BSBCRT311
Apply critical
thinking skills
in a team
environment
This unit describes skills and knowledge required
to apply critical thinking skills to generate
solutions to workplace problems in a team
environment. The unit applies to individuals
who are required to develop and extend their
critical and creative thinking skills to different
issues and situations. These individuals apply
a range of problem solving, evaluation and
analytical skills resolve workplace issues within
a team context.
STUDENT
RESOURCE
ivet.edu.au
1300 00 IVET
IVET Institute: RTO ID: 40548
CONTENTS
Elements and performance criteria........................................................................................................................................3
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................5
Creative thinking ............................................................................................................................................................................5
Critical thinking skills.....................................................................................................................................................................8
Develop a questioning mindset ...............................................................................................................................................8
Generate ideas and responses ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Creative thinking techniques..............................................................................................................................................................................................11
Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats.............................................................................................................................................................................14
Storytelling ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Graphic organisers .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
Morphological analysis ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Lateral thinking games ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Use of metaphors and analogies ...............................................................................................................................................................................22
Vision circles .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Visualisation ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Wishful thinking ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Word salads ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Blockers to creative thinking................................................................................................................................................... 24
Existing boundaries ......................................................................................................................................................................27
Available resources ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Established traditions ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Risk with ideas and thought processes ............................................................................................................................. 28
Creative thinking vs critical thinking........................................................................................................................................................................ 28
Generate ideas and responses ............................................................................................................................................. 33
Enhance creative thinking skills ............................................................................................................................................ 34
Enhance critical thinking skills ............................................................................................................................................... 35
Organisational and legislative frameworks ..................................................................................................................... 36
Evaluating and presenting your solution .......................................................................................................................... 37
Suites 210 – 212
189E South Centre Road
Tullamarine VIC 3043
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2
Elements and performance criteria
BSBCRT311
Apply critical thinking skills in a team environment
ELEMENT
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Elements describe the essential
outcomes.
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to
demonstrate achievement of the element.
1.1 Identify and select workplace problem to address within
scope of job role of team members
1. Prepare to address workplace
problem
1.2 Identify organisational and legislative frameworks
applicable to selected problem
1.3 Develop questions to identify key issues and challenges of
selected problem
1.4 Consult key stakeholders using questions to gather
information on selected problem
2.1 Identify a range of critical thinking techniques to generate
solutions to selected problem
2.2 Develop solutions using knowledge and experience of
team members
2. Evaluate solutions for
workplace problem
2.3 Explain development process for individual solutions
generated to team members
2.4 Apply agreed criteria for selecting most suitable option in
consultation with team members
2.5 Critically evaluate solutions generated and select
solution to be implemented
3.1 Present solution to relevant stakeholders with explanation
of critical thinking processes involved
3. Finalise and review solution
development process
3.2 Respond to challenges and questions from stakeholders
3.3 Evaluate critical thinking processes with team members
and using feedback received
3.4 Identify critical thinking learnings to apply to individual
and team situations
3
Performance evidence
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance
criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:
y
generate and present solutions to a workplace problem on at least two occasions.
In the course of the above, the candidate must:
y
identify and analyse workplace problems as part of a team
y
develop questions on key challenges of a chosen problem
y
consult relevant stakeholders to gather information on workplace problem
y
use a range of creative thinking techniques as part of a team to generate ideas or responses to
questions or issues
y
use critical thinking processes to develop relevant questions and criteria for identified workplace
issue
y
present to relevant stakeholders and respond to answers
y
assess feedback to identify key personal and team learnings.
Knowledge evidence
The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements,
performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:
y
organisational and legislative frameworks
y
advantages of different perspectives when asking questions
y
critical thinking techniques
y
applicable criteria to assess potential solutions to workplace issue
y
boundaries to be considered when generating ideas and responses
y
methods to develop individual critical and creative thinking skills.
For more information on this unit of competency visit: https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/BSBCRT311
4
Introduction
The ability to think both creatively and critically is a key attribute to working in many industries. Creative
thinking is the ability to look at a situation or problem from a fresh and different perspective. It is the
ability to think outside the box and create unorthodox solutions that are different, unique and exciting.
Creative thinking is about musing, testing, experimenting and challenging ideas, concepts and thoughts.
The term ‘critical’ comes from the Greek word kritikos, meaning discerning. Critical thinking is a general
term for mindsets and skills that contribute to decision making.
In this unit you will learn to:
y
prepare to address workplace problem
y
evaluate solutions for workplace problem
y
finalise and review solution development process.
Creative thinking
Creative thinking can take place anywhere, at anytime – at home, at work, lying in bed at night, in the
shower, or on the bus. It can be applied to any type of issue or situation. When used effectively it helps to
improve or create innovative services, products or processes. Sometimes creative thinking pays off in a
seemingly unconnected way or in a different context later on.
Creative thinking can be learnt and used through thoughtful application of skills related to observation,
analysis, reflection, problem solving, evaluation and critical appraisal. In the next section of this chapter
we will look at how to develop a questioning mindset and generate creative ideas. The use of creative
thinking skills in any occupation or industry area can open up new opportunities for individuals, businesses
and communities. It creates innovation and new ways to engage people.
5
Creative entrepreneurs
1
Each of the following products were presented on the television series Shark Tank by
entrepreneurs. Each of them has been successful. Using the internet research each product
and complete the following questions.
HEGS
1.
What is it? What is it used for?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2.
What already existing product is it based on and how does it differ?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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3.
Are there similar products on the market? Provide a brief overview.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Bottlepops
1.
What is it? What is it used for?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2.
What already existing product is it based on and how does it differ?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3.
Are there similar products on the market? Provide a brief overview.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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6
CONTINUED...
1
‘Lil Fairy Door
1.
What is it? What is it used for?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2.
What already existing product is it based on and how does it differ?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3.
Are there similar products on the market? Provide a brief overview.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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Scrubba Wash Bag
1.
What is it? What is it used for?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2.
What already existing product is it based on and how does it differ?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3.
Are there similar products on the market? Provide a brief overview.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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7
Critical thinking skills
Critical thinking is not about being negative. It is about not taking things for granted and questioning the
status quo. Critical thinking involves questioning, analysing and evaluating things that we see, read and
hear. It is the ability to think clearly and rationally and understand the logical connection between ideas.
People who are critical thinkers generally are:
y inquisitive and curious, always seeking the
truth
y reflective and aware of their own thought
processes
y fair in their evaluation of evidence and others’
views
y open minded and willing to have their beliefs
challenged
y sceptical of information
y using evidence and reason to formulate decisions
y perceptive and able to make connections
between ideas
y able to formulate judgements with evidence and
reason.
Develop a questioning mindset
Problem solving means applying both critical
and creative thinking skills. Develop the habit of
asking questions from different perspectives. Take
responsibility for exploring a variety of information
sources to gain answers to questions and identify
central questions, issues and challenges.
Questions that you may use to do this include:
y
Are there any boundaries I need to consider?
y
Are there new ideas we can bring to this
situation?
y
What extra information do I need?
y
How could I solve this problem?
y
What is missing?
y
Is there a different way of doing this?
y
What is required?
y
What am I or others trying to do?
y
Who do I need to talk to about this?
y
What do I need to do to make this better?
y
Why is this so?
As well as developing a questioning mindset it is also beneficial to look at situations and issues from a
range of different perspectives. A perspective is a person’s point of view and their attitude towards certain
things. For example, many people feel that respect should be earned and not just expected because a
person is in a more senior role. How they were raised and the people that they associate with as well as
their experiences, successes and mistakes can influence a person’s perspective on certain issues.
While people may have common perspectives on certain issues a perspective is something that is
unique, it is what makes us all different and creates innovation. It is important to take the time to really
listen to the different perspectives, viewpoints and opinions of others as this is important in being a
creative and critical thinker. Gaining insight into the perspectives of others will allow you to question your
own viewpoint and may help you look at it differently or confirm your own thoughts. The perceptions
of others may allow you to come up with new ideas, ways of approaching things, strategies or ways to
solve a problem more effectively.
8
You might gain perspectives from:
y
clients or customers
y
organising committees
y
family members
y
regulatory authorities
y
friends
y
self
y
funding bodies
y
specialists or experts
y
general public
y
supervisors or managers
y
history
y
work colleagues.
When listening to the perspective of others it is important to be an active and engaged listener. Active
listening is about being involved in the listening process. To be an active listener you should:
y
Pay attention – look directly at the speaker; concentrate on what they are saying; don’t silently
prepare for what you will say next; avoid being distracted by side conversations or environmental
factors.
y
Show that you are listening – smile and nod occasionally; ensure positive body language and
posture.
y
Provide feedback and respond appropriately – ask questions to clarify information and to gain
additional information; be honest in your answers/feedback.
2
Creative thinking questions
Consider the following scenarios, using the creative thinking questions on the previous page
identify the questions you could ask to demonstrate a questioning mindset.
Scenario 1
The organisation that you work for has just released a new running shoe. On careful inspection you
notice that the tongue of the shoe is quite short and after trying the shoe on you find that it slips
inside the shoe when moving and becomes quite uncomfortable.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Scenario 2
You are the manager of a local leisure centre. An employee comes to you to complain about a fellow
swim teacher. He says that she is always late for her classes and doesn’t have time to collect the
equipment she needs. During classes when he is not looking she comes into his lane and takes his
equipment. When he asks her about the missing equipment she tells him that she didn’t take it and
that he must have forgotten to collect it before his class started.
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9
CONTINUED...
2
Scenario 3
You have an idea to start a café in your local area that allows dogs to dine with their owners. You
want to provide seats for dogs to sit on and drinks and food for both owners and their dogs.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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Scenario 4
You own a small business; lately you have been losing customers to a larger business that has
opened up three blocks away. You want to organise a re-launch and promotions drive to obtain more
customers. You know that your products and service is better than the newly opened competitor but
you need to find a way to portray this to your client base.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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To develop a questioning mindset you also need
to challenge preconceptions and assumptions
to determine actual constraints in defining
a problem for resolution. A preconception is
an idea or opinion that a person has already
formed beforehand (e.g. a person saying that
they don’t like camping even though they have
never been).
THE SAME
OLD THINKING
THE SAME
OLD RESULTS
People’s preconceptions influence how they
act and feel about certain things. They can
be challenging to overcome, so it is important
to work with people, to help them to view
situations for themselves and put aside their preconceptions and assumptions. To do this you may need
to come up with creative solutions and encourage them to be open minded.
10
Generate ideas and responses
Creative thinking techniques
There are a range of techniques that can be used to generate ideas and responses. Whether you are
using creative thinking by yourself or in a group, it is important to muse on, play around with and have
fun with ideas in relation to a perceived objective. This will allow you to explore, challenge, test and
reinvent new ideas. In this next section we will explore a number of creative thinking techniques, many of
which you may be familiar with and may have used in your classrooms over the years.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is where an individual or group of people come up with a range of ideas and/or possible
solutions. This creative thinking technique can be extremely useful when trying to find new ways to look
at things, create innovation or foster collaboration in a group. Collaboration is about people working
together to achieve a common goal, using their own skills to contribute to the group. If all group members
can contribute their ideas, perceptions and opinions, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership
for the work of the group.
Brainstorming only works when the group does not criticise or judge the ideas being generated. All
ideas should be written down for all group members to see and individuals should be encouraged to
be creative and contribute ideas no matter how silly they may think they are. People should also be
encouraged to build on the ideas of others. If you are brainstorming by yourself you should sit somewhere
quiet and write or type all the ideas you can think of continuously without interruption.
11
There are a range of methods that can be adapted when brainstorming including:
Stop and go
The ‘stop and go’ brainstorming technique, as its name suggests, is where groups
brainstorm as many ideas as possible in 2–5 minutes. For the next 2–5 minutes the
group is silent and individuals reflect on the ideas already given, individually develop
them in their minds and come up with new ideas. The group then brainstorms together
for another 2–5 minutes, adding more ideas to their list. The brainstorming can alternate
between individual and group until ideas have stopped flowing or the group feels that
what they have is sufficient.
This technique is excellent as it allows groups to work together but also allows each
individual to have silent time to think about their own ideas without being interrupted.
Sequencing
The sequencing brainstorming technique requires the group leader to ask for ideas from
each person, one at a time in a specific order. This order may be based on where people
are sitting in a room. Each person contributes their idea when it is their turn; if they run
out of ideas and have nothing to contribute they simply say ‘pass’ when it is their turn.
This brainstorming technique gives all members of the group an opportunity to be
heard and contribute their own ideas. It also stops stronger, more opinionated people
from dominating the group. Taking turns allows people to feel part of the group and part
of the new ideas, giving them a sense of ownership. When people have ownership over
a new idea or project they are more likely to take it on and drive it to succeed.
Buzz session
A buzz session is where a large group is divided into smaller groups. It is a suitable
brainstorming method when a group has more than 10 people. Each smaller group
completes their own brainstorming which is recorded by a member of the group. Once
the smaller groups are finished brainstorming they then come back to the larger group
and share their ideas.
The name of this brainstorming method is based on the buzzing noise that is made when
groups are working in the same room together. It is an effective brainstorming method
for larger groups as it allows more ideas to be recorded and greater participation by
group members.
Bulletin board
This is simply the method used to record the brainstormed ideas; it could be a white
board, pin board, chalkboard or butcher paper. It should be in a central location so
that all group members can view the ideas being written on the board. They should be
legible and in a colour that is bold and easily seen. Bulletin boards can be integrated
with ‘stop and go’, sequencing and/or buzz sessions. All ideas should be written on the
bulletin board for later discussion.
Computer-aided Instead of writing ideas down you could type them into a computer that can be seen
by everyone in the group, using a data projector or smart board. If it is electronic the
brainstorming document could be easily used, emailed or added to later on. It would
also allow for ideas to be moved around and linked with other ideas easily without
messy cross-outs or arrows. It also ensures that the ideas are legible, easy to read and
that spelling and grammar is always accurate and correct.
12
Learning Checkpoint 1
1.
What is creative thinking?
2.
Why is it important to develop a questioning mindset?
3.
What is critical thinking?
4.
What is a perspective?
5.
What is a preconception? How could you overcome them?
6.
Why is it important to listen to different people’s perspectives?
13
Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats
Every person has a different way of thinking and a different way of learning. This means that they will
tackle work tasks and projects in different ways, based on the kind of approach that they prefer to use.
Some people’s thinking is influenced by emotions, which means they make decisions or generate ideas
based on their feelings and emotions. People who think in this way may be good at understanding the
needs of customers.
Other people prefer to use logic and reason to steer their thinking. These people are often good at
separating fact from opinion. They come up with ideas that are well reasoned, based on scientific or
factual evidence and can be tested and proven or disproven.
Other people are very creative thinkers. They
come up with ideas that others might not
even consider because their approach is
to think of what may be possible. They are
less concerned with fact, and more drawn to
wonderment and the ‘what ifs’ of a situation
or project.
A well-known theory developed by Edward
de Bono is the ‘Six Thinking Hats’ concept.
This theory suggests that people can use
six different ways of thinking. The six hats,
each with its own colour, represent the six
ways that a person can think or approach a
subject, task, discussion or project.
Facts and details
Emotions and feelings SI
WAYS
OF
THINKING
Examines the negative
Focus on the positive
Focus on reection
Requires imagination
The six ‘hats’ (ways of thinking) and their features include:
White Hat
These people focus on facts, data and information to stimulate their ideas.
Green Hat
These people are creative thinkers; they think about what may be possible or if anything
new can be generated; they think ‘outside the box’.
Red Hat
These people make decisions and choices based on their emotions and feelings. They
will often rely on instinct and gut reactions to guide their decision-making.
Black Hat
These people tend to focus on the negatives or look for possible problems; they can be
judgemental, cautious and question the minute details.
Yellow Hat
These people are optimistic in their thinking. For example, they look for the positives and
the benefits of an idea or plan.
Blue Hat
These people are controllers; they are concerned with and think about the processes
which are being used to create or test an idea. They like to break down the actual
processes of a project, plan or task. They think about ‘thinking’ which makes them
excellent planners and organisers.
14
3
Which hat are you ?
TASK A
Using the definitions of the ‘six thinking hats’ above, decide which hat best describes the way
that you prefer to think.
Next, write a paragraph that describes a time when you used this particular style of thinking to
tackle a project or solve a problem.
TASK B
Complete the following questions:
1.
Of the six ‘hats’ (ways of thinking), which would you say you use least often? Explain why.
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2.
Why do you think it is important to use Edward de Bono’s six hat theory when generating
new ideas or tackling a problem?
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3.
Why do you think the black hat is an important hat to wear sometimes, especially when you
are generating new ideas?
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4.
Which ‘hat’ do you think is the most likely to promote creative thinking?
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15
Storytelling
Storytelling is the art of creating and telling a story. It is using words to convey emotions and evoke
visualisation of characters, locations and events. Stories are created using experiences and imagination.
Trigger words
These are words or phrases that jump out at you, or prompt you to
remember something. The use of trigger words can assist you when
studying or when you need to remember definitions or concepts.
Using trigger words as headings or when writing study notes will
assist you to recall information that you have read when you come
across them. Trigger words assist your mind to make associations
with other concepts and related information. For example, if the
trigger word was ‘Christmas’, you may recall words such as carols, presents, trees, stocking, decorations,
family, food and Santa Claus. It may even trigger a story in your mind of something that happened last
Christmas or a memory of a present that you received.
Alter egos or heroes
This creative thinking technique requires you to either create
another person or create a version of yourself: an alter ego. This
person views and explores things differently to you; this will allow you
to explore different aspects of a particular situation and potentially
unlock new ideas. Alternatively, imagine that you are someone else,
a hero, and imagine and think about how they would handle the
situation. What would they do, what qualities do they have that
would be beneficial in this instance? For example, if you needed to motivate a team of people think
about how the captain of an AFL team would motivate his team to win, what would he say, how would
he act, what qualities he possesses?
4
Heroes, what would they say ?
TASK 1
Think of a famous person that you are familiar with; they could be a musician, politician, athlete,
etc.
TASK 2
Give a brief explanation of whom this person is and what qualities they possess (e.g. leadership,
empathy, creative abilities, etc.)
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16
CONTINUED...
4
TASK 3
Read the following scenario then pretend that you are the famous person from Task 1. Briefly
explain how they would handle the situation, what would they do, what would they say and how
would they solve the situation.
Scenario 1
A coach of an elite sports team has just started training his/her team after the pre-session break. All
of his/her players have come back from their eight-week break overweight and unfit. Many of them
have not completed a training session or lifted weights at all during the break.
Before the break the coach personally met with each player and made them an individual
training plan.
What would the famous person do in this situation? How would they handle it? What would they
say to the players?
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TASK 4
Scenario 2
A manager of a business oversees its day-to-day running and is responsible for managing 20 staff.
Lately many of the staff have been slacking off, turning up late and not following procedures for restocking the shelves and cleaning up prior to closing. He has spoken to a couple of staff individually,
however they didn’t seem to care or acknowledge what was being said. The manager has called a
compulsory staff meeting for next week to discuss the issues.
What would the famous person do in this situation? How would they handle it? What would they
say to the staff?
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17
Daydreaming and mental wandering
Daydreaming and mental wandering is when you zone out or mentally disconnect from what is going on
around you. They can be effective creative thinking techniques because you block everything out and
your mind and thoughts drift from reality.
Daydreaming often allows to you view things in a positive and visionary light; it allows you to see past
the obstacles and take a glimpse at what it would be like to achieve your goals, have your idea work or
experience success. For example, you may daydream about the business that you just started being
successful and allowing you to have a more flexible and comfortable lifestyle.
Graphic organisers
Graphic organisers are a visual display used to organise and categorise information and to find links and
relationships between ideas, concepts, thoughts and facts. They allow for a more in-depth and thorough
understanding of information. Graphic organisers allow you to make associations and connections
between concepts so they can be more easily understood. There are a range of graphic organisers that
can be used. In this section we will explore webbing, concept fans and visual/mind maps.
Webbing
As its name suggests, webbing
allows
information
to
be
organised into categories so
that you can explore how each
category is linked or connected
to another. This type of graphic
organiser
is
excellent
for
brainstorming as it allows ideas
to be recorded, linked to one
another and prioritised. Unlike a
visual map everything in a web
is connected.
Athletics
Countries
Events
OLYMPIC
GAMES
History
Torch Relay
Melbourne
1956
Sydney
2000
Brainstorm potential
risks
Concept fans
Unlike visual maps, concept fans
use sentences and statements
rather than keywords. They have
more detail and are more often
used for problem solving or
planning. They usually start with
one key idea or problem and
then “fan-out” into a series of
options and ideas.
Hockey
Swimming
Prevent injuries when
running a school sports
carnival
First aid availability
Check all first aid kits,
update supplies
if required
Ground checks
18
Ensure trained first aid
staff are available and
located in a central
location. Ensure location
is known to participants
Adapt activity set-up
if required
Visual/mind maps
Visual maps (mind maps)
allow you to organise
information using colour,
pictures
and
various
headings,
each
with
relationships and links to
other areas. They allow you to
organise information under
categories
and
visually
outline information. They
are created using keywords,
statements or ideas which
branch off to other areas
and connecting ideas.
When creating a visual or mind map you should use colour, have a clear hierarchy of main points/topics
to explore and use images, codes and symbols to minimise and summarise ideas.
5
Graphic organisers
Organise the following keywords into one of the graphic organisers explored in the last section.
Make sure you pick the most suitable one.
Before starting remember to consider the main topic and sub-categories. Remember also to
use images, colour and shapes to organise the information.
y
Cadbury
y
Chocolate
y
Potato chips
y
Aero bar
y
Jelly babies
y
Junk food snacks
y
Biscuits
y
Red Rock Deli
y
Raspberries
y
Kit Kat
y
Nestle
y
Jelly lollies
y
Doritos
y
Picnic
y
Tim Tams
y
Smarties
y
Top Deck
y
Snakes
y
Teddy Bear biscuits
y
Thins
y
Twisties
y
Bubblegum
y
Jam Fancies
y
Tiny Teddies
19
Morphological analysis
Morphological analysis is a creative method of problem solving. It allows
you to explore possible options, solutions and ideas, and view the problem
in a range of different ways. It forces you to think differently and helps get
you moving if you are stuck on a specific problem. Morphological analysis
is based on two creative principles: decomposition and forced association.
To start the morphological analysis and solve the problem you need to break it down (deconstruction)
so that each part can be looked at individually.
For example
If you were deciding on a new playing surface for an outdoor tennis court you would break
down the options i.e. clay, grass, hard, carpet and concrete. You would then identity what you
need to consider for each surface, i.e. cost, durability, upkeep/maintenance, weather and player
safety. Then all of the options need to be compared (forced association). This is most easily done
through creating a matrix like the one below:
SURFACE
CONSIDERATIONS
CLAY
GRASS
HARD
CARPET
CONCRETE
Medium
Medium
High
High
Low
High
Medium
High
Medium
High
Upkeep and
maintenance
Medium
maintenance
required to
re-level clay.
Lots of water
needed, regular
maintenance.
Low, little to no
maintenance
required.
Medium
maintenance
required to
re-sweep sand.
Low, little to no
maintenance
required.
Weather
Puddles and
water can be
mopped up
after rain.
May be
Puddles and
Can’t be played
Puddles and
affected in
water can be
on after rain.
water can be
summer.
mopped up
mopped up
Can’t be played and swept after
and swept after
on in the rain.
rain.
rain.
Cost
Durability
Player safety
Falls would
cause scraping
and cuts.
Falls would
Falls would
cause minimal cause scraping
injury due to
and cuts.
the soft surface.
Falls would
cause scraping
and cuts
(carpet burn).
Falls would
cause scraping
and cuts.
Lateral thinking games
Like brainteasers these challenge people to think outside the box for potential options, ideas and
solutions. They are a great way to energise and engage people, whilst getting them to work together
and brainstorm possible solutions. Lateral thinking games could be used after a lunch break or at the
start of a meeting as a way to get employees’ attention and have a bit of fun.
Lateral thinking games and puzzles are stories that give clues to a scenario without telling the full story.
The reader then uses the clues, their imagination and creative thinking to determine the solution. These
stories can often be quite challenging to decipher and solve.
20
6
Are you a lateral thinker ?
In groups of 3–4, read each of the following lateral thinking stories and brainstorm possible
solutions.
STORY 1: A woman rode into town on Sunday. She stayed for four days and left on Sunday. Why?
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STORY 2: How far can a deer run into the woods?
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STORY 3: Three pieces of coal, one carrot, one hat and a scarf are lying on the lawn but no one put them
there. Where did they come from?
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STORY 4: A boy is standing on one side of the river and calls to his dog Rusty to join him on the other side.
Rusty doesn’t get wet, why?
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STORY 5: A plane crashes on the American/Canadian border, in which country do you bury the survivors?
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STORY 6: A boy who was learning to drive goes down a one-way street in the wrong direction, but didn’t
break the law, why?
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21
Use of metaphors and analogies
Wishful thinking
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes
an object or action in a way that isn’t literally
true, but helps explain an idea or make a
comparison. For example, you might say ‘I got
cold feet’ meaning that you didn’t go through
with something.
Wishful thinking is when you imagine the ideal
situation, making decisions based on what
you want it to be and not necessarily what it
actually is. It is a fantasy where you imagine
outcomes being positive even if the evidence
suggests otherwise. Wishful thinking is important
for creativity, although it can be negative if a
person simply wishes for things instead of taking
action to make them happen. Wishful thinking
can also be motivational as it can allow you
to experience what something might be like
through using your imagination, motivating you
to action it. For example, you may imagine what
it would be like to run your own personal training
business, working your own hours, exercising
Analogies are used to make a comparison
between two things that are similar. Unlike
metaphors, analogies make a parallel
comparison not a direct one. Analogies are
often used when describing something to make
it easier to understand, for example, the heart is
often described as a pump.
Vision circles
everyday, being outdoors and having flexibility.
This may motivate to you start the business.
Vision circles are a creative thinking technique
that use exploration to identify and clarify
one’s own ideals and put them into action.
Vision circles involve an individual reflecting
on their current situation, what productive and
unproductive behaviours they are using to deal
with the situation, what the ideal situation would
be, and what rational and irrational tendencies
are being felt, thought and acted on.
Word salads
A word salad is a creative technique that can be
used in groups to brainstorm an idea or concept,
or explore a particular topic. To create a word
salad individuals write down as many words or
statements that they can think of on a separate
sheet of paper. All pieces of paper are then
displayed for the group to see. When creating
the display similar words, statements and/or
concepts should be clustered together. The group
identifies any unusual and interesting words and
statements, discusses them and how they may
relate to the theme. This may require asking the
person who wrote the interesting or unusual word
or statement to explain their thought process
and the connection that they see.
Visualisation
Visualisation is an extremely useful creative
thinking technique. Visualisation is about
mentally rehearsing your performance. It is
about creating a mental image in your mind
of what you want to do or feel. It can increase
confidence, reduce anxiety and nerves, and
heighten mental awareness and wellbeing.
Word salads allow us to view concepts and ideas
in different ways through listening to others. They
can change our normal mindset and let us view
things from a different angle, allowing us to think
more creatively and get to the core of a topic,
concept or idea.
Visualisation can also be a form of meditation
and a relaxation technique. It is often guided by
someone who asks you to imagine yourself in a
different place, to feel relaxed and at ease, such
as the beach or a park on a sunny day.
Using a range of creative thinking techniques helps you to consider and explore realities beyond
your current situation, sometimes this is where the best and most innovative ideas are created.
22
Learning Checkpoint 2
1.
What are the benefits of daydreaming?
2.
What is the theory of Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats?
3.
How can alter egos and heroes be useful when problem solving?
4.
Identify three uses for graphic organisers.
5.
How do visual/mind maps, webbing and concept fans differ?
Word salad
23
Blockers to creative thinking
We have just finished looking at a range of different and innovative ways to generate ideas and think
creatively. There will always be challenges to thinking creatively and people or things that will block your
ability to do so. It is important to identify and challenge blockers to creative thinking, including:
Cultural
Cultural blockers are common,
especially if the idea is not what
is expected or what has been
experienced in the past. Culture
can relate to a person’s heritage,
their beliefs, ethnicity and social
expectations. Culture can also relate
to the history of an organisation or
business, the way it runs, how things
are done and the behaviour of
people within the organisation.
For example
You start a new job as a physical education teacher in
a school and you are teaching Year 9 students. For the
last two years, before you arrived at the school, these
students have been used to informal PE classes where
they choose whether to participate or not. If they don’t
want to participate they just simply sit in the corner of the
gym. These students have always passed the subject.
As a new teacher coming into this situation, what is the
culture and how difficult is it going to be to change?
Culture in both instances can be difficult to change. It is often embedded and automatic. Individuals will
often block what is not familiar to them and find it difficult to embrace any form of change.
Culture can be a major interference within an organisation when people refuse to consider or embrace
change because they simply say ‘it’s the way it’s always been done round here’. Comments like this
show a lack of motivation to make improvements, even if they have the potential to make things better.
Emotional
Emotional blockers are when people feel a particular
way about a situation and find it difficult to participate
in creative thinking activities that require them to
change their mindset or view something in a different
way. For example, a person may feel strongly about the
importance of an inclusive sporting environment where
every member on the team gets an opportunity to play,
but you may be asked by someone in a senior position
to only play the strongest players to ensure that the
team wins. An individual may also block their emotions
because they feel that showing weakness may be detrimental to their career, idea or project.
Environmental
Environmental blockers are external aspects that stop you from being a creative thinker. They may be
the external influence of work, study or family commitments that interfere with your ability to explore a
range of creative thinking techniques to generate ideas. Day-to-day tasks and obligations often mean
we don’t have spare time to think up new ideas or explore different options.
24
Ideas and Perceptions About How We
Should Behave
Peer pressure
Peer pressure is the influence of another person
or group. It often causes people to change their
views, ideas, values and beliefs to conform. For
example, a group of friends may give a friend a
hard time for working too hard on starting his or
her business, they may pressure them to go out
and have fun or abandon their ambition to be part
of the group.
Often in society expectations dictate what we
say, how we say it and what we do. Creativity and
innovation are often blocked by perceptions and
social expectations about how we should behave,
such as:
y
play according to the rules
y
don’t ask questions
y
don’t be silly
y
do as you’re told
y
be practical.
Peer pressure can stifle your individuality and
creativity. It is important to make your own
decisions and do what you feel comfortable with,
even if this means going in a different direction
to others.
Many of the world’s most brilliant inventors and
entrepreneurs have been blocked, laughed at and
questioned for having an idea or concept that
Perceptual
others did not believe in. Part of being creative and
coming up with new ideas is believing in yourself
and not straying from your belief in yourself no
matter how many rejections or odd looks you get.
This relates to the perception of what is expected,
normal or ideal. Perceptual blockers are anything
that affect a person’s ability to view a particular
idea, problem or situation. Stereotyping is a great
example of a perceptual blocker. Stereotyping is
when something is expected because of the way a
person looks, their nationality or who they are (e.g.
because you’re a boy, you like football). A stereotype
that you have in your mind about something or
someone can block your ability to think creatively
as it can limit you or block you from noticing a
problem, situation or potential opportunity.
Family
Family can be blockers for creative thinking due
to time commitments, obligations and a lack of
personal space and time to explore, think and
reflect on new ideas. Family can also be blockers
if they do not agree with your ideas and what you
wish to do. Negativity and a lack of motivation
and support from family members can severely
impact creative thinking and a person’s success.
Risk aversion
Creativity is often blocked by potential risk.
People are often frightened of trying something
new or doing something different because of
the risk that it may pose. For example, you may
have a great idea to start a business that runs
school sports carnivals. Starting the business
requires money to purchase equipment and
set up an office. You may also need to quit your
job to focus on your new venture. This is a large
financial risk. If the business is not successful
and you do not get any bookings you may
not be able to pay the lease of the office or
retrieve any of the money spent on equipment.
Furthermore you will not be earning a wage,
affecting your personal life and ability to pay for
your housing and day-to-day living expenses.
Intellectual
Creativity can sometimes be blocked by
practicality and not knowing how to get started
and accomplish what you want to achieve.
People often have great ideas however it is often
the execution of that great idea that is difficult,
especially if it requires specific skills or abilities
that you don’t have. For example, a person may
have an excellent idea for an iPhone App, but if
they have limited knowledge of technology and
the skills to create the App they may be blocked
by their intellectual ability. Overcoming these
blockers will require assistance from someone
who works in the area and has the correct skill
set to help accomplish your vision.
25
7
Name that blocker to creative thinking
Read each of the following case studies and identify the blocker to creative thinking that is being
experienced. Then briefly explain what you would do in each situation to challenge the blockers.
Case Study 1: Mandy is starting a new business: she wants to sell dog and cat toys online. She has
just quit her permanent job to work on this new project. Her mother has told her that she is crazy and
that she has made the biggest mistake of her life.
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Case Study 2: Peter has just got a new job as the manager of a gym. The gym has been open for
five years now and many of the staff that started working there when it first opened are still working
there. Peter has some great, new, innovative and creative ideas to generate more members and
excitement around the gym. The staff are not used to doing a lot of work and rarely walk around the
gym and chat with members. They keep opposing every idea he has, telling him not to be silly and
that his ideas are not practical for the clients.
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Case Study 3: Marian wants to set up a smoothie bar inside a new sports complex; she wants to let
people make their own smoothies and allow them to choose from a range of healthy ingredients.
However, she doesn’t have any experience, skills or knowledge of how to run a business, make
smoothies or any idea how to promote and market her business.
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Case Study 4: Gina has applied for a job as a local football coach. She has some brilliant training
ideas for the team but the president of the club won’t even consider her for the job as she is a female
and he thinks only males should be football coaches.
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26
Existing boundaries
As well as blockers to creative thinking, you may also experience boundaries. Boundaries differ from
blockers as most of the time they cannot be changed and we are forced to work within them. These
boundaries should be evaluated and, where possible, challenged to determine which are perceived and
which are actual. Existing boundaries may relate to:
y
available resources
y
established traditions
y
unspoken agreement about who does what and how
y
work conditions.
Available resources
Established traditions
Resources can be physical, human or financial. A
lack of resources can affect an idea, opportunity
for change or innovation in a workplace and
it can limit creativity. These boundaries may
require you to think outside the box. Perhaps you
could find cheaper options and different ways
of doing things that are easier, more productive
and successful.
Often a business or organisation has a set way of
doing things that has become a tradition. It may
have been done since the organisation started
and is valued by those who run it. It can often be
hard to change these aspects and you may need
to respect and work within these boundaries.
Examples of traditions that you may be familiar
with include:
y
y
Retail outlets always being closed on Good
Friday.
y
The New Zealand national teams performing
the Haka before a game.
y
Many of Melbourne’s businesses being
closed for the running of the Melbourne Cup.
y
Fundraising events for the Royal Children’s
Hospital always occurring on Good Friday.
y
Carols in the Domain (Sydney) always being
on the weekend before Christmas and the
Carols by Candlelight (Melbourne) being on
Christmas Eve.
y
Australia always plays the Boxing Day test in
Melbourne at the MCG.
y
Collingwood and Essendon always play on
Anzac Day at the MCG.
y
y
Financial resources relate to money. Does the
organisation or business have enough funds
available to implement a new and creative
idea? For example, a gym wants to start yoga
sessions that run three times a week; this will
require purchasing equipment and hiring an
instructor which will cost money.
Physical resources relate to equipment or
materials required to implement your idea.
For example, if you wanted to create a new
and engaging arts and crafts program for
residents in an aged care facility you would
need a range of equipment including sketch
pads, pencils, wool and paints, etc. If these
physical resources are not available they may
need to be purchased, requiring additional
financial resources.
Human resources relate to personnel and
people. Not only do you have to have the right
amount of people to implement a creative
idea you also need to have the support
and willingness of people who can drive the
change.
27
Risk with ideas and thought processes
Creative thinking vs critical thinking
Critical thinking and creative thinking are complementary skills which are used at different stages of
problem solving. Critical thinking helps you to find the root cause of the problem by exploring the cause
and effects relationships, allowing you to see the reality of the situation. Creative thinking is the process
that helps you to build a creative solution for the problem you already found.
Every new idea or business carries an element of risk; this risk could have both positive and negative
outcomes. That said, without risk there is no reward.
Risks with new ideas can include failure, causing financial issues that may have personal repercussions
for example, loss of savings, children’s education money and, in severe cases, loss of a home.
Positive outcomes of risk include financial security, career advancements and personal feelings of
accomplishment.
As mentioned in the previous sections, when generating new ideas it is important to evaluate and assess
the situation. Consider the existing boundaries and their likely effect on what
you want to achieve. Consider any blockers to creative thinking or other
constraints.
It is important to show a willingness to take risks with ideas and thought
processes. This demonstrates enthusiasm to make improvements
and strive for perfection.
Risks with ideas and thought processes might involve:
1.
Challenging established authority and current ways of doing
things.
2.
Accepting the limitations of one’s own knowledge or
capacity.
3.
Changing the rules.
4.
Exposing oneself or others to possible criticism.
5.
Facing personal fears and apprehensions.
6.
Letting go of control.
7.
Radically changing long established
traditions, practices or norms.
8.
Taking financial risks.
28
1
Challenging established authority and current ways of doing things
It can be difficult to challenge people in authority including managers, a supervisor or directors, with
a new idea, or potential changes. This can be a risk especially if they don’t like the idea or proposed
changes. It is vital that you are diplomatic and speak positively about new ideas without being
too negative about the organisation’s current situation. You should find out who implemented the
organisation’s current way of doing things. Know the history to ensure that you don’t ‘stick your foot in
it’ by negatively speaking about a fellow employee’s original idea.
Traditionally, people in workplaces don’t like change. It often requires updating skills or knowledge
which can take time away from people’s personal lives or daily work tasks. This may require them to
find time to catch-up. When challenging the current ways of doing things staff need to be presented
with the pros and cons of the idea. They should also be included in the decision-making process.
Individuals are more likely to ‘take on’, support and implement the change if they are involved in it.
2 Accepting the limitations of one’s own knowledge or capacity
People often generate new and creative ideas but don’t have the skills and knowledge to execute them.
It is important that people accept the fact that they may have limitations and may not necessarily be
good at everything and might require assistance. Accepting this will allow them to be proactive and
hire an expert to do the thing they are not good at. Identifying your own strengths and weaknesses is
not always easy. Many individuals find it difficult to admit they do not have the knowledge, capacity or
ability to make their idea a reality.
3 Changing the rules
In a workplace rules are often changed as workplaces find new and better ways to be more successful
and to protect and improve revenue. Examples of rule changes include:
y
Daily tasks – for example, gym staff may now be required to sign in and sign out when they arrive
at work using an electronic machine that records the exact time.
y
Environmental changes – for example, customers having to pay for plastic bags when making
purchases.
y
Uniform changes
y
Logistical changes – for example, umpires at an indoor sporting complex may be told that all
netball games have now been shortened to seven-minute quarters and if the ball hits the roof, the
opposition team gains possession from the sideline.
y
Management changes – for example, staff at a school may be told that all detentions now need to
be processed by Year Level Coordinators, not individual subject teachers.
When changing rules in a workplace it is important to be prepared for the potential consequences and
problems. Employees should also be consulted on the changes, especially if it is vital to the running of the
organisation, and that they implement them. You need to prepare people for the changes and ensure
that they are clear on how they will be affected as well as the potential opportunities for improvement.
It is also important that you are enthusiastic about the potential positives of the rule changes while still
being realistic about how much is achievable.
29
4 Exposing oneself or others to possible criticism
Exposure to criticism is always a risk, especially if people are not happy with the changes or they don’t
understand them. To start a business or run an organisation you need to have a ‘thick skin’ and be able
to accept criticism and respond to it confidently and professionally with careful consideration.
Criticism is often negative. Most of the time there is an element of truth to what has been said. This
should be used as an opportunity to review and reflect on your actions and take on the suggestions. You
should never respond to criticism immediately, especially if the person or group of people have taken
you by surprise and are acting quite aggressively or being confrontational. Simply listen to them and tell
them that you will have a think about what they have said and speak to them later. This will give you an
opportunity to reflect on what they have said, take the emotion out of it, be calm and construct a clear,
precise and professional response.
5 Facing personal fears and apprehensions
When working in any occupation you may have to face personal fears and apprehensions. These may
include things like confrontation, making mistakes and not meeting deadlines. Fear and apprehension is
not necessarily a bad thing; it often indicates that you care about the situation and want to do your best. It
can indicate that something needs attention and may protect you in a situation that is potentially harmful.
It is important for personal growth that you take both yourself and others outside of their comfort zone.
This will enable the development of new skills and knowledge and allow you to overcome a fear or
apprehension. This can make a person feel empowered giving them the confidence and self-esteem to
tackle other apprehensions and fears.
6 Letting go of control
As an employee or business owner you may need to allocate tasks to another person and trust that they
will do them correctly. Delegation can often be challenging as it requires you to let go and allow another
person to complete the task or do the job their way. This may not be exactly the way you would have
done it. It is important to not be critical of others so that you can foster an encouraging and supportive
social environment.
Letting go of control can often be easier if time has been spent on appropriate training, mentoring and
professional development.
7 Radically changing long established traditions, practices or norms
Changing traditions, practices and norms is both a positive and negative risk, depending on whether
the change has made an improvement. If the change or idea has not made any improvement, people
may continuously refer to the way that it used to be which they consider to be better. This negativity can
poison the minds and thought processes of others.
As mentioned in the previous section, it is always difficult to change long-standing traditions. People
often don’t like change; many people like to rely on the norms and it comforts them. This is why it is
important to be extremely positive and try to get as many people on board and excited about the
change as possible, so that the community will support it.
30
8 Taking financial risks
This is the most common risk and fear for people wanting
to start a business. New organisations and businesses often
require a large amount of funds to be setup. This may include
money for shop fittings, manufacturing, purchasing products,
employee wages, signage, advertising, equipment etc.
When taking a financial risk it is important to ensure that it is
a calculated one. Anyone wanting to start a business needs
to research the area that they are moving into and determine if they believe that their business will be
successful and profitable. They would also need to calculate how much money is required to set-up the
business and once it is set-up, how long it might be before they make a profit.
8
What is the risk?
Read each of the following case studies and identify the potential risks in each. Briefly explain
what you believe may be the result/s of the risk.
Case Study 1:
The Western Metropolitan swimming competition has always been held at Oak Park from 9am to 1pm
on the first Sunday in November. The committee responsible for the competition has decided to run
it at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) on the last Friday of November at night time
between 7pm and 10pm.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Case Study 2:
Dom has just started a new business. He is running a café at a gym selling smoothies, protein shakes
and healthy snacks. It is getting quite busy and he is finding it difficult to work everyday from 6am
when the gym opens until 10pm when the gym closes. His family hardly sees him and his wife is very
unhappy. He has decided to hire someone to assist him.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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31
CONTINUED...
8
Case Study 3:
Jan has just been promoted to manager of a retail store. She has decided to re-structure the layout
of the store and has changed the staff roster to ensure that the store’s best sales assistants are
working at the busiest times.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Case Study 4:
Roxy has just finished writing a book on investing in real estate; she has paid to get it edited and now
wants to get it published. She has to pay for 1000 copies to be printed, which she then hopes to sell
to bookstores.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Case Study 5:
Katie works for an events management company; she has only been with the business for three
months. On the last event that she worked on, she came up with a new way to set-up for events which
she believes is more efficient. She decides to speak to her supervisor, who has been organising events
for 20 years, about her new idea.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Case Study 6:
Trey has just started a group fitness business. People come to him to do spin classes, box-a-cise,
yoga, pump and kickboxing classes. His clients pay for classes in blocks of 10 and he requests them
to direct deposit the money into his account. He has never been very good with money and is quite
disorganised. He is struggling to keep track of who has paid and who hasn’t.
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.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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32
Generate ideas and responses
Being creative takes time and we
need to accept that with success
also comes failure. It is important to
learn from these failures, diagnose
what went wrong and implement
changes and strategies to ensure
that the same problem doesn’t
happen again. Every failure should
be seen as an opportunity to learn,
grow and develop new knowledge.
Once you have come up with a new
idea you should challenge it, test it
and reinvent it. Identify, interrogate
and challenge the assumptions
behind the ideas, experiment with
variations and explore and test a
range of different solutions and ideas.
Consciously change perspectives
and evaluate ideas and situations in new ways. Where appropriate you should involve others in ideas, as
different points of view and thoughts can bring about new aspects that you may not have considered.
The use of questionnaires, surveys and focus groups are an excellent way to identify ways in which an
idea can be improved or changed.
9
Critical thinking
You are conducting a tour for aliens who are visiting earth and observing humans. You are in
their spaceship when you fly over a football stadium. One of the aliens is confused and turns to
you for help.
Try answering these questions:
1.
What is a game, and why do humans play them?
2.
What are “teams” and why are they so important for humans to be part of?
3.
Why is it these games seem to get more attention than other matters on your planet, like
disease and poverty?
4.
Why do humans get so emotional and even violent when watching games?
5.
What would happen if no human could ever play these games again?
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Enhance creative thinking skills
Throughout this unit we have looked at how to develop and extend your creative thinking skills to
generate new ideas and responses through developing a questioning mindset. We explored a range of
creative thinking techniques to assist with this process. We have looked at the importance of challenging
blockers to creative thinking, existing boundaries and being willing to take risks.
To further enhance creative thinking skills you should:
y
Consciously challenge and question your own thought patterns and ways of responding to work
and life situations.
This can be difficult to do as it requires you to critically review your actions and behaviours. It may
involve admitting to yourself that you may have made a mistake or that a particular situation could
have been handled better.
y
Identify and take opportunities to self-assess and to learn about new ideas and different ways of
thinking.
Self-reflection is a valuable tool for enhancing creative thinking. Self-reflection allows you to review
your performance or actions, learn from previous experiences, re-evaluate your current situation,
gain additional knowledge and develop skills. It allows you to evaluate and identify
any potential areas for improvement for future experiences and opportunities.
Reflection can also address emotional aspects. For example, when a
situation at work has made an employee angry, confused or pleased, was
there a specific behaviour or idea generated during the experience? The
outcome of this reflection may be new knowledge and a readiness to
behave differently in a similar situation next time.
y
Take opportunities to practice and experiment with creative
thinking techniques across work and life situations.
Explore new ways to generate and challenge ideas; brainstorm, create a
word salad, make a mind map or use Edward de Bono’s ‘six thinking hats’.
Using different creative thinking techniques will allow you to view work
and life situations from different angles, challenging yourself to
develop a questioning mindset and look at situations from a
different perspective.
y
Proactively talk to others about ways that new ideas
and patterns of thinking can be encouraged and
developed.
Talking to others can help you develop and question
your ideas. They may have a differing viewpoint, may
think of an obstacle that you had not considered, offer a
different way to tackle the idea, or assist to develop the
idea further.
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Learning Checkpoint 3
1.
Identify three (3) blockers to creative thinking.
2.
Give an example of how a person’s environment can block creative thinking.
3.
How could a family block creative thinking?
4.
Why should existing boundaries be evaluated?
5.
Choose three (3) existing boundaries and provide an explanation of how each can affect
creative thinking and new ideas.
Enhance critical thinking skills
The ability to think critically is a skill that most
employers are looking for in prospective
employees so developing your ability to
think critically will help you in a workplace
environment and in life generally.
You can enhance your critical thinking skills
by:
y
Asking basic questions – sometimes an
explanation can get so complex that
the original question is lost. To avoid
this, continually go back to the basic
questions you asked when you set out
to solve the problem.
y
Questioning assumptions – accepting
an idea or situation is true will prevent
you from being innovative. Take a
moment to wonder if everyone else’s
assumptions are wrong.
y
Evaluating existing evidence – when
solving a problem look at other work
that has been done in a similar area.
Make sure you evaluate this information
as you may not reach the right
conclusion.
y
Thinking for yourself – this is essential for
answering difficult questions.
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