GUIDELINES FOR LEADERS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING DECISIONS
INTRODUCTION
The leader who would become a competent tactician must first close his mind to the alluring formulae that well-meaning people offer in the name of victory. To master his difficult art he must learn to cut to the heart of the situation, recognize its decisive elements and base his course of action on these. The ability to do this is not God-given, nor can it be acquired overnight; it is a process of years. He must realize that training in solving problems of all types, long practice in making clear, unequivocal decisions, the habit of concentrating on the question at hand, and an elasticity of mind, are indispensable requisites for the successful practice of the art of war.
---- COL George C. Marshall, Infantry in Battle (1934)
Improving practical thinking. Practical thinking captures the strengths of how we think for everyday problems, calling on experience more than formal models. Practical thinking includes creative and critical elements. Creative thinking techniques help to generate new information. Critical thinking brings out differences that would normally not be obvious Both types of thinking help to fill in gaps in knowledge and resolve uncertainty. Signs of a practical thinker include a willingness to try alternate approaches to thinking, being open to others’ positions, being prepared to think about issues instead of ignoring or dismissing them, and asking insightful questions.
FURTHER IN THIS DOCUMENT - SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
- Applying Guidelines
- Moving thinking upstream
- Finding Hidden Assumptions
- Keeping track of unexpected events
- Thinking from varied perspectives
- Applying practical reasoning
- Adapting to the situation
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