Critical Thinking, Leadership and Decision-Making: A Reflective Essay

This reflective essay explores the student's journey through a course focused on critical thinking, decision-making, and leadership. The essay begins by defining critical thinking and highlighting its benefits, such as improved problem-solving and accurate conclusions. It then contrasts automatic and critical thinking processes, emphasizing the importance of clarity in critical thinking, and outlines ten elements to maintain clarity. The essay progresses to discuss the role of conclusion in critical thinking, including deductive and inductive learning, and how premises, facts, observations, experiences, and assumptions shape conclusions. Furthermore, the essay delves into the application of critical decision-making in managerial contexts, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, leadership qualities, and the Johari Window technique. The student also reflects on the role of innovation and different types of thinking processes like out-of-the-box, abductive, and impossible thinking in decision-making. Finally, the essay examines the roles of individuals and groups in the decision-making process, the importance of alternative opinions, the significance of time in decision-making, and the factors that contribute to effective decision-making.

Running Head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note:

1REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Week1
Thinking is a scientific process which is based on a subject, content and the related
associated problem. It can be asserted that in the course of thinking process an individual can
suffer with biasness, confusion and distortion partially or completely. Hence it is imperative to
develop a practice of critical thinking process which attributes a quality of analyze assessment
and reconstruction mechanism in order to clarify the understanding. Therefore, Critical thinking
can be defined as a method which will enhance my thoughts in the time of decision making
(Cottrell, 2017). During my 1st week course I have come to know about some benefits regarding
critical decision making. It can be argued that critical decision making can help to understand the
problem of a given situation which can facilitates the skill to make accurate conclusion (Kong et
al., 2014). In addition to this, the critical thinking ability can foster a series of solutions and
quality decisions during the time of emergency. In fact, while practicing the critical thinking
mechanism I have come to know that the process is very beneficial for novice and new learners
and in return help to avoid any kind of future blunders. Furthermore, the key advantage of using
critical thinking is that the process is capable to eliminate the less important facts in the early
stage of thinking process as a decision making tool.
Week2
It is important to acknowledge the difference between automatic and critical thinking
process. The automatic thinking process is strictly followed the concept of making decisions in
the early phase. In other words, it can be opined that in the automatic thinking process decision is
being taken in a preconceive manner and there is lack of clarity in the understanding (McPeck,

2REFLECTIVE ESSAY
2016). On the contrary, the primary process of the critical thinking is focused on clarity at first
and then draws a conclusion and decision after that. In this regards, clarity plays a very
significant role in attaining critical thinking. Clarity is useful to make the critical thinking
purposeful, relevant and scientific (Huber & Kuncel, 2016). In response to this, clarity in critical
thinking can be maintained by ten important elements. While focusing on my critical thinking
techniques in terms of clarity, it is better to understand the facts in a sorted mind. Positivism is
the core facet in order to start a critical thinking. Inspection is considered to be the next factor in
this regards. It is imperative to clear out the ambiguity and issues related to the understanding
through inspection (Cottrell, 2017). It requires a clear idea of the root cause of the problem. After
sorting out the problems the next step will associated with type of problem and make a plan to
resolve the problem. The plan is based on anticipation and strongly based on the consequences of
the thinking. It is also important to think about some alternative plans if the first plan will not
work effectively. It is further stapled with a vision which endorses a theoretical framework
behind the rationality of thinking. In this context, the prospect theory provides a more
constructive form of thoughts which can help to understand the level of risk awareness.
Week3
The outcome through the clarity of understanding leads me towards a conclusive phase
which deals with the objectives of the clarity. The more the thinking will be clear the less it will
complex the conclusion. Based on premises, the conclusion is divided into deductive and
inductive learning process (Akbay & Akbay, 2017). In fact, during my learning process the role
of conclusion in a critical thinking process became clearer to me. In this regards, the premises
can be referred as the initial statement which leads us towards an in-depth thinking. In this

3REFLECTIVE ESSAY
context, the premises are structured by a series of steps started from pointing out the facts and in
due course results a conclusion. The facts are supposed to be absolute truths without any kind of
factual relevance. After that, it requires and observation of understanding the very nature of the
statement or fact. The output of the observation leads us towards getting an experience.
Experience is resembled with the past and a can bring more justification in the value of premises
through directness. The experience is also interlinked with the beliefs and prejudices of my past
which can influence the understanding directly (Nosratinia & Zaker, 2015). Finally, it drives my
thinking towards the assumption of the issue which are presumed to be correct. Assumptions are
also dealt with the experiences and beliefs and depend on the validity and relevance of my
experience (Cottrell, 2017). It can be stated that the outcome of the conclusion can be varied due
to difference of personality and mentality.
Week4
In this regards, it can be argued that the critical decision making is beneficial to influence
the decision making process in the managerial level. It can be claimed that self-awareness can
lead a person towards achieving success. Self- awareness is also a determinant factor in
leadership skills. The key components of a good leadership are attitudes, feelings, motives and
accurate self assessment (Vahlne & Johanson, 2017). Psychological and emotional
underpinnings are also considered to be important in this regards. However, it is necessary to
develop self-awareness. In my learning process, I was going through the Johari Window
technique of self-awareness measurement where the person can be familiar with his presence and
acceptance among people as well to himself. Therefore, it can be argued that openness and vocal
attitude is highly beneficial for constructing an effective leadership personality. In due course it

4REFLECTIVE ESSAY
is also important for me to conduct a self analysis of my personality and get a glimpse of
leadership quality of mine. The self analysis is basically a portfolio that covers my strength and
weaknesses and figure out my values and priorities in life. In addition to this, attitude is also
played the part of a protagonist in course of developing self personality (Yang & Gabrielsson,
2017). It is associated with the value, achievements and purpose of my life. A sense of
accomplishment is considered to be the key factor for achieving success. Therefore, it is
important for me to maintain an optimistic attitude in life and emotional intelligence has become
an influential factor in this regards.
Week5
It can be asserted that innovation is considered to be a significant factor in response to
develop a critical thinking and decision making process. In response to this it can be argued that
innovation is defined as a customised process which is accompanied by positivism and
modification. In order to introduce innovation in conclusion, it requires a number of positive
steps. The first level is associated with out of the box thinking approach. It means innovation is
dynamic and has an ability to perform beyond the core framework of derived a conclusion
(Pettigrew, 2014). The next part is related to the abductive thinking process which is based on
educated perceptions or the basic ideas. It can be argued that experience is a significant assent in
attaining abductive thinking. The next type of thinking is related to impossible thinking. In this
process, people perceive an impossible aim which is hard to achieve. In the light of these
elements the decision making process is also divided into some layers of understanding. The
simple form can easily be understandable so naively whereas the complicated, complex and

5REFLECTIVE ESSAY
chaotic form of decision making can provide different types of understanding (Cascetta et al.,
2015).
Week6
It is important to understand the various roles of people associated with the decision
making process. In every organisation, there is a group of people or an individual one who are
entitled to take the decision on behalf of the company. During our course learning I had gone
through a training of decision making ability where the vitality of the decision making was
acknowledged. In this context, it can be asserted that taking a decision individually can be fatal
for a person or for a company (Belkhouja, Genet & Mangematin, 2018). On the contrary, it is
important to go for alternative opinions. Alternative voices like panel experts, board of directors,
recruitment panel all those can be considered. The motive behind taking a good and effective
decision is that the scenario supposed to demand an urgent decision or for a sustainable future an
effective decision is required. There is also a key factor regarding the time of decision making. It
signifies the urgency and intensity of the decision and is also able to stimulate action (Kaner,
2014). However, the decision making process requires a number of determining factors like
adequate qualification to take the decision, authentic references, effective communication skills
and the requisite time to finish it. In response to this, the key focus of the decision making body
must have set on the required aims and objectives for the benefits of the decision maker. A
rational approach with immense optimism can help the individual or a group of decision makers
to gain the targeted achievements.

6REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reference
Akbay, T., & Akbay, A. P. L. (2017). Examining the Causal Effects of the Two Predominant
Factors on Critical Thinking Disposition: A Multiple Group SEM. In 4th International
Conference on Humanities and Educational Research.
Belkhouja, S., Genet, C., & Mangematin, V. (2018). The impact of lead users on decision
making process: giving legitimacy to innovative technologies.
Cascetta, E., Carteni, A., Pagliara, F., & Montanino, M. (2015). A new look at planning and
designing transportation systems: A decision-making model based on cognitive
rationality, stakeholder engagement and quantitative methods. Transport policy, 38, 27-
39.
Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills. Macmillan Education.
Huber, C. R., & Kuncel, N. R. (2016). Does college teach critical thinking? A meta-
analysis. Review of Educational Research, 86(2), 431-468.
Kaner, S. (2014). Facilitator's guide to participatory decision-making. John Wiley & Sons.
Kong, L. N., Qin, B., Zhou, Y. Q., Mou, S. Y., & Gao, H. M. (2014). The effectiveness of
problem-based learning on development of nursing students’ critical thinking: A
systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of nursing studies, 51(3), 458-
469.
McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge.

7REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Nosratinia, M., & Zaker, A. (2015). Boosting autonomous foreign language learning:
Scrutinizing the role of creativity, critical thinking, and vocabulary learning
strategies. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 4(4), 86-
97.
Pettigrew, A. M. (2014). The politics of organizational decision-making. Routledge.
Vahlne, J. E., & Johanson, J. (2017). The internationalization process of the firm—a model of
knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitments. In International
Business (pp. 145-154). Routledge.
Yang, M., & Gabrielsson, P. (2017). Entrepreneurial marketing of international high-tech
business-to-business new ventures: A decision-making process perspective. Industrial
Marketing Management, 64, 147-160.