I. Introduction
There are many different types of people with different ways of thinking to be able to come up with decisions. Individuals use the different thinking styles in their personal and professional lives. Their experiences that they have learned since they were children, both formal and informal ways, have greatly shaped the way they think. This paper will examine and analyze three different thinking styles and how they affect the critical-thinking process. By being able to understand the nature of these thinking styles, we become more equipped to analyze situations and be able to make the best decisions.
II. The Three Thinking Styles:
A. Logical Thinking
Most people in the business world use the logical way of thinking. Logical persons analyze situations in order to come up with the results or solutions to the problems that are likely to occur. Logical thinkers consider all scenarios as possible outcomes and this is the reason why decisions made are considered more informed decisions and there is lower likelihood that an incorrect conclusion is achieved.
B. Creative Thinking
Creative thinking focuses on creating something that is new or original. Its aim is to stimulate curiosity and divergence is promoted by using the skills of imagery, flexibility, fluency, forced relationships, brainstorming, metaphorical ideas, modification, etc. When a person starts thinking in a way that expands and includes metaphorical
ideas, we can say that he/she is starting to spark the process of creative thinking. Everyone can think creatively as all of us have the substantial creative ability. However, they were with us more when we were children. Education has suppressed creativity in adults but when it is reawakened and developed, something unique and original contributes to the success in any endeavor. Creative thinking takes on many forms and we can see it in the kind of responses in any given situation. While creative thinkers use divergent thinking in which they start from few ideas and solutions and then come up with more, logical thinkers use convergent way of thinking which is distilling few solutions from many choices. While creative thinking deals on possibilities, logical thinking is about reasons and analysis.
C. Persuasive Thinking
Persuasion is an art and it is not an easy task. The person persuading someone must have a solid idea that he/she believes strongly. The persuasive thinking person can strongly argue his/her beliefs and ideas to motivate others to think the same way as he/she is and recruit them to believe in his/her ideas. The skillful persuasive person is characterized by knowledge and rationality coupled with honesty and objectivity, all of which allow the audience to believe in him/her. It is easier to sway others if the persuasing individual is liked by others. (Kirby and Goodpaster, 2007).
III. Comparison and Contrast of the Thinking Styles and How Each Affects the Critical Thinking Process
According to Lane (2009), state psychologist, creative thinkers use the left side of her or his brain while the logical thinkers use the right side of their brain in processing information. Creative thinkers have more artistic mind-set and they pay less attention to organization while the logical thinkers focus on processing information in a disciplined manner and they analyze and quantify this information to process situations and come up with decisions. To engage the full potential of the creative and logical parts of the brain to work together and develop a sense of open-mindedness, researchers are presently using concepts such as mind mapping approach. A rational persuasive thinker convinces people using logic. In the persuasion process, logic greatly helps the persuasive person by conveying the message in a rational way. Persuasive thinkers “ can use examples with inductive reasoning and theories applied in syllogisms; and they can use statistics, analogies, and cause-and-effect relationships to convince (Kirby and Goodpaster, 2007, p. 263).
IV. The Thinking Styles in the Workplace
Each of us is creative in our own way. However, if an individual is afraid that his/her ideas will be rejected or responded negatively in the workplace, his/her ability to think creatively is affected and the normal ability to come up with new ideas is hindered. In a positive working environment, there are two techniques which can be done to increase creativity: Brainstorming and Starbursting. When individuals work alone and their minds are allowed to flow from one thought to another and stimulating one idea with another,
brainstorming is effective in this case. When individuals are allowed to explore his/her creative abilities by asking questions on certain topics in a group setting, starbursting is used. Many organizations have used these techniques in employee trainings to further enhance the creativity of their staff. Other techniques used to balance strengths between creative and logical thinking, companies administer mind-mapping so that there will be potential gains from the training of the employee, reduction of cost, and improvements in the skill-level of workers as a means in justifying these training approaches.
We can find many persuasive thinking persons in different organizations. A salesperson endorses or sells a product by persuasive techniques. A manager seeks to motivate his staff in a rational way by using logic and his/her emotional appeal. Indeed, the thinking styles: creative, logical and persuasion have been witnessed in the different workplace environments throughout the world.
References
Abrahamson, K. and Kish, T. (2007). Thinking and Decision Making Paper. http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Thinking-Decision-Making-Paper/154100
Thinking and Decision Making. Peer Papers. http://www. peerpapers. com/essays/Thinking-Decision-Making/120334. html? topic
Thinking & Decision-Making. Peer Papers. http://www. peerpapers. com/essays/Thinking-Decision-Making/135680. html
Thinking and Decision Making. Student of Fortune. http://www. google. com. ph/url? sa= t&source= web&ct= res&cd= 6&url= http%3A%2F%2Fstudentoffortune. com%2Fcgi%2Fgetfile%2F98247%2F67290%2FThinking%2520and%2520Decision%2520Making%2520my%2520draft. docx&ei= vl1xSrOgBY6XkQWn3MDUDA&usg= AFQjCNFY6ttxhngM5sHVmvigOyih9Fo34w&sig2= HSlpIzLO8KjgrFXSJz2lsw
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Thinking and Decision Making Paper
Prepare a 700-900 word paper in which you analyze at least three different types of thinking styles.
Compare and contrast the three different types of thinking and comment on
how each affects the critical-thinking process.
Apply critical thinking to the decision-making process by discussing workplace examples that highlight each of the three different types of thinking you have examined in this paper.
Format your paper according to APA standards and cite 2-3 references.
