In a world of work that is more knowledge-based than ever, effective thinking skills are among the most valuable skills to possess and for an organization to covet. Yet many organizations, in unintentional ways, are keeping people from thinking, or are hindering their ability to think at their best. If you want better organizational results, consider how many of the practices on this list are keeping your people from effective thinking. Because effective thinking practices will lead to better results.
Do you teach thinking skills?
Thinking is a skill – one we can all get better at. If you want great thinking, make sure people know how to do it. Are you giving your team members tools and training to become more adept at effective thinking?
Do you give people time to think?
This is an overarching question that will be reinforced by many of the questions below. Effective thinking requires time and mental space that isn’t always valued or allowed in some organizational cultures. Time can be in longer stretches, like vacations, where people aren’t on their email; but also, time within the day or week where people can stop and think, rather than moving from one task to another.
Do you impose unneeded urgency?
There are times when decisions do need to be made, and a sense of urgency can be useful and helpful. But most people know that sometimes the best way to think about a decision is to “sleep on it.” Is that useful delay allowed or even considered in your organization?
Do you allow too many interruptions?
When we are constantly interrupted, whether by text messages, IM’s, emails, or people asking if we “have a minute,” we can never get into a good thinking space. Thinking requires time, which many don’t have or squander at work. Give people the skills for effective thinking then give them time to use them.
Do you have back-to-back meetings?
When have a day when you go from meeting to meeting to meeting (maybe with limited time to even get some water or go to the bathroom), are you at your best? Are you as prepared for meeting 3 (or 5) as you were for the first one? If your answers are the same as mine, and you have the back-to-back meeting syndrome in your organization, you are unintentionally hindering effective thinking.
Do you have well-planned meetings?
While we are on the topic of meetings, are your meetings well-planned, with agendas? Do people know what is expected of them, and what will be discussed and decided before they arrive? If those answers are “no,” how can you expect people’s best thinking in those meetings?
Do you allow space and time for opposing ideas?
If people know they need to toe the company line or go with the prevailing thought on a topic, what is the incentive to really think? And if people do think, but feel unable to share, won’t they feel stifled, not valued and perhaps become cynical? If people feel that, they are less likely to stay. Do you want their best ideas and thinking skills with your competitors?
Do you promote helpful dissent?
Some cultures, with the goal of people getting along, view any dissent or conflict as negative. But that doesn’t have to be true. Allowing (and expecting) civil discourse and the exchange of ideas not only supports effective thinking but allows it to thrive and be rewarded.
The list of questions I could pose could be longer, but I am guessing these practices have gotten you thinking about what could be stifling effective thinking in your organization.
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