Critical Thinking: Enhancing Decision Making and Argumentation Skills

Running head: CRITICAL THINKING
CRITICAL THINKING
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note
The success of the managers are specifically based on the decision making capabilities
and the critical thinking mechanisms that are devised by the same in diverse situations (Wang &
Byrd, 2017). In this relation, Battersby (2018) stated that rational cognition of variables and
alternative assessments enables a leader or manager in devising the best possible solution to an
issue that is faced by a venture. On the other hand, Kuhn (2018) stated that the critical thinking
abilities enables a manager in improving the design of the processes in correlation with the
sustenance related needs of the organization.
Therefore, the critical thinking capabilities of a leader support the same in improving the
rate of decision making in different adverse situations as per the concerns that are faced by the

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organizations. The discussion will take steps to reflect on my decision making skills based on the
evaluation of different models and frameworks. On the other hand, the report will also reflect on
my argumentative skills and the manner in which the same contributed to my position as a
production manager in an organization.
The basic concepts that theories that were introduced during the class enabled me in
developing a coherent understanding of critical thinking and the different areas that are
subordinate to the great field of decision making and argumentation. The lessons helped me in
critically evaluating the concepts relating to self-awareness and leadership, decision making
and arguments and developing arguments through compelling logics. During the course I
found that argumentation is a process which is very much like logically supporting a decision
rather than imposing the truthfulness based on authority. In this relation, the different aspects of
the argumentation process is supported through inductive, deductive and abductive thinking for
clear and concise understanding of the rationality of an argument (Schneckenberg et al., 2017).
During my course I came across the ideas relating to inductive, deductive and abductive thinking
as a phenomenological part of the critical thinking process while sourcing information that
guides the rationality for the argument.

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2 Fig: Paul Elder Critical Thinking Model
(Source: Forawi, 2016)
For assessing my argumentative skills for developing logic, I can correlate Paul Elder’s
Critical Thinking Framework. As per the arguments of Paul, there are three components
governing the thinking skills of the individuals. These components are elements of thoughts,
intellectual standards and intellectual traits. I can say that the intellectual standards are to be
applied to the elements of reasoning for the enhancement of the intellectual traits. For example,
accuracy in proposing the assumptions helps me to develop my self-confidence. Apart from this,
this accuracy is also assistance in terms of upgrading the logical reasoning towards achieving
justification for the assumptions proposed. Considering the arguments of Forawi, (2016), I think
that logical approach in this direction is apt for undertaking rational decisions for upgrading the
Purposes, questions, viewpoints,
information, inferences, concepts,
implications, assumptions
Humility, autonomy, fair-mindedness,
courage, perseverance, empathy, integrity,
Intellectual traits
Accuracy, clarity, relevance, depth,
precision, logical, sufficiency, breadth,
significance, fairness Elements of reasoning
Intellectual standards

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leadership skills, abilities and competencies. In this context, I can relate my deductive thinking
skills, as the available and collected data helps me to deduce relevant decisions, which I can
apply into my performance.
I understood that triangulation helps in attesting the variables and perspectives through
assigning indirect weights and analyzed for feasibility of the solutions. Hitchcock (2017) stated
that understanding the feasibility through triangulation enables a critical thinker in devising
effective solutions to a problem. Therefore, the concept of triangulation enabled me in
developing an understanding of the manner in which the decisions might be assessed on the
criteria of a particular case. Again, concept relating to abductive, deductive or inductive thinking
enabled me in developing an idea of the manner in which an idea might be sourced.
The frameworks improved the model of critical thinking through the negation of
automatic thinking process over dynamic decision making based on clarity of objectives.
Therefore, the different concepts also supported me in developing self-awareness and my
personal decision making skills. The DISC model helped me in developing an idea of my
personality and the traits that I portray during my decision making process. In this relation, the
assessment of the traits enabled me in examining the strengths and weaknesses for improvements
in my critical thinking abilities.
The frameworks and concepts are chosen by me with the objective of improving my
cognition on the different factors that affect a decision making process. On the other hand, the
concepts and factors would also enable me in sourcing information and evaluating the
alternatives for imposing it as a decision. Among the concepts, I found argumentation as a
concept through which most of the decision making process can be improved while providing a
rationality for the choices. Mislevy (2016) stated that argumentation is the process through which