VSB Dean Explains Critical Thinking

Villanova School of Business Dean Patrick Maggitti recently published an article for US News & World report on the importance of critical thinking when looking for employees. He refers to a study done by indeed.com that states that since 2009, mentions of critical thinking have doubled in job postings. Dean Maggitti explains what being able to think critically really means and how students can be sure that they are learning the skills that are necessary to become critical thinkers in the work force after business school.

Maggitti gives readers three critical thinking skills that business school graduates need to be attractive to employers. He explains that although companies are looking for critical thinkers, that is only a portion of the higher skill to create new solutions. “It is far easier to be the art critic than the artist. Yet the first step in becoming a great artist is being able to look with a critical eye upon what has already been created,” he explains.

The three critical thinkings skills that business school graduates need are:

“Critical thinking leads to problem-solving. Critical thinkers seek out new experiences and perspectives. They expose themselves to ideas that question or oppose their point of view and process them rigorously and analytically to make the best decision possible. Students explore new ideas in college by enrolling in classes that are of interest but may be unrelated to their major.

Analyze data to make informed decisions. The second attribute of creative problem-solvers is the ability to analyze data – to understand what data is needed, how to manage it and how to extract and assess the critical information. Informed decision-making leads to better outcomes than does educated guessing.

Challenge the status quo. Challenging the status quo may seem a bit controversial. Some employers may not appreciate new hires questioning their long-established business practices, but I would argue that hiring people who ask questions and want to understand the reasons behind decisions and business processes are vital for any company.”

Find the entire article by Dean Maggitti, here.

regions: Philadelphia

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