The most valuable thinking skills you can develop

Do you want to identify the implications of a new scientific theory for product design? Can you develop a plan to provide emergency relief for a major metropolitan area? Are you capable of redesigning the floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques? Can you identify alternative approaches on a variety of topics? Do you have the skills needed to review corporate productivity and develop a plan to increase it?

   The above questions are examples of occupations that require thinking skills, as part of the soft skills an individual can develop, according to The Occupational Information Network (developed under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration). Particularly, the Network presents the following thinking skills:

- Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

- Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

- Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

- Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

- Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

- Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

- Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

- Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

   By developing these skills an individual can actively solve problems, make better decisions and plans, analyze, and observe the conditions of a situation to rationally react. Curiosity and creativity are part of this process, with the synthesis of thinking being a multidimensional process unique to each human.