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Critical Thinking 101 For Project Managers

Critical Thinking 101 For Project Managers . Bill Richardson - 416-867-4776 bill.richardson@bmo.com Handout Version . Thinking..The Big Bang of Business. ”Thinking is the nucleus of business…it drives not only what gets created and launched, but also what lives on.

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Critical Thinking 101 For Project Managers

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  1. Critical Thinking 101 For Project Managers Bill Richardson - 416-867-4776 bill.richardson@bmo.com Handout Version

  2. Thinking..The Big Bang of Business. ”Thinking is the nucleus of business…it drives not only what gets created and launched, but also what lives on. It’s the big bang that sets everything else in motion. If you want to change your results, you must first change your thinking.” Marcum and Smith - businessThink

  3. “ Good To Great”Jim Collins Who Can Think Critically! Top leaders tendencies: • Right people on the bus • Wrong people off the bus • Right people in the right seats • Then figure out where to drive the bus

  4. The Painful Reality….. …is that project managers, leaders and companies don’t pay people to think - they pay ( hope, pray,expect) people to agree -----with them! And…..luck is not a method!

  5. Tonight- On Critical Thinking! • Remind you about being human! • Refocus your skills • Introduce your “Other Half” into a new model • Road test in the project life cycle • Help you take home the right 30%

  6. A Road Map P R O C E S S S K I L L S P R E F E R E N C E S Humanity Need Desired Result Model

  7. Habit Habits can be your best friend or your VERY worst enemy > Form them 1 strand at a time > Break them 1 strand at a time > Your habits are a product of environment > Good news is they are breakable > Bad news it’s simple but not easy “Auto-Pilot Navigation”

  8. Learning Context Not Competent Competent 21 days then Conscious 2 3 Not Conscious 1 4

  9. Egocentricity A tendency to view everything in relationship to oneself…... > Memory……convenient and selective > Myopia……narrow point of view > Righteousness…..only we know the truth > Hypocrisy……do as I say, not as I do > Blindness…..to contradictory facts. “Empowered Beyond Reason”

  10. A Perfectly Good Strength When multiplied by ego: becomes sense of Infalibility > Confidence > Dedication becomes Workaholism > Courage becomes Foolhardiness becomes Coercion > Ambition becomes Resistance To Change > Perseverance

  11. Fear A painful emotion excited by expectation of evil or apprehension of impending danger….. > Its an emotion put in place to protect us > Its hormonal and neurochemical > Conquering fear does not mean destroying it” > Fictitious Events Appearing Real “Self Inflicted Paralysis”

  12. So, What Are Critical Thinking Skills? ….a set of skills for resolving problems and maximizing opportunities, which affect organizations and their customers.

  13. Issues The Skills Situational Assessment What is or could be happening? We jump to resolution! Action Planning Problem Solving How do we do it? Why is it happening? We jump to action! We jump to cause! Decision Making Which is the best course of action? We jump to solution!

  14. Critical ThinkingProcess Right Brain Left Brain Gather Generate Evaluate Agree IQ EQ

  15. Integration and Balance IQ EQ Ask the hard questions in a soft way! From “businessThink”

  16. The Model Situation Assessment Identify Issues Anticipate Issues No Clarify Issues Issues Clear? Yes No Priority Known? Set Priority Yes No Cause Known? Yes Yes Solution Known? No Describe Problem List Objectives Draft Plan List Causes Generate Alternatives Anticipate Changes Test Causes Evaluate Alternatives Revise Plan Gain Support Seek Agreement Gain Support Problem Solving Decision Making Action Planning

  17. Road Test Project Life Cycle Process Goal • Situation Assessment • Clarity? • Priority? Initiation/ Feasibility • Costs? • Decision Making • Best Choice Feasibility • Gain Commitment • Action Planning • Baselines! Planning • Risk? • Status • Situational Assessment • Problem Solving • Decision Making • Action Planning Execution • Correction • Quality • Client Satisfaction Evaluation • Situational Assessment • Problem Solving • Learning? • Client Satisfaction

  18. Take Home Summary Pay Attention & Stay Off Auto Pilot Leverage Your Other Half P R E F E R E N C E S P R O C E S S S K I L L S Habit Harness And Keep On A Short Leash Learn To Identify Ego Let Go Of “Fear Is Bad” Fear Need Desired Result Teach To Learn Model Focus on clarity, priority and root cause and getting agreement Learn Where To Start Don’t Jump!!!

  19. The Value Proposition Better critical thinking will help you: • Better manage expectations • Better manage - functional vs project dimensions • Deal more effectively with imposed constraints • Become more influential • Have more fun in your work life

  20. Tomorrow? Start • ego on a • short leash Stop • find the cause • jumping Continue • focus on clarity • ignoring • your other • half • think • feel • act • hugging the • coastline

  21. The Buddha onMindfulness Non-judgment Patience Beginner’s Mind Trust Non-striving Acceptance Letting Go

  22. How They Catch Monkeys

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