their critical thinking for future roles
• Functional specialists who need to improve their credibility, judgment and persuasiveness

What will I learn?

By the end of the course you will be able to;

• Apply critical thinking skills to resolve complex and risky issues
• Develop and express a well-reasoned argument with confidence
• Ensure your reasoning is credible and free from common errors
• Identify dilemmas and set good questions to assist in resolving them
• Prepare a continuum of choice and use judgment criteria to make sound decisions
• Present your argument persuasively in conversation and in writing

Pre-course Activity

Learning begins with pre work – identifying a role model, current real issues and live examples of good practice and common errors.  At the workshop, you check your ability, learn more about the ideal standard and work through a real issue, presenting your argument and practicing skills in open forum. Participants leave with an actionable plan.

What will it cover?

The Skill of Critical Thinking

• Critical Thinking is a fluid activity, brought into play spontaneously as issues arise. Complex issues require a more skilful approach. This workshop provides you with a robust, critical thinking process for developing your own argument and for critically appraising other peoples’ reasoning. Here are the steps:

Steps                                    Action Gather the Facts                   Take in and understand what you have seen, read and heard Scrutinise the Evidence         Check the credibility of the evidence Broaden Your View             Use breadth to appreciate the facts from each perspective Make Connections               Understand interdependencies and relationships Recognise Dilemmas            Identify and weigh opportunity, risk and consequences Refine the Question              Restate the problem, issue or dilemma as a question Clarify Options                    Prepare a continuum of choice Define Criteria                     Define criteria of judgement to assess options Make a Decision                 Apply the judgement criteria rigorously; evaluate and decide Justify Your Argument         Explain, develop and persuade verbally and in writing

Work on Current, Real Issues The workshop involves applying critical thinking skills to current, real work issues. Participants are asked to bring issues to the workshop, work on them during the programme and leave with an action plan that includes accelerating their resolution. This makes it extremely relevant and very productive

Build Credibility When several sources tell you difference things, how do you decide which to believe? Critical Thinking provides you with a robust credibility test, based on five criteria, referred to as RAVEN. The Credibility Criteria are: Reputation, Ability to See, Vested Interest, Expertise and Neutrality. This ensures your argument is based on sound evidence. It helps you persuade with conviction.

Avoid and Challenge Common Errors Effective Critical Thinking includes the ability to both avoid and challenge Common Errors. The workshop equips you to recognize them in your own reasoning and notice when others commit them.

Common Errors include:  Hasty Generalization, Single and False Cause, Correlation not Causation, Red Herring, Confusing Necessary and Sufficient Conditions, Inconsistency, Irrelevance, Slippery Slope, Circularity, Begging the Question, Restricting the Options, Personal Attack, Appeals to Authority, Ignorance, History, Popularity and Sympathy

Recognizing Common Errors improves the strength of your argument and quality of judgment   Communicate Persuasively Presenting your argument persuasively is critical to gaining approval and influencing others. The workshop involves you in arguing your case with others. It also provides practical guidelines to strengthen the impact of written communication.