Thinking and Decision Making
Thinking and Decision Making
Beverly McLendon, Michelle Evans, Debra Hart and John Reeves
MGT/350
September 17th, 2012
Stephanie McDowell
Thinking and Decision Making
Critical thinking is an approach about any given subject, problem, or matter. The critical thinker works to enhance the ability of critical thinking in using the methods essential to thinking and striking intellectual standards. Critical thinking goes beyond individuals and is found in the workplace to produce results. In order for a workplace to employ critical thinking and come to reliable decisions, the use of methods, strategies, and different styles of thinking are used to obtain good decisions. This paper will give detail to three types of thinking with an individual, and in the workplace; pessimism, the emotional thinker, and the optimistic thinker, and the affects of each type of thinking. Pessimism Pessimism is an emotion shared by a large percentage of the human race and has a defined effect on critical thinking. Excessive pessimism is somewhat like depression and can interfere directly with a person’s ability to accurately and effectively interpret or analyze information. However, when thinking in a pessimistic manner if done effectively can assist management in a positive manner because pessimists can look at things from a different angle. For example: Two people are working on a project one is an optimist and the other a pessimist. The optimistic person is always looking at the good the project will do for the company, which is good however the pessimist will see the bad in the project and how the project could destroy the company if not done in a proper manner. Pessimistic people can assist in management even though the pessimist is always looking at the negative side. In business one cannot always look at the good in the project. If one is always looking at what the project can do for the company and never
Beverly McLendon, Michelle Evans, Debra Hart and John Reeves
MGT/350
September 17th, 2012
Stephanie McDowell
Thinking and Decision Making
Critical thinking is an approach about any given subject, problem, or matter. The critical thinker works to enhance the ability of critical thinking in using the methods essential to thinking and striking intellectual standards. Critical thinking goes beyond individuals and is found in the workplace to produce results. In order for a workplace to employ critical thinking and come to reliable decisions, the use of methods, strategies, and different styles of thinking are used to obtain good decisions. This paper will give detail to three types of thinking with an individual, and in the workplace; pessimism, the emotional thinker, and the optimistic thinker, and the affects of each type of thinking. Pessimism Pessimism is an emotion shared by a large percentage of the human race and has a defined effect on critical thinking. Excessive pessimism is somewhat like depression and can interfere directly with a person’s ability to accurately and effectively interpret or analyze information. However, when thinking in a pessimistic manner if done effectively can assist management in a positive manner because pessimists can look at things from a different angle. For example: Two people are working on a project one is an optimist and the other a pessimist. The optimistic person is always looking at the good the project will do for the company, which is good however the pessimist will see the bad in the project and how the project could destroy the company if not done in a proper manner. Pessimistic people can assist in management even though the pessimist is always looking at the negative side. In business one cannot always look at the good in the project. If one is always looking at what the project can do for the company and never
References: Pritchett, Price (2007, August 28). How pessimism can add value to our work. Hard Optimism, Retrieved October 1, 2008, from http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/aug/28book.htm Zeelenberg, M., Nelissen, R. M.A., & Breugelmans, S. M. (2008, January). On emotion specificity in decision making: Why feeling is for doing. Judgment and Decision Making, 3(1), 18-27. Optimism and the Power of Positive Thinking retrieved :( February 8, 2012) from http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=835