Habit #1: They are more concerned about getting it right than about being right.
ID: 443934 • Letter: H
Question
Habit #1: They are more concerned about getting it right than about being right. They can put aside their egos to recognize that they do not need to have all the answers. They are willing to admit to not knowing something or to making mistakes. They know the importance of asking questions and seeking out the best available information.
Habit #2: They avoid jumping to conclusions and rushing to judgment. They take time to gather as much information as possible to better understand a complex situation before taking action. They recognize that the consequences of some decisions are more important than others and these decisions require more scrutiny.
Habit #3: They do not accept information at face value. They ask questions to discover what is behind the data. They recognize that it is important not only to confirm that the facts are correct but also to understand that information can be presented in a way designed to support a particular agenda. Similarly, they know to inquire about information that may have been left out because it does not lend support to a particular position.
Habit #4: They avoid over-analysis that leads to paralysis in decision-making. They seek clarity by looking for order or patterns in the data while avoiding the trap of forcing information to fit a particular need. By looking at both the forest (the big picture) and the trees (the details) they have a sense of when they have enough information to make a decision. They know that they will never have all the information they might like but are confident that once they have explored the available information fully and objectively, they will likely make sound decisions.
Habit #5: They are continuous learners and work to stay well-informed. They are inquisitive about a wide range of topics and issues, making a regular effort to read and to educate themselves, gathering information that may be important for making decisions now and in the future.
Habit #6: They show flexibility in their willingness to consider alternative ideas and opinions. They seek to understand the perspective of a potential customer or even a competitor. This ability to see more than one side of an issue allows them to position their approach more effectively and reflects their confidence in their ability to reason.
Habit #7: They use critical thinking on themselves. They can explain how they arrived at a conclusion, allowing others to follow their reasoning and understand their thinking. Through self-examination and sensitivity to their own biases, they ask themselves questions such as: “Do I have all the necessary information? If my conclusions are true, what are the likely implications?” They are willing to change their views when they are provided with more information that allows greater understanding.
Habit #8: They have a distinctive behavioral style. They are confident but not cocky, reflective yet able to take action, and decisive while showing reasonable analysis. They can demonstrate patience when the stakes are high and the issues are not black-and-white. They read more than the average person and communicate their ideas clearly. They can think independently but place value on different perspectives. They accept responsibility when things go wrong and seek to understand what happened so they can learn from their mistakes.
Review the "Habits of a Critical Thinker" on Table 1.1 of Mayfield's Introduction. This list can be overwhelming at first, but know that we will refer back to this list at the end of the quarter, and you will be surprised at how many of these habits you will pick up during our time together. 1) First, share with us three of these habits you already practice, with examples for each one. 2) Then, share with us which one or two of these habits you would like to put into practice by the end of the quarter.
Explanation / Answer
3 habits that i am already practising:
1. I avoid jumping to conclusion and rushing to a judgements. I always try and analyse the situation in detail before arriving at any decisions. For example i am a project manager at a financial consultancy firm and am faced at times with some very complex projects. One of the projects required 1500 man hours for the work deliverable and the immediate conclusion would have been that the project would not be possible to execute, given my firm's size. I as the project manager, analysed all the points in detail and then concluded that we can do the project as there is scope for negotiation regarding the duration of the project with the client.
2. I never accept information at face value. I analyse the associated situations and criterias as well. For example, during the annual performance appraisal om my juniors, one of the junior had received below average ranking on all the technical parameters. I did not accept these ranking on the face value and on analysis, found that the junior was involved in highly complex projects during the year. So his rankings were required to be adjusted accordingly.
3. I am a contionous learner and stay well informed. For example i had education and work experience in the field of equity research and analysis. I kept my learning process open and learned about credit research and analysis as well. Now i am capable to handle projects in this domain as well.
The habit that i would like to put into practice are:
I would like to avoid doing over analysis of a situation or facts. I have the habit of analysing all the details and facts to the minutest details to be sure of my decision and its outcome. This delays the decision making process. I would like to put into practice the habit of avoiding over analysis.
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