Reflection on Critical Thinking and Managerial Decision Making Course

This assignment is a reflective journal entry from a student detailing their learning experiences and insights gained from a course on critical thinking and managerial decision-making. The reflection covers key concepts such as automatic versus critical thinking, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivators, prospect theory, the ten tools of clarity, influencing and persuasion, facts, observations, experiences, assumptions, and beliefs, the Johari window, self-efficacy theory, innovation, DISC personality assessment, decision contexts, decision-making processes, upside and downside risks, balancing rational and non-rational approaches, and bounded rationality. The student analyzes how these theories have helped them understand their strengths and weaknesses, make better decisions, and prepare for future career choices. They also discuss the practical applications of these concepts and how they plan to use them to improve their decision-making skills and overall approach to work and personal life.

Critical thinking and managerial decision making
Reflection

Introduction
Critical thinking and managerial decision making is important to the success of any organization.
The theories that I have learnt through this course have helped me analyze my strengths and
weaknesses. This reflection highlights upon the various topics that I have learnt in this course as
well as their impact on my life, career choices and decision making abilities.
Automatic vs. critical thinking
Unlike Automatic thinking, Critical thinking allows people to think things through before
making decisions and hence results in better decision making ability of individuals (Halpern,
2013). This presentation was important for me to understand that I need to adopt a critical
thinking process. My DISC personality test also demonstrated that I tend to make rather quick
decisions without fully comprehending the outcome. This lecture helped me understand that
instead of Automatic thinking, I should focus on becoming a critical thinker. This would even
help me in making better decisions.
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivators
There are two kinds of motivators in the work place for every person. These are intrinsic and
extrinsic motivators (Reiss, 2012). Intrinsic motivation is a result of enjoying work or being
passionate about it. Extrinsic motivation is a result of external awards, rewards and recognitions
(Legault, 2016). After deeply studying this course, I identified that I am in intrinsically
motivated person. I would seek a job in the career field of my interest in order to remain
motivated in the long run. I have also understood that through my work, I would like to give
back to the society as that would truly help me have sense of fulfillment.
Prospect theory
Prospect theory is an analysis of a decision under risk (Kahneman & Tversky, 2013). I found this
theory interesting because it helped me learn how various businesses market their products or
services by understanding that losses are weighed more heavily than gains. This theory helped
me become a more aware consumer. For example, most businesses selling shampoos or creams
tend to market the disadvantages of not using the product. This strategy has often led me to buy

unnecessary goods. But now I would be careful and again use the critical thinking theory while
making my purchase decisions. My DISC personality results have also helped me in
understanding that I need to work upon my decision making skills.
Ten tools of clarity
In this course, I learnt an interesting thing, which are the ten tools of clarity. These ten tools help
people in gaining a clear idea and analyzing situations better. I have also learnt that the
predominant reason why projects, decisions or tactics go wrong is because they were not clear in
the first place. As a working employee, I would be working on various projects in the future. In
fact, my DISC personality result also reflects that I tend to introduce new ideas owing my
creative thinking attitude. Carefully, analyzing these tools would help me understanding my
future projects effectively and hence see through them in an efficient manner.
Influencing and persuasion
Week three helped me in understanding the importance as well as the difference between
persuasion and influencing. I have understood that persuasion is less subtle than influencing. In
the workplace, a leader is often required to persuade team members to perform betters or
influence their work culture (Hackman & Johnson, 2013). As an individual, I am fairly
convincing owing to my communication skills but now I understand the importance of being
influencing as a leader in a business. I even understood that in a team, not every member would
possess the same thought process. But as a leader, it would be imperative to influence team
members and motivate them to work in a single direction.
Facts, Observations, Experiences, Assumptions and Beliefs
I have also understood the thin line of difference between facts, observations, experiences,
assumptions and beliefs. These are all important in our critical thinking process and it is
important to note how each of them is likely to become a conclusion. Different personalities
apply different premises.

Johari window
Johari window is a self-reflection analysis that helps people in understanding and identifying
personality aspects that are known to self and unknown to others, known to self and known to
others as well as unknown to self and known to others (Rasheed, 2015). The tools helps in
improving communication and analyzing weaknesses (Saxena, 2015).
By conducting this analysis, I identified that, I am very open to others. There are various
attributes of my personality which are known to me as well as all my friends and peers. I was
also able to seek feedback and gain an insight upon my weaknesses which includes my lack of
assertiveness. This forms a part of my blind area. The hidden arena of mine includes my massive
stage fear and difficulty to socialize. The results of my Johari Window analysis were also in line
with my DISC personality results. After conducting both, I was able to better analyze myself and
start a self-improvement course to address my weaknesses.
Self-efficacy theory
Self-efficacy theory highlights upon an individual’s belief in their own capability (Farkas, 2011).
I reflect that I believe I am very efficient, active and self-determined. I rarely have a fear of the
environment and I can withstand severe stress. My high self-efficacy has resulted in my
confident, optimistic and motivated personality.
Innovation
Innovation involves the process of providing a new or modified conclusion that obtains positive
results (Huizingh, 2011). We have learnt in this course that conclusion has various levels of
hierarchy and one needs to push the hierarchy in order to be innovative (Walton, 2014). During
this course, I understood the importance of innovation in the workplace. Therefore I have started
putting an extra effort in thinking out of the box. We even conducted various activities and I am
sure these activities will help me widen my horizon and think more creatively.
DISC personality
DISC personality test reflects upon the analyzing an individual’s personality over 4 basic
attributes. These include dominance, influence, steadiness and compliance (Lykourentzou et. al.,

2016). In this course, we took the DISC test to gain a deeper insight about our personality. The
first thing the test result mentioned was that I tend to deal handle aggressive people in a blunt
way. This can get intimidating for others and hence it is imperative that I try to adapt to a softer
approach. Secondly, I am considered as a pacesetter or someone who comes up with new ideas.
Few feedbacks that I have received from the test also reflect upon my weakness to take quick
and often rash decisions. Another, noticeable factor about the test result was that I lack
consistency. I tend to have phases of excessive work and phases of complete relaxation. This
also indicates that I am unable to motivate myself.
DISC personality test also helps in identifying appropriate career choices and highlights upon
strengths and weaknesses of an individual.
Decision contexts
There are five decision contexts and before making a decision it is important to identify which of
these contexts does the decision belong to. These decision contexts are simple, complicated,
complex, chaotic and unclear. In order to make complex decisions, I must also possess excellent
communication skills. Decision making often requires improved levels of communication and
interaction. As mentioned before, I tend to make reckless decisions and hence it important for me
to understand these contexts and treat every decision differently.
Decision making
There are various crucial decisions that need to be made in the workplace and it is imperative for
the stakeholders of the business to make the right decisions for the success of the business
(Griffin & Moorhead, 2011). I understood through this course, that decision making involves the
understanding of who, need, when, criteria and risks. It is important to understand and analyze
all these factors before making a decision and I would keep this in mind in order to get a clearer
idea of the decision making situation.
Upside and downside risk
There are two kinds of risk that an individual encounters while making a decision. The upside
risk is the risk of something good not happening while a downside risk is a risk of something bad

happening. Before making decisions, it is therefore important to check the probability of both the
upside and downside risks and the decision must be made by keeping this in mind. At this point
of time, I am in process of making some serious decisions regarding the industry that I wish to
work in. I even have a few career options in hand. However, now before making a final decision,
I would like to analyze the upside and downside risks of each of the options.
Balancing rational and non-rational approaches
In the workplace, it is essential to balance rational as well as non-rational approaches. Rational
decision making is a multi-step process starting from the identification of a problem to finding a
solution (Secchi, 2011). Initially, I thought rational decision making is the most appropriate form
of decision making. However, it is the balance of rational and irrational approaches that is
important to successful decision making.
Bounded rationality
Bounded rationality is ideally the idea that reflects various limitations that an individual faces
while making decisions. The decisions made by individuals are impacted by the time available to
make the decision, cognitive limitations of the individual and tractability of the decision
problem. I have often noticed in my personal life as well that while making a decision, the time
available for making the decision largely impacts the quality of my decision. Even choice
architectures are modified in the light of bounded rationality. After understanding this, I started
keeping healthy food at my sight level in my house and slowly built an inclination towards it.
Conclusion
I am sure that the learnings from this course will continue to guide my work life. I would also
continue to conduct frequent self-reflection in order to gain a deeper insight about my
personality.

References
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Huizingh, E.K., 2011. Open innovation: State of the art and future
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Kahneman, D. and Tversky, A., 2013. Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk.
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Rasheed, S.P., 2015. Self-Awareness as a Therapeutic Tool for Nurse/Client
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Reiss, S., 2012. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Teaching of Psychology, 39(2), pp.152-156.
Saxena, P., 2015. JOHARI WINDOW: An Effective Model for Improving Interpersonal
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Secchi, D., 2011. Bounded Rationality. In Extendable Rationality (pp. 19-25). Springer, New
York, NY.
Walton, D., 2014. Abductive reasoning. University of Alabama Press.