MSLD500_Activity 5.3_Blog_Critical Thinking_Wathen_Sandra

MSLD500_Activity 5.3_Blog_Critical Thinking_Wathen_Sandra

This is my blog to reflect on the current state of my critical thinking competencies.  Considering how my thinking processes have changed from the time I have started the course.

My thinking processes have changed significantly from the time I started this course.  One might ask, “How have they changed?”  They have changed in the fact that I have started the transition process of how I think through the application of the techniques and concepts that I have learned from this course. 

I have been able to internalize on them through making them part of my every day thinking.  I try to think about what I am thinking; reason what I am thinking.  I also try to incorporate the SEEI methodology and the elements of the thinking process on a routine basis – wherever and whenever possible; both professionally and personally. 

I have already seen positive results from implementing what I have learned.  Recently, I was interviewed for a Senior Program Manager position.  During my interview, I was trying to apply the critical thinking techniques and concepts in how I was addressing the questions, as well as, how I perceived the questions being addressed to me.  I feel that I was able to participate in the interview differently than previous interviews.  This time, I asked them questions, tried to get their views so that I could assess the information from a critical thinking perspective and provide a reasonable response to subsequent questions asked.

I am only half way through the course and it has already made a lasting and positive change in the way I think.  I am expecting that the remaining parts of this course will only add even more value and insight to additional techniques and concepts that I can apply in my future critical thinking.

Although I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable and that I seem to make good, sound, intuitive decisions – I now realize that I have been missing some important components of my critical thinking process.  I was missing the techniques and concepts that need to be routinely applied in order to think in a more structured and positive way; yielding higher results.  Basically, implement an educated and more “scholarly” approach to my critical thinking.

Without understanding the application of the techniques and concepts of critical thinking would be like building a house without its foundation!  You may have a roof over your head, you may have all the necessities, but sooner or later it may come tumbling down since it wasn’t made with the right framework of design.  Just like critical thinking needs to be used as the design framework for a leader; otherwise the same may come true.