EP252: Thinking for Yourself - Why Critical Thinking Matters
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The last two episodes were about my ongoing fascination with the human brain, and specifically how perception varies from person to person, and what happens when groupthink kicks in or people jump on the bandwagon because of one person's comments or beliefs. I touched on the need for critical thinking there, but I want to go deeper, because I think critical thinking is getting harder to practice and more important to have.
Here's the thing. We can ask AI almost any question today and get a confident, well-written answer in a matter of seconds. It's bonkers. It's also pretty amazing. But the faster those answers come, the easier it is for us to stop asking whether they're right, or to tap into our own knowing and intuition.
What Critical Thinking Is (and Isn't)
Robert H. Ennis, an academic researcher from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who has contributed a lot of research on critical thinking, defines it this way:
Critical thinking is reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.
It's about looking at all sides and perspectives and understanding the totality of something before moving forward or holding something as true. To me, critical thinking is going from reaction to reason: moving from our instinctive, automatic response to a more deliberate one.
Here's what it isn't:
It isn't being negative. And it isn't only thinking critically about the things you love. It's being able to do this for everything.
It isn't disagreeing just to disagree. I had a friend in my late teens and early twenties who would debate everything I said, just for the sake of debating. His viewpoint was simply the opposite of mine, whether he believed it or not. That's not critical thinking. That's just a different kind of bandwagon.
It isn't questioning everything. It's knowing what deserves a closer look. Questioning everything starts to lean into distrust, and that's a whole different can of worms.
I'll be honest: I'm not a critical thinking expert. I spend most of my time on human skills like empathy and compassion. But critical thinking is a human skill too, and I do see it slipping.
Why I See It Slipping
AI. I use AI, so I'm not dogging it. It's a remarkable tool when used smartly. But I've noticed how easy it is to take the first answer and move on. I've done it myself, and caught myself thinking, "I didn't actually put any thought into this, and I don't think I'd agree with it." If I fall into that with pretty healthy awareness, I imagine most of us do. It robs us of engaging our brains. The question isn't whether to use AI. It's whether you're thinking about it or letting it think for you.
The information environment. I'm not talking about who's right or which side anyone should be on. I'm talking about how hard it's become to think clearly about any of it. News comes at us 24/7 in headlines, clips, reels, TikToks, and influencers. Algorithms show us more of what we already agree with, and the loudest, most certain voices get the most attention. When we don't know who to trust, the easiest move is to trust the voices that sound like us. That feels like thinking. It isn't.
Why It Matters in Leadership
In the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, about seven in ten employers named analytical thinking an essential core skill, the top skill on the list.
Things are happening all the time in our workplaces: planned projects and initiatives, real-world events that hit the business (I'm looking at you, COVID in 2020), and people issues that come up. Leaders need to take action, pivot, and decide based on sound information, and sometimes do it quickly. Look at the Titanic. There were ice warnings, but they weren't acted on with enough urgency, and we know how that ended.
And you're modeling this. Your team learns how to think by watching how you make decisions. If you react quickly, they'll react quickly. If you reason things out, they'll learn to do the same.
Critical thinking also:
Leads to better decisions by helping us weigh pros and cons, look at alternatives, and think through consequences before acting.
Protects us against misinformation so we can spot false claims, check sources, and avoid being tricked by deceptive people or content.
Strengthens problem-solving by breaking down complex issues, testing assumptions, and finding practical, creative solutions.
Fuels personal and professional growth because it helps us recognize our own cognitive biases and stay open to new evidence.
Expands the view to the big picture. Leaders often tell me they struggle to see beyond their own department, KPIs, and goals. Critical thinking lifts you to the 30,000-foot view, where you can see how a single choice in your area cascades across the organization. That's the kind of thing that gets you noticed, gets you promoted, and makes an impact.
With budgets always tight, it's the engine behind tools we've used forever: root cause analysis, SWOT analysis, and the five whys, one of my favorites. It's about isolating the actual problem from the surface symptoms. To me, critical thinking is a non-negotiable trait for effective leadership.
The Insights® Discovery Five-Step Framework
Insights® Discovery profiles include different chapters, such as management, foundation, and personal achievement. Insights just added a new chapter on critical thinking, and I'm so excited about it. I haven't gone through the full training yet because it's just being released, but here's their five-step framework:
Clarify the problem. Get clear on what you're actually solving, not the first thing that looks like the problem. Ask why five times. As Brené Brown says, "Clear is kind."
Locate the evidence. Gather what you need and actively look for information that tells you something you didn't expect.
Explore the options. Map out realistic alternatives, including the ones your personality preferences are steering you away from.
Assess the impact. Name the trade-offs. What will you gain? What will you lose? What are you choosing to accept?
Respond with action. Commit to a decision grounded in evidence, with your reasoning visible and the trade-offs known.
If this sounds familiar, it's because it mirrors the mindset coaching I do. We get clear on the actual barriers. We locate the evidence that feeds the story you're telling yourself, and the evidence you haven't looked at yet. We explore what else could be true, even the options that make you sweaty and uncomfortable. We name the trade-offs: what could go wrong, and what could go right. Then we decide and take action, whether that's believing a new thought or having that uncomfortable conversation.
How Each Color Energy Can Get in the Way
Fiery Red might jump to conclusions and put speed ahead of evidence, skipping the clarity and the options to get to the finish line.
Sunshine Yellow might assume the best too quickly and favor exciting ideas over the facts.
Earth Green might avoid the difficult questions and put harmony ahead of debate.
Cool Blue might overanalyze and wait for perfect information (is there such a thing?), delaying action. Hello, analysis paralysis.
I lead with very high Earth Green energy, so yes, I put harmony ahead of debate. It's something I watch for in myself. That's the beauty of awareness: we get to decide. We can dial a color energy up or down anytime we want to get better results.
Building Critical Thinking With Your Team
Think out loud. Say, "Here's what I'm thinking," and invite your team to poke holes in it. What am I missing? What are we not thinking about?
Flip and flex. Argue the opposite side of a decision on purpose. You might uncover things you missed, or notice you're arguing harder for the other side and need to reassess.
Run a pre-mortem. One of my favorites, and I use it in coaching too. Imagine it's six months from now and the decision failed. Ask everyone: what went wrong? You'll surface risks, weigh the decision, and plan what you'll do ahead of time.
Send questions ahead of time. People who lead with Cool Blue and Earth Green energy especially value reflective time to prepare.
Thank the questions. For psychological safety, thank every question and challenge, not just the "right" answer or the ones that agree with you.
One Thing to Try
Before you finalize your next big decision, ask yourself:
"What evidence could prove me wrong?"
This question dismantles your blind spots before they lead to mistakes. It helps neutralize confirmation bias, lowers the stakes for your team to speak up, and helps you surface what might go wrong ahead of time, so you can adjust instead of beating yourself up or sticking with a decision just because you already committed.
And when you're using AI or taking in the state of the world, pause and ask, "How can I apply some critical thinking to this right now?" It's worth taking the time instead of rushing to the quick answer because it feels easier or more comfortable.
This is a skill you can sharpen. It takes attention and time, but I believe it's worth it, and honestly, I think it's more important than ever.
What Do You Think?
Where do you see critical thinking slipping? Where do you wish there was more? And how do your own personality preferences get in the way?
Links
The Leadership Shift Interest Call
Discover Your Personality Style Quiz [download]
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