Andre Stefano_Cs7778_Critical Thinking Development_ Assessment 1

Critical Thinking Development Assessment 1 1. Identify and research a critical and creative thinking model, which is NOT discussed in the APC student book . Proximate vs. Root Cause model has not been discussed in the student book and it is the model that I have selected. a. Define the model. This type of critical and creative thinking model we can say that it is a framework that people use in getting to the real cause of a problem (Hughes et al., 2009) that they might be having within their workplace or even in their daily lives. This model basically involves identifying the reason behind an issue(problem)/ the reason why the problem occurred in the first place, so that the final solution identified for the said problem in question ensures that the issue will be resolved once and for all. b. Define its benefits. i. The first benefit for using this type of critical and creative model (Proximate vs. Root Cause model) is that it is very effective especially when dealing with an issue that has been persistence within the workplace given that it will enable proper identification of the real cause of the problem which means that it will be easier to solve it avoiding regular use of resources in solving a surface problem. ii. The other benefit of using this type of model is that it ensures that the problem get treated at the cause making sure that it does not reoccur in future. This is because the team is able to differentiate between the proximate (symptoms) and the root cause (the real problem triggers) and therefore address the cause from the core ensuring that the issue is well mitigated permanently. iii. The other benefit is that it gives an open door for the team to identify other issues that are connected to the real cause of the problem and are also a threat. This ensures that all possible triggers to the problem are well addressed on time which saves the business time and other resources. c. Explain its stages.

2. A manager at your organisation explains that two employees in his team are not performing according to expectations. Prepare a list of 8 questions that you could ask to identify the knowledge gap. i. Have they expressed any challenges or concerns related to their work? ii. Do the two of them have access to relevant resources and tools to perform their tasks efficiently? iii. Is there a mentorship program or even support system in place for them to actually seek guidance when needed? I mean within the workplace? iv. Are there any recent changes in processes that the employees might not be aware of? v. Have they been given feedback on their performance, and do they understand the areas that they need improvement on? vi. Have you ensured that the employees receive sufficient training for their roles? vii. What specific tasks or responsibilities are they not being met by the employees? viii. Can you specify the expected performance standards for the roles of these two employees? 3. Based on answers that you received from the manager (question 2 above), you determined that both employees have knowledge gaps for the following reasons: - Employee A is a new employee working on a new project - Employee B has been in the organisation for two years. He is on job rotation. Answer the following questions: clear identification of the problem and defining it inorder to work on an effective solution. conducting a proximate analysis by looking at the surface area to identify the immidate causes of the problem at hand. conduct a root cause analysis by digging deeper in the issue through looking at the reason behind the proximate causes and research on the actual reasons behind the problem. after identification of the real causes of the root cause, brainstorm to get a lasting solution to the problem. after getting the most appropriate solution to the root cause, the team will have to implement it in addressing the core problem. continous monitoring of the solution that has been implemented to ensure it works as expected and also to provide an opportunity for improvement where necessary to ensure taht the issue is well mitigated.

skills and knowledge required for her current rotation, ensuring that the trainings she will be undertaking will be addressing any gaps identified. ii. If the job rotation she is working on involves exposure to different departments/ functions, for this, I will provide a cross-functional training to improve her skills in working with different departments and also in different roles within the workplace to ensure that even in the next job rotation, she will comfortably handle any assignment to perfection. iii. We will also establish regular feedback sessions to discuss her performance during the rotation, and in these sessions, I will get an opportunity to identifying her areas for improvement and future development to ensure that she becomes fully equipped with the skills and knowledge in handling the assigned tasks during job rotation. 4. One of the gaps that you identified for both employees is a “lack of critical thinking” skills. The manager assigns the task of articulating the concept of critical thinking to both employees. a. Prepare an outline of topics that you could use to introduce critical thinking to both employees. N o. Topics of discussion 1 Introduction to Critical Thinking 2 Characteristics of Critical Thinking 3 Developing Analytical Skills 4 Communication Skills in Critical Thinking 5 Application of Critical Thinking in the Workplace b. Explain what you will discuss in each topic. N o. Topics of discussion Explanation 1 Introduction to Critical Thinking. It will be our first lesson and we will begin by defining the term critical thinking so that the employees will understand the topic better. I will then continue to emphasize its significance in having an effective decision making given that it aids in problem solving in an innovative way within the workplace. 2 Characteristics of Critical Thinking. Here, I will try to break down the important elements of critical thinking so as to provide a good foundation for understanding the skills involved in the entire process of using critical thinking within the workplace so that it will now be easier for the employees to understand better. 3 Developing Analytical This will be our critical point given that it will be

Skills. on this step that I will be providing guidance to the employees on developing the ability to analyze data and information critically, to be able to identify relevant patterns that are contributing to a problem. 4 Communication Skills in Critical Thinking. Now, when it comes to communication it is very important given that for effective critical and creative thinking, it requires to have an open mind and this is why I will be emphasizing the importance of clear communication in expressing critical thoughts and ideas effectively. 5 Application of Critical Thinking in the Workplace. People learn more when examples are used and they also understand better on the topic and therefore I will have a session with the employees to discuss and showcase real-world examples from various professions, emphasizing the benefits of integrating critical thinking (Natale & Ricci, 2006) into our daily work. This will encourage the employees to use their critical thinking skills they will have learnt to improve on their work performance. 5. Please answer the following questions according to your workplace a. What kind of organisational system does your organisation have? Explain. We have a democratic organization system at my place of work whereby we are all involved in the decision making process regardless of the position one is holding at the company which makes it easier for us to collaborate with each other whenever there is an issue/ problem that requires to be addressed to ensure that the company is not affected. We all have a say in what is happening to the company and this makes us feel valued by the company and it makes us more accountable as well as responsible especially when making an important decision at work. b. What barriers to critical thinking does your organisation have? Explain. i. In our organization, it becomes difficult to introduce a new idea especially when it involves altering the normal company operations. This is because most of the people fear change and therefore ensure to oppose the idea during the first stage which makes it difficult to compete effectively in the industry. ii. The other problem with this type of system is that it is not effective in an emergency situation whereby an immediate action is required due to the fact that each stakeholder is required to be involved in the decision making process before any action could be taken and this jeopardizes the wellbeing of the company especially when the issue revolves around mitigating a risk that is dangerous if not well taken care of immediately.

References Hughes, B., Hall, M., & Rygaard, D. (2009). Using root-cause analysis to improve risk management. Professional safety , 54 (2), 54. Natale, S., & Ricci, F. (2006). Critical thinking in organizations. Team Performance Management: An International Journal , 12 (7/8), 272-277. Kerr, J. L. (2004). The limits of organizational democracy. Academy of Management Perspectives , 18 (3), 81-95.