The business of critical thinking

Economist Education: Why is critical thinking important?

Tom Chatfield: Critical thinking is an essential skill because it uses human cognitive strengths and addresses our weaknesses. In an age dominated by algorithms, we are surrounded by increasingly intelligent systems that provide us with answers and information. However, only people can generate and frame the questions worth asking. It is more important than ever that people use these faculties to resist manipulation, disinformation and background noise and focus on the questions that matter.

Economist Education: What is the danger of thinking uncritically?

Tom Chatfield: The danger is that we fail to develop plans and ideas that work in the real world. We may adopt an oversimplified model or set of assumptions and, when unexpected events occur, these assumptions prove inadequate or their premises turn out to be false.

Critical thinking involves recognising complexity and testing ideas. It is a vital skill in planning for disruption and change, and can unlock value and insight beyond the existing information we have.

Economist Education: How can critical-thinking skills help people become better business leaders?

Tom Chatfield: Critical thinking is an essential leadership skill. It involves knowing how to maximise both human and digital resources. This means asking meaningful questions of big-data systems, algorithms and artificial intelligence. It also means harnessing imagination, creativity and teamwork, rather than treating people like machines and limiting their potential. 

Economist Education: How can these skills help teams function more effectively?

Tom Chatfield: Critical thinking emphasises the value of constructive disagreement and evidence-based collaboration—it is a team effort. You need to capture the benefits of diverse perspectives rather than automatically favouring certain ideas or theories. You must engage rigorously with the complexities of human talent and vulnerability, examining a problem from various angles while seeking truth, rigour and evidence. 

Teams often fall into groupthink, with blind spots and assumptions leading them astray. By applying the techniques of critical thinking and prioritising reason and argument over emotion, we can avoid these pitfalls. The aim should be to maximise collective potential, rather than allowing certain feelings, individuals and narratives to dominate.

Economist Education: What are some of the key takeaways from this course?

Tom Chatfield: They include understanding that critical thinking is not about perfect insights or being perfectly rational. It is an ongoing negotiation with your limitations. It invites you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and, with others, identify biases and oversights.

This approach is not a guaranteed recipe for success but a way of working, thinking and collaborating based on a deeper understanding of human cognition, and applying that to the challenges of the 21st century.