A Critical Skill: Critical Thinking

Smith student Philip Peker ’18 writes about the Critical Thinking Workshop on Oct. 17, 2016, at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

What is critical thinking? We hear it all the time – in the classroom, in the workplace, in interviews, in professional circles - but do we really know what it is, and more importantly, why it matters? According to Oxford Online Dictionary, critical thinking is “The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.” The key word here is objective; critical thinking is a way of rationalizing that encourages a holistic, efficient process to solve a certain problem. Because of its general and oftentimes vague nature of the term, different contexts frame critical thinking differently. It has been gaining considerable buzz in both the academic and professional arena. Whereas previously, firms and companies were looking for employees based on technical skill and personality alone, a third factor has come to the forefront, and that is the ability to think critically.

On Monday, Oct. 17, freshman Smith students were given a crash course on critical thinking by representatives from Deloitte and Smith School Associate Dean Rebecca Ratner as part of the SmithStart program for freshman business students. Kristin LaRiviere, assistant director of undergraduate programs and organizer of the event, began the evening with quick introductions and then handed the microphone off to Rebecca Ratner, who started off the event with the six standards of critical thinking, which are clarity, precision, relevance, accuracy, depth, and breadth. To make the evening more interactive, students gave their thoughts on why these six factors are important and what are some examples of each. Rebecca’s passion and commitment to teaching about the importance of critical thinking was inspiring. “Recruiters repeatedly say that they need students who can tell a story -- not just to analyze data but to say why the data matters - and which data matters,” says Rebecca. More and more, employers are looking for effective problem-solvers, who know how to approach a problem, and especially, why one approach is better than the other. With such a interwoven, digital data-drive space that has emerged in the modern corporate world, critical thinking has emerged at the forefront of skills wanted, surpassing even technical skills in terms of universal utility.

After some further discussion on the fundamentals of critical thinking, Dean Ratner turned the floor over to the Deloitte team, led by Tyler Johansson, a Talent Scout for Deloitte, who works specifically with freshmen business students. Tyler and his team discussed how they use critical thinking on a day-to-day basis to solve client problems and come up with the most effective solution. From analyzing briefs, to crystallizing strategy, to even persuading clients to perform a targeted, albeit, unorthodox pivot in their strategy, Deloitte employs the power of critical thinking and deep-analysis to work with clients around the globe to make systems more lean, efficient, and profitable. For example, “I’m currently working on an enhancement to a Salesforce process which impacts two different business areas. I’ve listened to each team leader to understand the breadth and depth of their needs. I’ve used clear and precise communication to provide them with a solution which will solve both of their problems,” mentions Tyler. Tyler and his team left the students thinking about, well… thinking, and how to maximize their potential. I asked Tyler what is one tip he would give to students: and he said, “Teach yourself things. I’ve taught myself SQL, how to lead teams and how to create Salesforce reports by reading books and searching the internet. Those skills have allowed me to distinguish myself amongst my peers.” Most importantly, every student should want to be taught, and teach others critical thinking, because at the end of the day, the tools of critical thinking and analysis can transform business, individual lives, and communities. The more people know about critical thinking, the more powerful it is.

For more information about critical thinking at Smith, visit: http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/criticalthinking