critical thinking & communication skills rev5.24.10

CRITICAL THINKING & COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Leadership 101Modules One and Two

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Define critical thinking and effective communication skills

• Integrate skills into everyday decision-making and workplace interactions

• Be able to distinguish between fact and opinion

• Exhibit excellent interpersonal communication ability

1.2 Types of Thinking

Problem SolvingDecision Making

CriticalThinking

• Analyzing•

Evaluating•

Reasoning NewIdeas

CreativeThinking

RightLeft

What is Critical Thinking???

WARNING: THIS MAN IS NOT THINKING CRITICALLY!!

Source: http://profmulder.home.att.net/introwhatis.htm

Activity: “Don’t Be A Lame Brain”

Critical Thinking – QUICK Overview

Good Thinking Skills Are…

CLEAR……….....rather than........UNCLEAR

ACCURATE…....rather than…….INACCURATE

PRECISE……....rather than…….VAGUE

RELEVANT…….rather than…….IRRELEVANT

CONSISTENT….rather than……INCONSISTENT

LOGICAL……….rather than……ILLOGICAL

COMPLETE……rather than……INCOMPLETE

FAIR…………….rather than…....BIASED

I am probablythe greatestthinker since

Socrates!

Ask questions…be willing to wonder

Define the problem

Examine the evidence

Analyze assumptions and biases

Avoid emotional reasoning

Don’t oversimplify

Consider the interpretations

Embrace uncertainty

Case Study: Evaluating Facts

Let’s take a break…10 Minutes

Communication Skills

Definition: Communication skills is the set of skills that enables a person to convey information so that it is received and

understood.

Be aware of all three parts of the messages you send:

• Words

• Tone

• Body Language

Communication Notes

Clarifying and Confirming

Clarify : You are seeking information to help you understand what the speaker is saying and/or why he or she is saying it.

Clarifying and Confirming

Confirm : You are stating your understanding of what someone is saying and why he or she is saying it.

Note: Your confirmation is only successful when the other person agrees that you’ve understood them.

Activity: Do you see what I see?

Group Work & Individual Participation

Workplace Communication

Next Class…People & Resource Management

June 28-29, 2010

RESOURCES

1. Atwood, Christee. “Manager Skills Training” ASTD Press, VA 2008.

2. Bartholomew, R.E and Radford, B. “Hoaxes, Myths and Manias: Why We Need Critical Thinking.” Prometheus Books, NY 2003.

3. Decker, Bert. “Communication Skills for Leaders: Delivering a Clear Message” 3rd edition. Thomson Course Technology, MA 2006.

4. Gurchiek, Kathy. “Motivating Innovation” pp.31-35. HR Magazine, February 2009.

5. “Critical Thinking Skills: Success in 20 Minutes a Day.” Learning Express, NY 2010.

6. www.criticalthinking.com; www.youtube.com; www.bnet.com; www.astd.org; www.shrm.org