Improve the way you think

Whether you are a good thinker or not manifests in what and how you communicate. People who communicate clearly, justly or not attract more confidence from others. So here are some thinking skills to hone as you seek to advance yourself.

Think clearly: Clear thinking requires more than just logical thinking. You need to be able to sift through important bits of information and present them in a way that suits your audience. For example, the level at which you’d pitch information with senior managers on a particular topic will be of a much higher order than those you may share with colleagues.

Think strategically: Don’t be a thinker only focused on the here and now. Obviously there will be small level decisions that require thinking about what you do now. But you need to be able to think through complexity and make some sense of it. Ask questions like; what’s the purpose of what you are thinking about? What could be its impact in the mid to long term? What connections can you make about the situation that may not be immediately obvious? What are the priorities? What risks are involved?

Think wisely: This is demonstrating common sense, having a good sense of judgement and not being influenced by just what the rules say. Focus not only on the things that make sense but also why they make sense and what the trade-offs are for the choices you’re making. Wise thinking shows reflection has taken place and not just based on ‘raw thoughts’.

Think forward: By bringing new insights to a situation. Show foresight and anticipate what’s round the corner.

Now take action: Identify one way you can improve your thinking.