There is no doubt that problems are bound to occur in business, however, with critical thinking, you can be rest assured that your employees have the best answer to any problem. Critical thinking is the capacity to make informed decisions by evaluating several different sources of information objectively. It is one of the most extremely highly regarded skills in the workplace as it allows an individual to examine information, reach conclusions and make complete decisions. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, critical thinking is the process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you. This means to think about something without inducing personal bias or doing things the same way they have always been done. Critical thinking makes an individual better at communicating. If appropriately nurtured in the workplace, it can help individuals and teams overcome challenges and meet business goals, yet assist employees in building approaches that make them better at their jobs. Experts emphasise that if you practice critical thinking, you rationally link ideas, analyse and assess opinions or advice, find contradictions and errors in your work and the work of others, solve intricate problems, and involve in reflection. This is vital for many career paths, for instance; scientists, lawyers, doctors, reporters, engineers, accountants, and analysts, among others. According to the World Economic Forum, critical thinking is one of the most desirable skills to have in the workforce, as it helps evaluate information, think outside the box, solve problems with innovative solutions, and plan systematically. Joyce Uwamahoro, the CEO of a local fashion house notes that critical thinking can be effective once three areas are mastered, that is; first, ask questions when you encounter a problem, as that’s how you will comprehend and probably assess it. She believes that this doesn’t only assist you in learning how to see things, but also, how you contemplate them. Secondly, she urges being keen about your sources’ motivation and asking if they have evidence to support their argument and scrutinising to get other solutions or viewpoints. “Thirdly, it is also necessary to carry out research. Once you have had others’ perspectives, use the internet to research for solutions or talk with other people who have stumbled upon the same problem as yours,” Uwamahoro states. She explains that thinking critically can enable you to yield to numerous other solutions to a problem, guaranteeing that the decision made is best for the company. For her, practicing critical thinking, allows you to come up with new and creative ideas whenever you solve problems. Stella Keza, an employee at an IT firm finds critical thinking a ‘must-have’ skill because critical thinkers have the essential aptitude to see challenges from several perceptions. By averting the reaction to protect their personal beliefs, such people have the ability to change their minds and opinions considering new information. With critical thinking arises curiosity as critical thinkers ask a lot of questions, the what, when, how, who, and so forth, which make them understand the situation and find the value out of it, she adds. Keza stresses that one’s ability to solve problems and achieve goals successfully helps to instil confidence in an individual with their co-workers. She believes that critical thinking saves time, for instance, an employee is able to make correct decisions without supervision from their managers. She also points out that critical thinking improves communication as you get people willing to share their views and ideas thus coming up with a solution. If you’re looking forward to carrying out work-related solutions, communicating with co-workers effectively can help you achieve information that can provide you with the right choice.
