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Think Smarter Lib/E: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills
Train your brain for better decisions, problem solving, and innovation"Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills" is the comprehensive guide to training your brain to do more for you. Written by a critical thinking trainer and coach, the book presents a pragmatic set of tools to apply critical thinking techniques to everyday business issues. "Think Smarter" is filled with real world examples that demonstrate how the tools work in action, in addition to dozens of practice exercises applicable across industries and functions, "Think Smarter" is a versatile resource for individuals, managers, students, and corporate training programs.
Thinking is the foundation of everything you do, but we rely largely on automatic thinking to process information, often resulting in misunderstandings and errors. Shifting over to critical thinking means thinking purposefully using a framework and toolset, enabling thought processes that lead to better decisions, faster problem solving, and creative innovation. "Think Smarter" provides clear, actionable steps toward improving your critical thinking skills, plus exercises that clarify complex concepts by putting theory into practice. Features include: A comprehensive critical thinking frameworkOver twenty-five "tools" to help you think more criticallyCritical thinking implementation for functions and activitiesExamples of the real-world use of each tool
Learn what questions to ask, how to uncover the real problem to solve, and mistakes to avoid. Recognize assumptions your can rely on versus those without merit, and train your brain to tick through your mental toolbox to arrive at more innovative solutions. Critical thinking is the top skill on the wish list in the business world, and sharpening your ability can have profound affects throughout all facets of life. "Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills" provides a roadmap to more effective and productive thought.
Thinking is the foundation of everything you do, but we rely largely on automatic thinking to process information, often resulting in misunderstandings and errors. Shifting over to critical thinking means thinking purposefully using a framework and toolset, enabling thought processes that lead to better decisions, faster problem solving, and creative innovation. "Think Smarter" provides clear, actionable steps toward improving your critical thinking skills, plus exercises that clarify complex concepts by putting theory into practice. Features include: A comprehensive critical thinking frameworkOver twenty-five "tools" to help you think more criticallyCritical thinking implementation for functions and activitiesExamples of the real-world use of each tool
Learn what questions to ask, how to uncover the real problem to solve, and mistakes to avoid. Recognize assumptions your can rely on versus those without merit, and train your brain to tick through your mental toolbox to arrive at more innovative solutions. Critical thinking is the top skill on the wish list in the business world, and sharpening your ability can have profound affects throughout all facets of life. "Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills" provides a roadmap to more effective and productive thought.
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First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 6, 2015
Excellent intro to critical thinking, several of the techniques I was using already (shocking!). The first half of the book, dedicated to finding clarity for the problem you're trying to solve, is the strongest. The second half is weaker in terms of providing a set of tools for other aspects of critical thinking, so I gave it a 4 rather than a 5. I've actually started my first Quizlet to help with memorization of some of the tools. Think Smarter Quizlet
June 10, 2014
Easy to read and the section on clarity hits home. A major mistake in corporate decisions is not getting proper understanding to the real issue. Mike’s model helps you decode the major parts and understand to gain real clarity on decisions. Nice Job!
February 28, 2019
I sacrificed 5 IQ points reading this book so that you don't have to. One of the worst books I have ever read.
This is the first book in its genre I have encountered which is almost purely fluff and has absolutely nothing of use unless you think you can put 11-step useless plans into action everytime you encounter a 'headscratcher'.
Please don't waste your time reading this book, it will make you think much dumber than you already do.
This is the first book in its genre I have encountered which is almost purely fluff and has absolutely nothing of use unless you think you can put 11-step useless plans into action everytime you encounter a 'headscratcher'.
Please don't waste your time reading this book, it will make you think much dumber than you already do.
April 7, 2021
Excellent book for those looking to improve their critical thinking skills. The author takes you through a variety of processes to sharpen your skills an avoid pitfalls.
January 21, 2019
First part of the book is a little slow as it explains the premise of how we think. The later half is much more captivating when he wraps it all together! Over all, a great book and I hope to utilize these tools when attempting to solve all sorts of problems moving forward!
December 27, 2022
Interesting and quite practical throughout the book. A titchy bit monotonous by the last chapter.
Favourite Quotes:
"Critical thinking is manual thinking, framework thinking, purposeful."
"We often ask others to do something without bothering to give them them the reason why we want those actions performed. Although it's not practical to explain yourself every time you ask for something, it is prudent to do so when it is for a substantial issue or problem."
"Anticipatory thinking - ask 'what next?' so the other person can develop their critical thinking and anticipate what might happen."
"If you're not clear then you're apt to solve the wrong problem."
"If a solution you read in a book will work, even though it is not your idea, wouldn't you use it? Don't be attached to your ideas to the detriment of considering others."
"Start conversations by considering multiple conclusions."
"The trouble is that to think outside the box, you first have to know what the box is."
"You've heard the expression, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks.' Usually this refers to someone who has been in the same job for a long time. When his or her response to having to learn something new is, 'hey, I've been doing this for thirty years, I know how to get this done.' It's not that they don't want to see [a different way of solving a problem], it's that they can't. We call that Old Dog Thinking, where your experience is so strong that you can't see any other solutions. You lose the ability to abduct because there's no need to guess because you know... Your reaction when someone points out something new to you is, 'Ah, of course, why didn't I think of that?' The truth is, you would have never thought of it. Your inductive reasoning is too strong."
"Your experience is valuable, so don't discard it. Just know that it means you are less likely to guess at another solution because there's no need to guess; you know."
"You can't ask yourself in what ways are you an old dog because you can't see it. However you can ask yourself where do I run the risk of being an old dog."
"Set a date for the decision. One reason to identify and set a date is that it generates a need. If you commit to a date and one of your beliefs is to do what you say you'll do, then you have artificially created a need."
Favourite Quotes:
"Critical thinking is manual thinking, framework thinking, purposeful."
"We often ask others to do something without bothering to give them them the reason why we want those actions performed. Although it's not practical to explain yourself every time you ask for something, it is prudent to do so when it is for a substantial issue or problem."
"Anticipatory thinking - ask 'what next?' so the other person can develop their critical thinking and anticipate what might happen."
"If you're not clear then you're apt to solve the wrong problem."
"If a solution you read in a book will work, even though it is not your idea, wouldn't you use it? Don't be attached to your ideas to the detriment of considering others."
"Start conversations by considering multiple conclusions."
"The trouble is that to think outside the box, you first have to know what the box is."
"You've heard the expression, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks.' Usually this refers to someone who has been in the same job for a long time. When his or her response to having to learn something new is, 'hey, I've been doing this for thirty years, I know how to get this done.' It's not that they don't want to see [a different way of solving a problem], it's that they can't. We call that Old Dog Thinking, where your experience is so strong that you can't see any other solutions. You lose the ability to abduct because there's no need to guess because you know... Your reaction when someone points out something new to you is, 'Ah, of course, why didn't I think of that?' The truth is, you would have never thought of it. Your inductive reasoning is too strong."
"Your experience is valuable, so don't discard it. Just know that it means you are less likely to guess at another solution because there's no need to guess; you know."
"You can't ask yourself in what ways are you an old dog because you can't see it. However you can ask yourself where do I run the risk of being an old dog."
"Set a date for the decision. One reason to identify and set a date is that it generates a need. If you commit to a date and one of your beliefs is to do what you say you'll do, then you have artificially created a need."
June 23, 2018
Great introductory book on critical thinking. I had no real formal training on this before(despite a college degree) and it's quite clear what it is and how I will benefit after reading this work.
Gives both a framework and set of tools to get started with critical thinking. This is from a business perspective so the author uses some of his own terminology rather than a more academically oriented work, but it still works.
Framework is separated into three parts; clarity, solutions, and decisions. The weight is towards clarity with the philosophy that most of the thinking needs to be top-heavy on clarifying the problem, then the solutions, and finally making decisions and weighting the risks. The author notes and I concur that this is the opposite of how people normally think so that is good.
Otherwise there are dozens of "tools" that can be used throughout the framework. Best to start using some of these and become proficient with them as you deal with your own problems that require some thought or what the author calls "Head Scratchers."
Gives both a framework and set of tools to get started with critical thinking. This is from a business perspective so the author uses some of his own terminology rather than a more academically oriented work, but it still works.
Framework is separated into three parts; clarity, solutions, and decisions. The weight is towards clarity with the philosophy that most of the thinking needs to be top-heavy on clarifying the problem, then the solutions, and finally making decisions and weighting the risks. The author notes and I concur that this is the opposite of how people normally think so that is good.
Otherwise there are dozens of "tools" that can be used throughout the framework. Best to start using some of these and become proficient with them as you deal with your own problems that require some thought or what the author calls "Head Scratchers."
November 17, 2021
Think Smarter is a great book for getting perspective on how you should go about the critical thinking process. It dives deep into the different mindsets people have and how they can improve their problem solving skills. I found this book very helpful as a computer science student because a lot of what I do and will be doing professional is finding ways to solve problems that other people don't think about. This book really helped me and I even noticed that some of my homework assignments have been easier with the new way of thinking. Thinking smarter is not just a skill that you can read about and learn, obviously, it's something that takes time to practice and it makes you think about what you should think about first. The concept may be difficult for some to grasp at first but overall I believe Michael Kallet did a great job of making a book designed for all ages and all situations so that anyone can pick this book up and improve their thinking skills.
July 15, 2024
I highly recommend it. It's organized well, not too long, and divided into three main sections. They are clarity, conclusions, and decisions. Each one does an excellent job of giving practical examples and tools. In the clarity section, Kallet emphasizes the importance of achieving clarity by emptying one's "mental bucket" of biases, and he talks about methods such as the Bucket Method. He also outlines five fundamental premises: facts, observations, experiences, beliefs, and assumptions which ties everything together. In today's world, avoiding falling into frequency fallacies and conformational biases is easy and I think this book has helped me make better conclusions. One of the things I liked most about this read, though, that was unique was that it had many real-world applications and examples that can be used in many scenarios that I will use in my life, especially with business.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2023
Think Smarter by Michael Kallet is a book that aims to teach readers how to improve their critical thinking skills. Here are my two-star thoughts on the book: The book offers some sort of useful advice. Kallet provides a number of techniques and strategies for improving critical thinking, such as asking questions, breaking down problems, and gathering evidence. The book is overly simplistic. While the advice provided is useful to a certain extent, it feels like it's aimed at a very basic level of critical thinking. Readers who are already comfortable with critical thinking may find that the advice presented is too simplistic and doesn't offer any new insights or strategies.
October 16, 2017
I really want to like this book, because the exercises are great, but I just can't get past how much time the author spends beating you over the head with kitschy slang terms for the concepts (commonly-used terms are often not introduced at all).
If I was trying to help an overly-impulsive child or young teen who I didn't expect to need to be able to discuss this in depth later, I might recommend this book or a few chapters of it. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to an adult or anyone I thought would want to learn more about critical thinking or cognitive science later.
If I was trying to help an overly-impulsive child or young teen who I didn't expect to need to be able to discuss this in depth later, I might recommend this book or a few chapters of it. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to an adult or anyone I thought would want to learn more about critical thinking or cognitive science later.
March 9, 2018
Easy to read with lots of relatable examples. My main takeaways are:
1. Acknowledge everyone's belief if you want them to align to another conclusion.
2. Jumping into conclusion is good and it is validated by asking why and how you reached the conclusion.
3. Clarity is key to problem solving.
4. Belief is a door that filters.
I enjoyed the book and I am gonna pick it up again to reinforce my learning points.
1. Acknowledge everyone's belief if you want them to align to another conclusion.
2. Jumping into conclusion is good and it is validated by asking why and how you reached the conclusion.
3. Clarity is key to problem solving.
4. Belief is a door that filters.
I enjoyed the book and I am gonna pick it up again to reinforce my learning points.
December 31, 2020
This book provides a great structure to elements of critical thinking. The examples are easy to understand and relatable.
The only thing I might have enjoyed seeing would be some coverage of common failures in critical thinking (common pitfalls). There was some.
I do think this book is a good start for people seeking to make better decisions. The structure provided would be an excellent starting point and provide real value.
The only thing I might have enjoyed seeing would be some coverage of common failures in critical thinking (common pitfalls). There was some.
I do think this book is a good start for people seeking to make better decisions. The structure provided would be an excellent starting point and provide real value.
July 10, 2017
Reasonable set of heuristics and an OK recipe to look at hard problems and explore more. Definitely an interesting reading. Expected a bit more depth on the cognition and rational of some of the methods and exercises. Got a general feeling of the method and hopefully a way forward to use the technique on a day to day basis.
November 2, 2018
Very helpful book!
I can definitely see the benefit to using critical thinking in many aspects of life. Though I manually have been doing this for many things already, it will be very valuable to intentionally practice critical thinking with the help ideas from this book
I can definitely see the benefit to using critical thinking in many aspects of life. Though I manually have been doing this for many things already, it will be very valuable to intentionally practice critical thinking with the help ideas from this book
July 19, 2019
A very practical, bite-sized, easy to understand guide to anticipatory thinking. The challenging part is to practice and incorporate such thinking in professional decision making, but the bite-sized-ness of this book makes it easier.
July 21, 2021
Literally everything in here is so obvious. It basically says “it’s important to think critically because thinking critically is important.” So dumb. Don’t bother reading it. If you have any sense at all you already know everything in this book.
February 19, 2018
A good compendium of tools for business solving. They are good for the beginner in methodically thinking through an issue.
September 22, 2019
I find this book helpful. I learned to filter information and to ask the needed questions for every issue.
September 9, 2020
Despite of basic concepts that was a great refresher. Also enjoy the takeaways at the end of each chapters and the examples given throughout book
Read
April 8, 2021It lists out many questions to help you think smarter
May 16, 2021
A solid and detailed exploration of what critical thinking really means, this book offers a comprehensive view of the components and how to apply this thinking.
June 23, 2021
This book can change your thinking to be more efficient
July 26, 2021
Good content, a bit dry / formula-based recos, but Overall well rounded and sound advice for prompting critical thinking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2022
Good material but needed more depth.
August 28, 2022
Great book! Wish more thinking like this was taught in schools. You can really expand your mind on this.
Read
January 19, 2023Dnf at 40%..not for me
February 17, 2023
Great choice to deeply understand critical thinking, practical, simple language, relatable, and structured. Best for those looking to learn the topic, or those who what to unlearn and learn again.
June 12, 2023
This would be a great book for high school kids. Past that it seems to be common sense. I don't know what I was expecting or hoping for.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews