To run any business well, people need to think critically and creatively. Critical thinking means analytical and zeroing in on the most important, valuing one thing over another, making good judgment calls. Creative thinking means playful, “outside of the box,” daring, ridiculous, humorous.Whether one is an independent small business owner or part of a giant corporation, care-taking alone does not stimulate growth, change, production and innovation. It is vital that stakeholders – from bosses to workers – be involved in more than the “job.” In order to do that, an assessment must be done of the kinds of thinking that go on throughout the workplace – from the office to the shop floor.The following are descriptions of kinds of thinking – critical and creative. The differences will be obvious as you go through the list. Both are highly valuable and all are absolutely necessary for success.When you study them, think about examples of their use in your workplace. Check them off if you have seen an approach used. Gain a sense of which dominate. Adding more of the critical or creative can be much easier when you have seen the differences between their use.The list gives you directions to take employees to increase productivity and innovation. It also suggests where in-servicing and staff development might be valuable. Where does your company shine? Where does it need to improve? (the first of the pairs of “combatants” is an example of critical thinking and the second is creative thinking)planned vs. chance or randomControl of everything from a critical point of view is good but being alert and open to creative opportunities is also important. Do you encourage workers to explore, imagine and try things when motivated to see if they might work or does everything have to go by “the master plan”?focused vs. spread outBeing limited to one or two products and/or services can cause problems in economic downturns. Can your company be more of a “jack of many trades?” Being spread out provides cushions and parachutes in bad times.isolation of ideas vs. integrationComing up with ideas is good but creatively meshing them with the rest of the business is even more important. Consider using some ideas in areas that you would not normally consider appropriate. It will get people thinking more creatively and critically.convergent vs. divergentBeing able to boil a lot of ideas down into something fantastic is just as important as taking ideas and using them in multi-dimensional ways.imitative vs. independent thinkingThere are a lot of courses and books that tell you what to do but ultimately you can’t copy somebody else’s style. Take what you read, modify it to suit your purposes and do things your way. Be creative and critical but practice expanding the skills your way.probabilities vs. possibilitiesMathematics and statistics may suggest whether your idea will work or not in the marketplace but envisioning your idea operating effectively in the whole scheme of things can also bring about success. Seeing success is more important than preventing failure.destruction vs. constructionIt is easy to tear things down and assess how they can produce failure. Inevitably destructive thinking results in frustration, and a sense of time wasted with very little being done. Spend energy instead on figuring out how you can make something succeed. Your energy is now being used far more productively.fragmentation vs. comprehensivenessInstead of giving each person a specific part of a job, consider giving a team the whole job. Any guess as to which will be more productive?purposeful approach vs. novel approachA step by step methodical approach can result in success but a different and novel approach can possibly result in even greater success.precision vs. playfulnessThe careful control of details can be very time consuming. Use time efficiently. Playing with ideas once in a while can result in new ideas for change and growth.analytical vs. generativeKnowing all the critical causes and downfalls of an old problem is important but what is more important is creating new creative solutions for the old problem.acquisition vs. absorbing/influenced byThe accumulation of knowledge is important but using it purposefully is more important. A creative approach improves motivation and determination.security vs. risk-takingProtecting what you have whether in the office or the world is just as important as taking chances to stretch into new territory. You never know what’s out there until you do something differently.trained/habit vs. untrained/endowed/naturalDoing a job according to the job description is very limiting because it is often directed by a job manual/description. Yes it may be secure and perhaps relatively productive. Watching out for the natural evolution of ideas, formulas, procedures, processes at higher creative levels is also important.mastery vs. self-imposed standardsNobody will ever wake up one day and say, “What a relief, now I know everything there is to know about my business.” The desire for constant change, growth and expansion of education and skills is vital. Aim to become the expert and the specialist.product oriented vs. process orientedDon’t just dwell on what you have. Think about what you can do with what you have e.g. we all know people who hoard money away instead of enjoying using it in their lives.concrete vs. abstractThis is the difference between being reality oriented and being a visionary. It’s the difference between being creative and imaginative.vertical vs. lateralStep by step upward building is just as important as thinking in many creative directions horizontally. Think layers of influence, opportunities, applications.specific vs. more inclusiveEverything stands alone in the world. At the same time, everything is related and attached to every other thing in the universe. Find and nurture the relationships that will cause your business to thrive.left brain vs. right brainPsychology suggests that the left brain is the reality, concrete and sequential side. The right side is the playful, abstract, whimsical, humorous, creative side. Thinking is maximized when both are strong and communicating effectively on an equal basis.mechanical/rote vs. intuitiveThere is a difference between knowing a lot of facts and absorbing and understanding them and knowing how to apply and use them. Many people can learn how to repair a car based on a set of guidelines and procedures but only some know how to repair it instinctively.reasoning vs. experiencingReason and logic are just as important as learning from seeing and doing things in a hands-on way.judgment vs. suspension of judgmentWhen a judgment is made, it tends to be the end of something or brings mental closure. In a suspended judgment state of mind, there is a constant state of openness and receptivity. Nothing is what it seems. Everything has possibilities beyond the ones we know or have experienced.disciplined vs. intuition/hunchesGoing beyond intelligence is sometimes scary but that good old “gut feeling” can be invaluable at times. Learn to trust it.what vs. howIt is important to know what to do but even more important is to know how to do it. It’s the difference between being knowledgeable and being skillful.Critical and creative thinking must go hand in hand. Start by figuring out which side is your dominant one. Ideally, work toward mastering every kind of thinking in the list. A healthy balance of both critical and creative thinking will bring you the success you want.Author: Otto SchmidtArticle Source: EzineArticles.comProvided by: Latest trends in mobile phone
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