Applied Critical Thinking

1. Applied Critical Thinking A 3-Phase Approach to Developing Problem Solvers & Efficient Thinkers Learn more @ www.ThinkWatson.com

3. Today’s Agenda

4. Critical Thinking In the News…

5. It’s Vital to Education…

6. Yet…

7. It is Truly a 21st Century Skill • Today’s need for critical thinking is driven by: • The Pace of Change • The Global Economy • The Availability of Information • The Complexity of Roles and Organizations • And more…

8. Failure Can Be Costly Example: The Bureau of Engraving & Printing didn’t correctly assess its “ink problem.” They focused on the ink and not the flawed process of applying it to new bills.

9. So What Exactly is Critical Thinking? Critical Thinking is an organized & disciplined way of thinking.

10. What’s So Challenging About It? • It’s hard to grasp • People have a misconception of what critical thinking is • Egos and social conditioning • People take it for granted • “Thinking… comes easy to us. What does not come easy is consistent, high quality thinking across the dimensions of one’s life. That is, it is not easy to discover our bad habits and do something about them.” • Richard Paul and Linda Elder • Fellows, Foundation for Critical Thinking

11. And It’s Hard Work!

12. Can We Measure It?

13. Is an Individual’s “RED”-iness Related To Performance? Studies show a relationship between Critical Thinking and… • Total Performance (.39) • Job Success (.33) • Overall Potential (.25) and (.24) • Professional Technical Knowledge (.37) • Analysis (.58) • Analysis, Problem Solving, Decision Making and Judgment (.40) • Judgment (.43) • Problem Solving and Analysis (.33) • Core Critical Thinking Behaviors (.28)

14. Watson-Glaser™ II Assessment

15. But… Can You Teach It? • Success comes through… • Attitude • Practical instruction and practice • Transferring skills learned to new situations • Reflecting and thinking about the process Numerous studies have shown that critical thinking, defined as the deliberate use of skills and strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome, can be learned in ways that promote transfer to novel contexts. - Diane Halpern Ph.D.

16. An Important Question • Should the approach be “context-free” or “context-dependent?”

17. An Important Question • Should the approach be “context-free” or “context-dependent?” YES!

18. The Case of the “Red Sweat” As a Hollywood horror flick, it might be called “The Rash.” Scenario: On Eastern Airlines flights over the Atlantic between New York City and Florida, flight attendants begin to contract a strange, oozing rash on their faces, neck, chest and hands. The fluid escaping from their inflamed pores looks like blood, though it is not, and so the rash is called “red sweat.” Others are stricken by reddish blotches of pinprick-size dots. But either way, before a doctor can diagnose it, the mysterious rash disappears – until, perhaps, the next flight over the Atlantic to Florida. For Eastern’s baffled management, the story is all too real. For the past three months, more than 90 flight attendants have reported cases of the “red sweat”, many of them more than once. Nearly all are women, and most have been stricken on Eastern’s new European-produced A300 Airbus jets flying between New York and Miami or Fort Lauderdale. No passengers or other crew have shown symptoms, and no rashes have been reported on inland flights. In all cases, the symptoms vanish, leaving the victims wondering if the affliction is only skin deep. “We just can’t track this thing down” admits Dr. David Millett, Eastern’s flight medicine director. “It’s spooky, really spooky.” A rash of theories resulted. The cause is… • The air in the new jet cabins being too dry. • The special fluid used to clean the plane’s food ovens. • A combination of factors, such as altitude changes, genetic susceptibility, or even cosmetics.

19. Polling Question • What do you think is causing the rash? • Dry air in the planes • Cleaner used in the galley • Cosmetics • Uniforms • Frequent altitude changes • Something else

20. Defining the Problem – Setup What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants WHAT WHERE

21. Defining the Problem – Setup What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT WHERE

22. Polling Question • Tell me about flight attendants: What does their role entail?(think people, process, equipment, materials, environment)

23. Serve food Serve drinks Push cart Galley Prepare food Use oven Use coffee maker Handle garbage Clean galley Safety demo Oxygen masks Seat belt Exits Life Vest/Floatation Talk on P.A. Uniforms Jump seat Hand out… Blankets Pillows Peanuts Beverages Head sets Magazines Overhead bins Use lounge in airport Hotel stays Lots of time in pressurized cabin Plastic gloves for cleaning Collect trash What’s Unique About Attendants?

24. Defining the Problem –Screen 1 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT WHERE

25. Defining the Problem –Screen 1 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT Flights Over The Atlantic WHERE

26. Defining the Problem –Screen 1 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT Flights Over The Atlantic Inland Flights WHERE

27. Serve food Serve drinks Push cart Galley Prepare food Use oven Use coffee maker Handle garbage Clean galley Safety demo Oxygen masks Seat belt Exits Life Vest/Floatation Talk on P.A. Uniforms Jump seat Hand out… Blankets Pillows Peanuts Beverages Head sets Magazines Overhead bins Use lounge in airport Hotel stays Lots of time in pressurized cabin Plastic gloves for cleaning Collect trash What’s Unique About Attendants?

28. Serve food Serve drinks Push cart Galley Prepare food Use oven Use coffee maker Handle garbage Clean galley Safety demo Oxygen masks Seat belt Exits Life Vest/Floatation Talk on P.A. Uniforms Jump seat Hand out… Blankets Pillows Peanuts Beverages Head sets Magazines Overhead bins Use lounge in airport Hotel stays Lots of time in pressurized cabin Plastic gloves for cleaning Collect trash What’s Unique About Attendants?

29. Defining the Problem – Screen 2 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT Flights Over The Atlantic Inland Flights WHERE

30. Defining the Problem – Screen 2 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT Flights Over The Atlantic Inland Flights WHERE Face, Chest, Neck, Hands

31. Defining the Problem – Screen 2 What the problem IS What the problem might be but IS NOT WHO Flight Attendants Passengers, Pilots, Crew WHAT Flights Over The Atlantic Inland Flights WHERE Face, Chest, Neck, Hands All Other Areas

32. Serve food Serve drinks Push cart Galley Prepare food Use oven Use coffee maker Handle garbage Clean galley Safety demo Oxygen masks Seat belt Exits Life Vest/Floatation Talk on P.A. Uniforms Jump seat Hand out… Blankets Pillows Peanuts Beverages Head sets Magazines Overhead bins Use lounge in airport Hotel stays Lots of time in pressurized cabin Plastic gloves for cleaning Collect trash What’s Unique About Attendants?

33. Serve food Serve drinks Push cart Galley Prepare food Use oven Use coffee maker Handle garbage Clean galley Safety demo Oxygen masks Seat belt Exits Life Vest/Floatation Talk on P.A. Uniforms Jump seat Hand out… Blankets Pillows Peanuts Beverages Head sets Magazines Overhead bins Use lounge in airport Hotel stays Lots of time in pressurized cabin Plastic gloves for cleaning Collect trash What’s Unique About Attendants?

34. Congratulations!You have successfully appliedyour critical thinking skills.

35. Conclusion • Eastern Airlines assumed the problem had something to do with its new jets. It turns out the problem was the life vests. On the vests, printed in red ink, were the words “demo only.” The ink was toxic and it flaked off on their skin. An “Is/Is Not” root cause analysis would have helped them come to this conclusion.

36. Applied Critical Thinking Sequence

37. Creating a Training Program- How do I get started? • Create yours from scratch, or… • Critical Thinking Boot Camp • Integrates the WGII • Uses 3-phase Approach • Uses proven tools & techniques in practice for 30+ years • Pre-work and Follow-up • Collects & disseminates ROI data to you

38. A 3-Phase Approach to Development

40. Results to Date… • Survey of 400 participants within 18 months of completing the program • Understand how to apply skills • Applied the skills on the job 91% 74% 0 50 100

41. Return on Investment For every $10,000 spent on training & materials

42. Return on Investment Clients average $170,000 in savings or results

43. Some Recent Examples A global medical supply firm Sr. Manager in manufacturing utilized the strategic thinking tools to uncover $400,000 in annual savings. Project Manager used applied critical thinking tools to design a plan to release a product 10 months early with $10M additional incremental revenue.

45. Questions or Inquiries Critical Thinking Boot Camp or Train-the-Trainer: Breanne Potter – 816.256.3334 Breanne.Potter@Pearson.com Presentation: Scott Dannemiller – 615.479.3492 SDannemiller@ExecutiveDevelopment.com www.ThinkWatson.com/bootcamp