Critical Thinking, Leadership &Management of Health Systems

Dr Aderonke Manuwa-Olumide
WACP/CM Update Course on Leadership & Management, December 14th-18th,2009

CRITICAL THINKING THE PROBLEM AND CHALLENGE

Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. Much of our thinking, by itself, is often partial, biased, distorted, uninformed, and prejudiced. The quality of our life, what we produce, make, or build depends on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of professional life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated
18 December 2009 John Aheto 2

What is Critical Thinking (CT)?

skilled thinking that demonstrates the commitment to entertain all viewpoints empathetically and to assess them with the same intellectual standards, without reference to ones own feelings or vested interests, or the feelings or vested interests of ones friends, community, or nation.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 3

What is Critical Thinking (CT)?-2

The art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking so as to make your thinking more clear, precise, accurate, relevant, consistent, fair, truthful, and credible.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

What is Critical Thinking (CT)?-3

Skilled thinking characterised by empathy into diverse opposing points of view and devotion to truth as against self-interest

18 December 2009

John Aheto

What is Critical Thinking (CT)?-4

Skilled thinking that is consistent in the application of intellectual standards, holding oneself to the same rigorous standards of evidence and proof to which one holds ones antagonists.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 6

What is Critical Thinking (CT)?-5

Thinking critically involves: The art of analysing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it. Understanding how our lenses influence our perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge. Making sense of the world by carefully examining the thinking process to clarify and improve our understanding
18 December 2009 John Aheto 7

Critical Thinkers
When we become critical thinkers: We develop an awareness of the assumptions under which we, and others, think, plan, and act. We learn to pay attention to the context and environment in which our ideas, attitudes, plans, and actions are generated.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 8

Critical Thinkers -2
When we become critical thinkers: We become skeptical of quick-fix solutions, of single answers to problems, and of claims to universal truths. We also become open to realistic alternative ways of looking at and behaving in the world.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 9

CRITICAL THINKING
In essence, critical thinking is a selfdirected, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command over their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities, and It requires commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentricism
18 December 2009 John Aheto 10

CRITICAL THINKING
The ability to think critically is important for our lives in many different ways, especially in the professions, business, education, and training. When we are critical thinkers within our professional, business, political, and intimate relationships, we learn to see our actions through the critical eyes of others.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 11

CRITICAL THINKING
At our workplaces, we seek to exercise democratic control over workplace functions and organization and to take initiative in designing the form and content of our plans and activities. We become aware of the potential for distortions and biases in depictions of our private and public words and actions.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 12

CRITICAL THINKING
Generally, we value freedom, we practice democracy, we encourage a tolerance of diversity, and we hold in check the demagogic tendencies of others. As a dimension of learning, however, critical thinking in adulthood has been neglected in the educational and training literature and practice.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

13

CRITICAL THINKING
Thinking critically involves reflecting on the assumptions underlying our and others ideas and actions, and contemplating alternative ways of thinking, acting, and living. It is one of the important ways in which we become responsible adults, professionals, students, citizens.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

14

CRITICAL THINKING
When we think critically: We come to our judgments, choices, ideas, conclusions, decisions, etc. for ourselves, instead of letting others do these on our behalf. We personally become actively engaged in creating our own and preferred personal, professional, and social worlds.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 15

CRITICAL THINKING
When we think critically: We refuse to relinquish our responsibility for making the choices and decisions that determine our individual and collective futures to those who presume to know what is in our best interests the customers or clients or tax payers.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

16

CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking is for all professionals, leaders, managers, and educators who seek to understand and develop skills of critical thinking in their colleagues, clients, learners, and peers. In professional functions, critical thinking is useful for those trying to understand how people can be challenged to become more questioning, less accepting, and more involved in controlling their own lives, destiny, and workplaces.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 17

CRITICAL THINKING
The components of critical thinking can be recognized in peoples actions. Critical thinking encourages us, our colleagues, and our clients to take a critical look at what we are doing, why we are doing it, what alternatives we might and should consider, and how we can learn from all this critical scrutiny.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

18

COMPONENTS OF CRITICAL THINKING

The components of critical thinking include: being aware of the assumptions, perceptions, and biases under which we and others plan, live, and act; challenging these assumptions, perceptions, and biases; becoming aware of how context alters thought, attitude, behavior, and conclusions. becoming skeptical of claims to universal truths or ultimate explanations, and intensely considering and imagining plausible alternatives to our current attitudes and ways of thinking, acting, living, decision making.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 19

CRITICAL THINKING
The ability to be critically reflective is one significant criterion we use when judging whether a person is mature, whether a society is democratic, whether an entity is effective, or whether there is compliance. People must connect their private lives with broadened social forces. We need to model the kinds of critical, reflective attitudes and behaviors we seek to encourage in others. We need to challenge the assumptions and bases through criteria analysis, critical questioning, critical incidents, role play, and crisis-decision simulation.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 20

10

CRITICAL THINKING
We must also explore the range of techniques for encouraging people to imagine plausible alternatives to their familiar ways of thinking and living. These include future-invention technique, the development of preferred scenarios, and the use of esthetic triggers to help people break free from habitual ways of thinking, perceiving, and acting.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 21

CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking can be recognized in the context of our personal relationships, work activities, and political involvements. It entails more than the skills of logical analysis It also involves calling into question the assumptions underlying our customary, habitual ways of thinking and acting and then being ready to think and act differently on the basis of robust critical questioning.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 22

11

CRITICAL THINKING
Without critical thinking, our personal relationships become stale, our workplaces remain stagnant or remain organized as they were decades ago, and our organizational involvements dwindle to the point of total nonparticipation or irrelevance A critically informed populace of critical thinkers is more likely to productively participate in all forms of professional and democratic activities.

18 December 2009

John Aheto

23

CRITICAL THINKING THEMES

Critical thinking is: grounded on sound emotional intelligence and intellectual curiosity and challenge; a continuous process, not an outcome or end state; a very productive and positive activity
18 December 2009 John Aheto 24

12

CRITICAL THINKING THEMES

Manifestations of critical thinking vary according to the contexts in which it occurs. It is:
triggered by positive as well as negative events emotive as well as rational or logical

18 December 2009

John Aheto

25

COMPONENTS OF CRITICAL THINKING Identifying and challenging assumptions Challenging the importance of context (hidden and uncritically assimilated assumptions) in everything we do Imagining and exploring viable alternatives Developing and using professional reflective skepticism
18 December 2009 John Aheto 26

13

FACILITATING CRITICAL THINKING (1)

Develop yourself as a critical thinker Affirm critical thinkers self-worth Listen attentively to critical thinkers Show that you support critical thinkers efforts Reflect and mirror critical thinkers ideas and actions Motivate people to think critically
18 December 2009 John Aheto 27

FACILITATING CRITICAL THINKING (2)

Regularly evaluate progress Help critical thinkers to create networks Be a critical teacher of others Make people aware of how they learn critical thinking Actively model critical thinking
18 December 2009 John Aheto 28

14

CHECKLIST FOR REASONING ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT All REASONING: 1. Has a Purpose 2. Is an attempt to Figure something out, settle some Issues or Question, solve some Problem 3. Is based on Assumptions 4. Is done from some Point Of View
18 December 2009 John Aheto 29

CHECKLIST FOR REASONING ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT

All REASONING: 5. Is based on Data, Information, and Evidence 6. Is expressed through, and shaped by Concepts, Values, Principles, Ideas, etc. 7. Contains Inferences or Interpretations by which we draw Conclusions and give meaning to Data or piece of Information. 8. Leads to a Conclusion or Judgment, has Implications, and Consequences,
18 December 2009 John Aheto 30

15

UNIVERSAL INTELLECTUAL STANDARDS OF THINKING (1) Universal intellectual standards of thinking are standards which must be applied to thinking whenever one is interested in checking the quality of thinking and reasoning about a problem, issue, or situation To think critically, entails having command over these standards
18 December 2009 John Aheto 31

UNIVERSAL INTELLECTUAL STANDARDS OF THINKING (2)

These standards entail: Clarity:- unambiguous Accuracy:- truth, verifiability Precision:- details, specificity Relevance:- connection, bearing on the issue Depth:- complexities and significant issues Breadth:- viable alternative points of view
18 December 2009 John Aheto 32

16

UNIVERSAL INTELLECTUAL STANDARDS OF THINKING (3)

Logic:- making sense, following from, Significance:- universal importance to others Completeness:- breadth and depth Fairness:- equity and just

18 December 2009

John Aheto

33

INTELLECTUAL TRAITS OR VIRTUES

Intellectual integrity or honesty Intellectual humility Confidence in reason Intellectual perseverance Fair-mindedness and objectivity Intellectual courage Intellectual empathy Intellectual autonomy or independence
John Aheto 34

18 December 2009

17

THE RESULT
A well-cultivated critical thinker/professional: Raises vital questions, issues, and problems; formulating them clearly and precisely. Gathers and assesses relevant data and information, using abstract ideas to interpret them effectively. Comes to well-reasoned, sound conclusions and solutions; testing them against relevant criteria and universal standards.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 35

THE RESULT (2)

A well-cultivated critical thinker/professional Thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognising and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences. Communicates effectively with others in figuring out or crafting solutions to complex problems.
18 December 2009 John Aheto 36

18

STAGES OF CRITICAL THINKING DEVELOPMENT (1)

UNREFLECTIVE THINKER: Unaware of significant problems in his thinking

CHALLENGED THINKER: faced with significant problems in his thinking

BEGINNING THINKER: tries to improve but without regular practice or consistency

18 December 2009 John Aheto 37

STAGES OF CRITICAL THINKING DEVELOPMENT (2)

PRACTICING THINKER: recognizes the need for regular and conscious practice of thinking

ADVANCEDTHINKER: advances in keeping with his thinking practice

MASTER THINKER: good habits of thought are becoming second nature and automatic
18 December 2009 John Aheto 38

19