Critical Thinking and Decision Making
How do you make decisions? Some people make decisions quickly without examining all the information, others make decisions slowly and can sometimes get trapped in the
information gathering process.
Whatever your preferences, the art of critical thinking and effective decision-making is something all organisations rely on. Knowing when decisions must be made quickly or when you should hold off until more information can be gathered is a skill worth mastering to help avoid extreme tilts.
1-Day Course
What you will learn:
Explain the principles of critical thinking and its role in effective decision making.
Recognise and challenge assumptions, biases, and logical fallacies.
Apply structured thinking tools to analyse complex problems.
Use decision-making frameworks to make sound, evidence-based choices.
Communicate reasoning and decisions with clarity and
confidence.
Course Content
WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Examine the differences between three different types of thinking:
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Thinking
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Analytical thinking
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Critical thinking
Explore the characteristics of critical thinking and how it impacts outcomes.
WILLFUL BLINDNESS AND COGNITIVE BIAS
Everyone is susceptible to willful blindness – the brain creates what feels like legitimate reasons to ignore what we don’t want to deal with. But this doesn’t make for good decisions.
Examine ways to manage this and other common biases so you are better placed to recognise and challenge assumptions and make more informed decisions.
STRUCTURED THINKING FOR PROBLEM SOLVING
Look at different ways to conduct a root cause analysis so you can make more informed decisions that address the true cause of issues rather than just the symptoms.
RESPONDING TO MISTAKES
No matter how good you are at making decisions you are also human, and humans make mistakes.
It’s important to acknowledge when decisions are wrong, do what is necessary to rectify the situation and create strategies to ensure those mistakes aren’t repeated.
DECISION MAKING MODELS AND TOOLS
Move from analysis to action using decision-making frameworks such as:
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The Vroom-Yetton Decision Model.
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Rational Decision-Making Model.
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Pros and Cons Matrix.
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The OODA Loop.
ACTING QUICKLY WITHOUT SACRIFICING CRITICAL THINKING
Being too quick to respond can lead to bad decisions, but so can taking too long. Using techniques like reflective urgency can allow you to:
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Identify your urgency trap.
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Focus on the right priorities.
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Avoid extreme tilts.
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