Critical Thinking

Feeling overwhelmed? What if you could learn a process for thinking to make better decisions and create better solutions? In this course, you’ll learn and practice techniques to generate breakthrough ideas and solve your most pressing problems. You’ll also discover how to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and see others’ viewpoints with clarity.

You’ll learn how to:

• Translate abstract ideas into tangible results
• Evaluate ideas and adjust assumptions
• Solve problems based on credible evidence
• Make dramatically better decisions

You’ll also receive:

• The “My Thinking Styles” assessment, which gauges your thinking style preferences
• A personalized development report with your individual results and areas for development
• AMA’s Critical Thinking Model, with an action plan for implementing critical thinking and decision-making skills back at work
• Pre- and post-seminar assessments
• Tune-up materials to review what you've learned after the event
• A skill-enabling toolkit, downloadable from the AMA Learning Portal

• Utilize critical thinking skills when making business decisions
• Be able to quickly identify and frame the problem, solve the problem and enable action through organizational awareness and relationship management
• Discover 7 ways to spot a weak argument
• Know how to translate abstract ideas into more tangible and actionable items
• Identify 8 barriers to effective critical thinking
• Minimize the impact of job pressures on your thinking processes
• React with curiosity instead of emotion

The Mindset for Critical Thinking

• Understanding the neurological and psychological brain functions involved in critical thinking
• Discovering the mental habits that dispose people to be effective critical thinkers

Clarifying Problems Using Critical Thinking Techniques

• Gathering and assessing data
• Analyzing a given situation to identify the problems at hand
• Recognizing your assumptions and cognitive biases
• Unmasking persuasion techniques
• Identifying and managing emotions
• Framing and translating issues into formulated, actionable items

Developing Solutions and Solving Problems with Critical Thinking Skills

• Applying counterfactual thinking techniques to assess and refine solutions
• Using diagrams to assess data, check for gaps and communicate solutions to others
• Seek relevant alternative viewpoints for constructive critique

Understanding Your Mindset for Critical Thinking

• Interpreting feedback on your “My Thinking Styles” assessment
• Gaining insight into your critical thinking mindset
• Selecting which parts of your mindset to develop further

Organizational Context and Awareness for Critical Thinking

• Analyzing power relationships, values, and formal and informal structures of your team or organization
• Acquiring key interpersonal and communication strategies to strengthen your relationships

Implementing Your New Knowledge and Skills

• Anticipating pitfalls you may encounter as a critical thinker
• Creating an action plan for development of critical thinking skills

 Learning Objectives

• Promote Critical Thinking as a Valuable Process in the Workplace
• Use Critical Thinking Skills When Making Business Decisions and
  Taking Action
• Select Specific Tools to Use When Conducting Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking in Business

• Define Critical Thinking
• Describe the Characteristics of Effective Critical Thinkers
• Relate the Role of Critical Thinking in Meeting Business Challenges

The RED Method of Critical Thinking

• Identify the Skill Areas of the Critical Thinking Process
• Recognize and Use Skills That Support the Critical Thinking Process

Appraising Your Critical Thinking

• Recognize the Value of Gaining Insight into Your Critical Thinking Skills
• Review Feedback on Your “My Thinking Styles” Inventory
• Understand the Connection Between Your Individual Thinking Style and the RED Approach to Critical Thinking

Context for Critical Thinking: Organizational Awareness and Managing Relationships

• Understand the Attributes Associated with Organizational Awareness and Managing Relationships
• Anticipate Interpersonal Strategies You Will Need to Implement Critical Thinking at Work

Applying Critical Thinking Skills and Tools

• Practice Using Critical Thinking Skills and Techniques in a Real Business Situation
• Identify Personal Situations Where Critical Thinking Can Be Used
• Select Tools for Using Critical Thinking Skills

Implementing Your New Knowledge and Skills

• Anticipate Pitfalls You May Encounter as a Critical Thinker
• Create an Action Plan for Development of Critical Thinking Skills

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Learn to Use Critical Thinking Skills to Arrive at Better Decisions More Confidently and Determine What Matters Most in Meeting Business Challenges
• Learn to Use Critical Thinking Skills and Tools to Examine the Information Knowledge You Have, Accurately Understand Situations from Multiple Perspectives, and Take Appropriate Action

LESSON ONE

Critical Thinking in Business

• Define Critical Thinking
• Describe Characteristics of Effective Critical Thinkers
• Relate the Role of Critical Thinking in Meeting Business Challenges

The RED Model of Critical Thinking

• Identify the Skill Areas of the Critical Thinking Process
• Recognize and Use Skills That Support the Critical Thinking Process

LESSON TWO

Appraising Your Critical Thinking Skills

• Recognize the Value of Gaining Insight into Your Critical Thinking Skills
• Review Feedback on Your “My Thinking StylesTM” Assessment
• Understand the Connection Between Your Individual Thinking Style and the RED Approach to Critical Thinking

Applying Critical Thinking Skills and Tools

• Practice Using Critical Thinking Skills and Techniques in a Real Business Situation
• Identify Personal Situations Where Critical Thinking Can Be Used
• Select Tools for Using Critical Thinking Skills

LESSON THREE

Applying Critical Thinking Skills and Tools (cont’d)

• Practice Using Critical Thinking Skills and Techniques in a Real Business Situation
• Identify Personal Situations Where Critical Thinking Can Be Used
• Select Tools for Using Critical Thinking Skills

Developing Organizational Awareness and Managing Relationships

• Understand the Attributes Associated with Organizational Awareness and Managing Relationships
• Anticipate Interpersonal Strategies You Will Need to Implement Critical Thinking at Work

Implementing Your New Knowledge and Skills

• Anticipate Pitfalls You May Encounter as a Critical Thinker
• Create an Action Plan for Development of Critical Thinking Skills