Critical Thinking Vs Being Critical

I’m always amazed to see disengaged teams.
People have checked out.

They focus only on tasks.
They don’t take risks.
Zzzzz…
And a big reason?: Confusing critical thinking with being critical.

Critical thinking means:

• Asking questions
• Understanding the problem
• Acting objectively
• Generating ideas
• Analyzing solutions
• Focusing on innovation
• Revisiting and iterating solutions

Being critical is:

• Casting judgment
• Shutting down discussions
• Reacting without understanding
• Killing creativity
• Leading from a position title
• Avoiding change and risk
• Setting and forgetting

When you are critical, it’s a power move. You point out flaws and kill ideas.

When you ask questions and seek truths, you give your team the okay to think creatively and solve problems.

You create a culture of:

✅ Problem-solving
✅ Collaboration
✅ Innovation
And that results in engaged teams who solve hard challenges.

Remember: Choose to think critically, not just be critical.