Critical Thinking Worskshop 2 days Training Course

Module 1: The Critical Thinking Mindset

• Understanding critical thinking and its significance in a professional environment
• Distinguishing critical thinking from reactive behaviour, assumption-based reasoning, and intuition
• Identifying common obstacles to clear and rational thinking
• Examining how time constraints, past experiences, and organisational culture impact decision-making
• Overview of a structured process for critical thinking
• Covering the stages of observation, interpretation, analysis, exploration, and evaluation
• Shifting focus from seeking immediate answers to formulating better questions

Practical Exercise: Review a recent workplace decision and trace the thought process that led to the final outcome.

Module 2: Defining the Right Problem

• Differentiating between symptoms and fundamental issues
• Understanding why organisations often attempt to solve the incorrect problem
• Techniques for problem framing and asking more effective questions
• Identifying embedded assumptions within problem statements
• Applying the 5 Whys technique
• Conducting root cause analysis
• Investigating alternative explanations for issues

Practical Exercise: Use problem-framing and root cause analysis methods to address a real or simulated workplace challenge.

Module 3: Evaluating Information, Evidence and Assumptions

• Distinguishing between facts, opinions, and assumptions
• Differentiating interpretation from concrete evidence
• Spotting gaps or incomplete information in a dataset
• Evaluating the credibility and relevance of available information
• Assessing the strength versus weakness of evidence
• Recognising unspoken or hidden assumptions
• Understanding the difference between correlation and causation
• Preventing hasty conclusions based on partial data

Practical Exercise: Assess a business scenario containing mixed facts, opinions, assumptions, and incomplete evidence. Determine what additional information is needed before a decision can be made.

Module 4: Cognitive Biases and Thinking Traps

• How cognitive biases affect judgement and decision-making processes
• Understanding confirmation bias
• Understanding anchoring bias
• Understanding authority bias
• Understanding availability bias
• Recognising escalation of commitment
• Avoiding groupthink
• Identifying logical fallacies in workplace debates
• Recognising ad hominem attacks
• Identifying straw man arguments
• Understanding slippery slope fallacies
• Recognising false dilemmas
• Learning to challenge one's own thinking patterns

Practical Exercise: Spot biases, assumptions, and logical fallacies within various workplace scenarios and decision-making discussions.

Module 5: Analysing a Business Challenge

• Applying the critical thinking process to complex business problems
• Clarifying the nature of the problem before suggesting solutions
• Identifying available evidence and noting what is missing
• Questioning initial assumptions and beliefs
• Considering different interpretations of the data
• Filtering out distractions to focus on relevant information
• Building a problem analysis grounded in solid evidence

Practical Exercise: Small groups analyse a business case specific to the client's industry and present their findings along with their reasoning.

Module 6: Challenging Perspectives and Exploring Alternatives

• Why considering different perspectives leads to better decisions
• Adopting the mindset: "What if we are wrong?"
• Identifying other possible explanations for outcomes
• Using Devil's Advocate techniques
• Applying Red Team thinking
• Promoting constructive disagreement
• Challenging preferred or default solutions
• Utilising pre-mortem analysis to identify potential failure points

Practical Exercise: Critically evaluate a proposed business decision by identifying its assumptions, risks, missing evidence, and alternative approaches.

Module 7: Creative Thinking for Better Problem Solving

• The interplay between critical thinking and creative thinking
• Understanding divergent and convergent thinking
• Moving beyond the first or most obvious solution
• Techniques for brainstorming and brainwriting
• Generating a wide range of alternatives
• Using the SCAMPER method to explore new approaches
• Evaluating creative ideas with objectivity

Practical Exercise: Generate and refine multiple solutions to a workplace challenge before selecting the most suitable options.

Module 8: Structured Decision Making

• Transitioning from analysis to action
• Setting clear criteria for decision-making
• Objectively comparing different alternatives
• Conducting cost and benefit analyses
• Evaluating risks and trade-offs
• Assessing the impact on stakeholders
• Utilising decision matrices
• Anticipating potential unintended consequences
• Making decisions in conditions of uncertainty

Practical Exercise: Evaluate several possible solutions using established decision criteria and present a well-justified recommendation.

Module 9: Critical Thinking in Leadership and Teams

• The role of critical thinking in effective leadership
• Understanding why teams sometimes make suboptimal decisions
• The effects of hierarchy, authority, and groupthink on team dynamics
• Encouraging constructive challenge within teams
• Cultivating an environment where assumptions can be questioned
• Positing better questions during meetings
• Distinguishing between disagreement and conflict
• Facilitating discussions based on evidence
• Communicating recommendations clearly and persuasively

Practical Exercise: Engage in a structured team decision-making exercise that involves competing priorities, limited information, and diverse stakeholder views.

Module 10: Final Business Simulation and Action Planning

• Applying the entire critical thinking process end-to-end
• Clearly defining the core problem
• Analysing evidence and underlying assumptions
• Identifying potential biases and thinking traps
• Exploring alternative viewpoints and solutions
• Establishing clear decision criteria
• Assessing associated risks and consequences
• Developing and presenting a recommendation backed by evidence

Practical Exercise: Teams work on a comprehensive business scenario or, where suitable, address one of the client's actual workplace challenges.