Asking the Right Questions Critically
Asking the Right Questions Critically
Introduction
In the book, “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Ninth Edition), by M. Neil Brown and Stuart M. Keeley”, the authors examine the benefits of critical thinking as it relates to the process of asking the right kinds of questions. What are the right kinds of questions? These authors maintain that critical thinking is a method used to improve the way we think by asking the questions that would enable you to reach a personal decision that would eventually give credit to both sides of the discussion. Critical thinking is in essence the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of one’s experience, as it relates to the worth of the discussion at hand. The authors define critical thinking: “as the awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, the ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times; and the desire to actively use the critical questions.” (p. 2) In my examination of the Memo by Denise Khali of Triad Insurance Company of Indianapolis, I will apply the 10 steps method developed by Brown and Keeley, to examine the arguments made.
What are the Issue and the Conclusion?
In the memo sent by Ms. Denise Khali, Vice President of Human Resources, to the CEO, Mr. Robert Shaw, the main issue is whether or not their company Triad Insurance Company of Indianapolis (TICI), should support an initiative to have their junior insurance executives attend a leadership development program (D. Khali, personal communication, October 4, 2010). The proposal that was endorsed by one of their senior staff members, a Mr. Ralph Clarke, would send 20 employees to a program
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offered by the Aspen Leadership Institute of Colorado at a total cost of $100,000, not including the additional $100,000 for lost man hours.
In regards to the conclusion, Ms. Khali believes that TICI should not invest in the proposal to send the junior executives to the annual leadership training. She argues that a
Introduction
In the book, “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Ninth Edition), by M. Neil Brown and Stuart M. Keeley”, the authors examine the benefits of critical thinking as it relates to the process of asking the right kinds of questions. What are the right kinds of questions? These authors maintain that critical thinking is a method used to improve the way we think by asking the questions that would enable you to reach a personal decision that would eventually give credit to both sides of the discussion. Critical thinking is in essence the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of one’s experience, as it relates to the worth of the discussion at hand. The authors define critical thinking: “as the awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, the ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times; and the desire to actively use the critical questions.” (p. 2) In my examination of the Memo by Denise Khali of Triad Insurance Company of Indianapolis, I will apply the 10 steps method developed by Brown and Keeley, to examine the arguments made.
What are the Issue and the Conclusion?
In the memo sent by Ms. Denise Khali, Vice President of Human Resources, to the CEO, Mr. Robert Shaw, the main issue is whether or not their company Triad Insurance Company of Indianapolis (TICI), should support an initiative to have their junior insurance executives attend a leadership development program (D. Khali, personal communication, October 4, 2010). The proposal that was endorsed by one of their senior staff members, a Mr. Ralph Clarke, would send 20 employees to a program
3
offered by the Aspen Leadership Institute of Colorado at a total cost of $100,000, not including the additional $100,000 for lost man hours.
In regards to the conclusion, Ms. Khali believes that TICI should not invest in the proposal to send the junior executives to the annual leadership training. She argues that a
Cited: Bect, C.K. (2010). Assessing Leadership Readiness Using Developmental Personality Style: A tool for Leadership coaching. International Journal of Evidence based Coaching & Mentoring, 8(1), 22-33. Retrieved from http://www.business.brookes.ac.uk/research/areas /coachingandmentoring/ documents/vol08issue1-paper-01.pdf?err404=research/areas/ coachingandmentoring/volume/811_Kearney.pdf Brown M. N., & Keeley, S. M (2010). Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.