Critical Thinking Worskshop 2 days Training Course

Module 1: Cultivating a Critical Thinking Mindset

• Understanding critical thinking and its significance in professional environments
• Distinguishing critical thinking from reactive behaviour, unfounded assumptions, and intuitive reliance
• Common obstacles to clear and rational thought
• The influence of time constraints, prior experience, and organisational culture on decision-making
• An introduction to a structured critical thinking workflow
• Key stages: observation, interpretation, analysis, exploration, and evaluation
• Shifting focus from seeking immediate answers to asking more probing questions

Practical Exercise: Examine a recent workplace decision and trace the thought processes that led to the final result.

Module 2: Accurately Defining the Problem

• Differentiating symptoms from underlying issues
• Understanding why organisations often address the wrong problems
• Problem framing techniques and the art of asking better questions
• Uncovering assumptions embedded within problem statements
• Utilising the 5 Whys method
• Conducting root cause analysis
• Investigating alternative explanations

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

Module 3: Assessing Information, Evidence, and Assumptions

• Distinguishing facts, opinions, and assumptions
• The difference between interpretation and empirical evidence
• Identifying gaps or incomplete data
• Evaluating the credibility and relevance of available information
• Differentiating strong from weak evidence
• Spotting hidden assumptions
• Distinguishing correlation from causation
• Avoiding conclusions drawn from insufficient data

Practical Exercise: Assess a business scenario containing facts, opinions, assumptions, and incomplete evidence, determining what additional data is needed before deciding.

Module 4: Cognitive Biases and Thinking Pitfalls

• How cognitive biases affect judgement and decision-making
• Confirmation bias
• Anchoring bias
• Authority bias
• Availability bias
• Escalation of commitment
• Groupthink
• Recognising logical fallacies in professional discussions
• Ad hominem attacks
• Straw man arguments
• Slippery slope reasoning
• False dilemmas
• Challenging one’s own thought processes

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

Module 5: Analysing a Business Challenge

• Applying the critical thinking process to complex problems
• Clarifying the issue before proposing solutions
• Identifying existing and missing evidence
• Questioning initial assumptions
• Considering alternative interpretations
• Filtering relevant information from distractions
• Formulating an evidence-based problem analysis

Practical Exercise: Small groups analyse a business case relevant to the client’s sector and present their findings and reasoning.

Module 6: Challenging Perspectives and Exploring Alternatives

• Why considering alternative viewpoints enhances decision quality
• Asking: “What if we are wrong?”
• Identifying alternative explanations
• Devil’s Advocate techniques
• Red Team thinking
• Promoting constructive disagreement
• Challenging preferred solutions
• Using pre-mortems to identify potential failure points

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

Module 7: Creative Thinking for Enhanced Problem Solving

• The interplay between critical and creative thinking
• Divergent versus convergent thinking
• Moving beyond the first or most obvious solution
• Brainstorming and brainwriting techniques
• Generating multiple alternatives
• Using SCAMPER to explore new approaches
• Objectively evaluating creative ideas

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
• Establishing clear decision criteria
• Objectively comparing alternatives
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Assessing risks and trade-offs
• Understanding stakeholder impact
• Utilising decision matrices
• Identifying potential unintended consequences
• Making decisions under conditions of uncertainty

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

Module 9: Critical Thinking in Leadership and Teams

• The role of critical thinking in leadership
• Why teams sometimes make poor decisions
• The impact of hierarchy, authority, and groupthink
• Encouraging constructive challenge
• Creating an environment where questioning assumptions is welcomed
• Asking better questions in meetings
• Distinguishing disagreement from conflict
• Facilitating evidence-based discussions
• Communicating recommendations clearly and persuasively

Practical Exercise: Engage in a structured team decision-making exercise involving competing priorities, incomplete information, and diverse stakeholder perspectives.

Module 10: Final Business Simulation and Action Planning

• Applying the full critical thinking process
• Defining the problem
• Analysing evidence and assumptions
• Identifying biases and thinking traps
• Exploring alternative perspectives and solutions
• Establishing decision criteria
• Assessing risks and consequences
• Developing and presenting an evidence-based recommendation

Practical Exercise: Participants work in teams on a comprehensive business scenario or, where appropriate, a real workplace challenge from the client.