Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define critical thinking and its core components: analysis, evaluation, and inference.
• Deconstruct complex arguments into premises, assumptions, and conclusions.
• Rigorously evaluate the quality, relevance, and sufficiency of evidence and data.
• Identify and counter common logical fallacies and manipulative arguments (e.g., ad hominem, false causality).
• Recognise and mitigate the impact of personal and group cognitive biases (e.g., confirmation bias) on decision-making.
• Apply systematic questioning techniques (e.g., Socratic method) for deeper understanding and problem definition.
• Construct clear, well-supported, and persuasive arguments based on objective analysis.
• Utilise critical thinking to improve problem-solving and strategic planning processes.

Target Audience

• Managers and Leaders involved in strategic decision-making and planning.
• Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants who regularly process and interpret data.
• Anyone responsible for writing reports, proposals, or business cases requiring strong justification.
• Team members involved in problem-solving, process improvement, or innovation.
• Professionals seeking to enhance their intellectual confidence and debate skills.

• Analysis of case studies involving flawed reasoning and biased decision-making.
• Interactive exercises on identifying logical fallacies in statements and articles.
• Group deconstruction and mapping of complex arguments (Argument Mapping).
• Socratic dialogue practice for challenging assumptions and seeking deeper clarity.
• Individual assignment: Critical analysis of a self-selected work document.

Unit 1: The Foundations of Critical Thought

• Critical Thinking vs. Subjective Thinking: The difference between opinion and reasoned judgment.
• The three stages of Critical Thinking: Analysis, Evaluation, and Inference.
• The importance of intellectual humility, curiosity, and integrity in objective analysis.
• Self-assessment: Identifying personal default thinking traps and tendencies.

• Identifying the core components of an argument: Premises, Conclusions, and Assumptions.
• Techniques for translating vague statements into clear, testable propositions.
• The role of "implicit assumptions" and how to surface and challenge them.
• Introduction to Argument Mapping for visual clarity and deconstruction.

Unit 2: Evaluating Evidence and Information

• Criteria for evaluating evidence: Relevance, Accuracy, Sufficiency, and Authority.
• Identifying bias in data collection, sampling, and reporting.
• Distinguishing between facts, inferences, opinions, and value judgments.
• Strategies for critically assessing sources of information (e.g., internal reports, industry studies, media).

• Introduction to deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Identifying common informal logical fallacies (e.g., Red Herring, Straw Man, Appeal to Authority).
• The difference between correlation and causation (Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc).
• Applying a systematic checklist to test the logical validity of an argument.

Unit 3: Mitigating Bias and Improving Objectivity

• In-depth exploration of major cognitive biases (e.g., Confirmation Bias, Availability Heuristic, Sunk Cost Fallacy).
• Techniques for "Pre-Mortems" and "Devil's Advocacy" to counter groupthink.
• Strategies for actively seeking information that contradicts your existing beliefs.
• The role of metacognition: Thinking about your own thinking process.

• Practising Socratic questioning techniques to challenge assumptions and clarify concepts.
• Using critical questions to explore the source, perspective, and implications of a claim.
• Applying the "5 Whys" technique to get to the root cause of a problem.
• Techniques for using probing questions to foster critical thinking in others.

Unit 4: Critical Thinking in Action

• Applying a critical thinking framework to complex business decision scenarios.
• Structuring problem definition to ensure you are solving the right problem.
• Evaluating multiple potential solutions against objective criteria.
• The importance of critically reviewing implementation plans and anticipated outcomes.

• Developing a clear thesis statement supported by rigorously evaluated evidence.
• Strategies for anticipating and pre-empting counter-arguments and objections.
• Crafting a compelling "call to action" based on the strength of your analysis.
• Techniques for presenting a complex analysis clearly and simply to non-experts.

Unit 5: Integration and Practice

• Group analysis and deconstruction of a real-world complex business report or media article.
• Interactive "Fallacy Spotting" exercises using case examples.
• Individual preparation and presentation of a critically supported recommendation.
• Commitment setting for applying a critical thinking checklist to all major work.