CRITICAL THINKING SERIES NO. 25 – EFFECTIVE CRITICAL THINKING REQUIRES PROACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE ENGAGEMENT -
Brad Hagemann
Process and Tools Leader, Program Manager, Continuous Improvement Specialist, University Evangelist - The views expressed are those by me and me alone, and are not associated with the views of present or past employers.
When discussing or learning about how to better engage with others and work within an organization, a good portion of that involves the topic of ?“Effective Leadership Behaviors.” The lists are common and all pretty similar. “Show Gratitude.” “Lead by Example.” “Act With Integrity”. “Constant Learning”. “Adapt and innovate”. All valuable behaviors for building and leading an effective team. I think we’ve all read or been exposed to at least dozens, if not hundreds of these lists.
But when I apply a Critical Thinking eye to these lists, what do they all have in common? They’re all “passive”. Agreed, these are all valuable behaviors that leaders should practice. ?But these are behaviors EVERYONE should perform – not just Leaders. What sets Leaders apart from the rest of the employees? They LEAD. So there must be more to leadership behavior than this list of useful, responsible, and inclusive traits.
Leadership, as well as Critical Thinking, both require a proactive stance. You must be willing to stand at the helm of the ship, the lead plane in the squadron, or the head of a project, directing the rest of the team around you to overcome challenges and complete the mission (or project) successfully. Leaders must be able to INSPIRE. MOTIVATE. ENTHUSE. Similar to John Belushi, after he give his famous, “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” speech in the movie “Animal House”, and all the inspired fraternity members run out of the house as one determined to fight for their fraternity. Similarly, Critical Thinking also often faces steep challenges, and requires rallying the team to reach the best solution. Effective Critical Thinking, like Leadership, requires a PROACTIVE, not PASSIVE stance.
I recently read of an Industry Week article titled, “What Toyota Looks For in Future Leaders.” Some of the traits included:
-????? Passionately Curious
-????? Preparedness
-????? Flexibility
-????? Good Listening Skills
-????? Patience and Resilience
-????? Good Corporate Citizenship
To be honest, doesn’t this sound like behaviors being taught to our children in primary school? This list seems more like behaviors everyone should practice, and doesn’t really distinguish leadership conduct.
When I think of Leadership Behaviors, I always refer back to Jack Welch’s 4E’s & P:
-????? ENERGY – The ability to go-go-go – to thrive on action and relish change.
-????? ENERGIZE – The ability to get others revved up and excited to participate in the next big challenge.
-????? EXECUTE – Having the ability to put decisions into action and push them forward to completion through resistance, chaos, and unexpected obstacles.
领英推荐
-????? EDGE – The ability to perform and make timely, critical decisions even when you don’t have all the necessary information. Rely on your experience and “gut instinct” to prevent “churn” and stagnation.
-????? PASSION – An intense and heartfelt authentic excitement about work. Those who genuinely care about those around them and love to see and help others succeed.
These are PROACTIVE, not passive behaviors. To me these behaviors and traits differentiates “those fit to lead” from “positive and responsible corporate behavior”.
I believe those same behaviors (4E’s & P) are just as crucial when practicing Critical Thinking as in the boardroom.
People and organizations all abhor change. They don’t want their boat rocked, and will push back (sometimes dramatically) upon individuals who try to implement change, even if it’s in the best interest of the team.
So when practicing Critical Thinking, and the subsequent changes that are sure to arise, it may not be enough to practice positive and supportive behaviors.
-????? Be inclusive.
-????? Listen attentively.
-????? Practice humility.
-????? Promote candor and transparency.
-????? Communicate with honesty and integrity.
Certainly these manners will help. But they may not be enough.
Sometimes even opening up the discussion to consider the use of Critical Thinking skills and methods will be met with great resistance. At that point you’ll need to remember the 4E’s & P to help influence the leader or team to see the value of Critical Thinking. ENERGY. ENERGIZE. EXECUTE. EDGE. PASSION.
Critical Thinking is often not a game for the faint of heart. Asking “Why?” and “Why Not?” may not be well-received. “Things are just fine – why do we need to change?” could be a common response. While stability can be good, not examining the underlying reasons for that “stability” may allow inefficiency, poor quality, and negative culture to fester, leading to mediocrity and ultimately to failure. Be sure to tap into your “Proactive Behaviors”, when needed, to help implement Critical Thinking methods and behaviors to challenge the status quo and drive positive change.