I commonly observe more assumptions being made than questions being asked. The lack of critical thinking, and taking a step back to ask the question "why," in my opinion, is the reason why 70% of all strategies fail. Luckily, critical thinking can be learned, and I have outlined a my top three tips to think more critically.
1. Assess things from Multiple Angles
Critical thinking is not about having all the answers, but it is about assessing things from multiple angles. Recently, I met with a CEO that was unhappy with his sales team. The marketing team had met all their metrics, but sales lagged significantly. Two points stood out to me. First while marketing had met their KPIs no new pipeline had been created. Second, the average product feature delay was 12 months past the initial promised date. Sales was lagging, but the marketing activities were not focused on filling the funnel and product delays were de-legitimizing the sales pitch and the sales executives pitching them. Making it less about the sales team, and more about the businesses ability to execute on the fundamentals.
It's easy to focus on what is six feet in front of you and point out what is not working however in my experience what’s six feet in front of you is often a symptom rather than the problem itself. To identify the real problem, you must move past the obvious and cast a broad and critical eye.
2. Ask Questions
A study conducted by Harvard Business Review (HBR) across 2,000 organisations found that roughly 95% employees surveyed, stated they had a strong company culture. Yet only 5% of these employees felt empowered to ask questions. This applied to requirements or direction given within their own role, as well as broader corporate strategic initiatives. It’s important to remember that there are no “stupid” questions. You can’t not execute what you do not understand. Asking for clarification is how you learn and grow; it is the bedrock in which critical thinking is cemented in.
3. Being aware that you are wired to make assumptions
“Why is the chair the mother of the desk?” It’s an odd question but psychologist use this as means to illustrate to their patients the brains need to create narratives where gaps exist in the storyline. If you think about it, why is the chair the mother of the desk? If you give yourself 30 seconds, see what narrative you craft. I was certain the desk was maternal in the way it provided shelter to the chair. I then wondered what my answer said about me, my character, and values? The reality is, it’s a ridiculous question there is no answer to this question; the desk is not the mother of the chair. Your brain is wired to fill in the gaps and bypass the “nonsense” aspect of the question. We do this constantly. Social situations are a perfect example of this. Do they like me? Why didn’t he or she call me back? My colleague makes more than me, they must be more valued. Each of these questions and statements are bound to curate a rich set of storylines.
If we allow these narratives, and ultimately assumptions to take hold, it takes us further from what reality is most likely to be and how you can influence it. It’s important to be aware of these pitfalls and actively create strategies that bypass them. Otherwise, you are likely to fall victim to your own assumptions rather than navigating reality.
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