CRITICAL THINKING:

The Secrets to Successful

Problem-Solving &

Decision Making

Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, Ph.D.

President, Advantage Leadership, Inc.

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National Council for Excellence

in Critical Thinking

Intellectually disciplined process of actively & skillfully:

• analyzing

• synthesizing and

• evaluating:

Information gathered from

• observation

• experience

• reflection

• reasoning or

• communication

As a guide to belief and action 2

Solve problems & make effective

decisions using critical thinkingPrioritize decisions for greatest effectiveness & efficiency

Challenge

assumptions

Make better

decisions on

limited data

Integrate consequences into decision making

Increase decision

accuracy

Minimize poor decisions

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The significant

problems we face

cannot be solved

at the same level

of thinking we

were at when we

created them.

-- Albert Einstein

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What decisions do you make?

What problems do you solve?

List 5 recent decisions or problems you solved

What types of decisions do you make or influence?

What types of problems do you solve or influence?

5

How do you make decisions?

How do you solve problems?

Your methodology or process

6

Challenge ALL:

Knowledge

Beliefs

Facts

Assumptions

Conventional Wisdom

7

ASK GREAT QUESTIONS TO ENGAGE

EXPLORATION

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Organization’s Vision

Organization’s Mission

Department’s Mission

Team’s Mission

Decisions start at the top

Why is it important to know these things?9

Strategic Plan WHAT + Tactical Plan HOW

GOAL (High Level Results - Measurable) SMART

Objective (Concrete Results - Measurable)

Tactics Responsible

Person

Measurement Time

Frame

Status

HOW WHO What is

Success?

WHEN Where

are

we?

PLAN Guides Decisions

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The Plan Is The Boss

511

The Plan Is The Boss

Decision Based

on Plan

Results: Root

Cause

What’s Important

Now

ACT –Don’t React

Lessons Learned

Re-Plan

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Does this move me

closer to

or further from

fulfilling the Mission

Strategic

Decision Making &

Problem Solving

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The urgent

will ALWAYS

drive out the

Important...

IF you let it!

-- Rebecca

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What goes into solving a problem

or making a great decision?

What data available?

How will it affect...?

Who consulted?

Consequences...?

How quickly?

How critical?

Values/ROIs?

What else impacted?

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Problem-Solving &

Decision-Making Tools

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Strength

INTERNALAids for

Solutions

Weakness

INTERNALChallenges for

Solutions

Opportunity

EXTERNALSituations to

Leverage

Threat

EXTERNALRisks toMitigate

SWOT Analysis

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Strength

INTERNALAids for

Solutions

Weakness

INTERNALChallenges for

Solutions

Opportunity

EXTERNALSituations to

Leverage

SWOT Force Field Analysis

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Brainstorm

Review

Review

Review 3 – 5 items

Multi-Voting

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Comparison Matrix

Elements Impact

1 - 5

Importance

1 - 5

Level

ITEM 1

ITEM 2

ITEM 3

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Threat

EXTERNALRisks toMitigate

Weakness

INTERNALChallenges for

Solutions

RISK FACTORS

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Example:

What are project THREATS & RISKS?

Threats / Risks Impact

1 - 5

Likelihood

1 - 5

Level

ITEM 1 2 3 6

ITEM 2 5 3 15

ITEM 3 4 4 16

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Weighted Comparison Matrix

Criteria

CompareA

(weight)

1 - 5

B(weight)

1 - 5

C(weight)

1 - 5

TotalADD Cells

Row by Row

Item 1 Match X

Weight

Match X

Weight

Match X

WeightSum

Item 2 Match X

Weight

Match X

Weight

Match X

WeightSum

Item 3 Match X

Weight

Match X

Weight

Match X

WeightSum

Weight = Importance (1 – 5) Match = Closeness to Criterion (1 - 5)

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Weighted Comparison MatrixCriteria

CompareA

(weight)

5

B(weight)

4

C(weight)

3

TotalADD Cells

Row by Row

Vendor

12 X 5 =

10

5 X 4 =

20

3 X 3 =

939

Vendor

24 X 5 =

20

5 X 4 =

20

4 X 3 =

1252

Vendor

31 X 5 =

5

2 X 4 =

8

4 X 3 =

1225

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Forced Choice Matrix

Item A Item B Item C Item D Item E

Item A A or B?

1 - 5

A or C?

1 - 5

A or D?

1 - 5

A or E?

1 - 5

Item B B or C?

1 - 5

B or D?

1 - 5

B or E?

1 - 5

Item C C or D?

1 - 5

C or E?

1 - 5

Item D D or E?

1 - 5

Item E

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Forced Choice Matrix

Item A Item B Item C Item D Item E

Item A B

3

A

2

A

5

E

1

Item B B

4

D

2

B

3

Item C D

4

E

1

Item D D

3

Item E

Item A = 7

Item B = 10

Item C = 0

Item D = 9

Item E = 2

PRIORITY: B; D; A; E; C

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CLARITY DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING

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Constraints: Provided we can...

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ASSUMPTIONS: Hidden & Otherwise

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Success Factors:

How will we measure success? 31

Solutions:

Must address all Constraints

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CLARITY DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING

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Improving Decision Making

Track Results

Analyze Lessons Learned

Find Root Causes

Plan to Improve

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Knowledge must

come through

Action

-- Sophocles

Σοφοκλῆς36

Review your experience

• How do you solve problems?

• How do you make decisions?

Decide how to improve

• Look for trends & pitfalls

• Make a plan, use new tools, track progress

Focus on continuous improvement

• Practice critical thinking

• Question everything!

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Resources:

The Right Decision Every Time: How to Reach Perfect

Clarity on Tough Decisions , Luda Kopeikina, Prentice

Hall, 2005

SWITCH: How to Change Things When Change is

Hard. Chip & Dan Heath, Broadway Books, 2010

Strengths Finder 2.0. Tom Rath, Gallup Press, 2007

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