The Role of Critical Thinking in Project Management

                Project managers are drivers by nature. They're not typically satisfied to hear an issue, and simply wait for resolution to come their way. Most successful PMs want to dig in and understand the problem they are facing, how it impacts their project and most importantly, how to resolve it. More often than not, however, the PM isn't the subject matter expert on the team. We rely on the knowledge and skills of others to produce project deliverables and develop solutions. The PM's role is predominantly to track the issues, report the impact and facilitate resolution. It is in this facilitation where project managers can bring value and realize the benefit of critical thinking.

                Critical thinking, in the simplest form, is the process of using logic and reasoning to fully understand a topic and develop solutions. It's an exchange of questions and answers designed to challenge assumptions, expose bias and foster creative solutions. Project managers who can think this way and facilitate these types of discussions will be able to resolve issues more quickly, develop better solutions and reduce project stress and anxiety.

                Any project meeting where issues may be surfaced is an opportunity to leverage critical thinking as a means to get to resolution. Begin by clarifying the issue; create an understanding of what the problem is and how it is important to the project goals. What is the impact to the project and overall operations if this is not resolved. Gain an understanding of the meanings of the terms and phrases used to describe it. Attempt to identify what assumptions or previous experiences are being drawn upon to support the initial position. Ask for specific examples of the evidence used to sustain the issue or stance the project team has taken. If there is data associated with the issue, look for the source of that data, and see if there is a way to verify that source.

                Once you feel that the team has thoroughly laid out the issue and all assumptions have been identified and challenged, begin brainstorming solutions through a line of creative questioning. Questions like "why can't we..." or "how would we impact it if..." will get the team to start seeing new and different ways to solve the problem. Ask for reasons why your suggestions will not work and for alternatives to those suggestions. The complexity of the questions or validity of the solutions shouldn't matter as much as the process itself. The hope is that you'll stretch your team members thinking to pursue opportunities to resolve the issue that they may not have considered until this point.

                Project Managers familiar with cause/effect relationship technique called the 5 Whys will recognize the use of asking questions to gain understanding and facilitate resolution. The 5 Whys is a method where, when an issue is presented, the facilitator will ask why that situation is occurring. Once answered,  the facilitator continues to ask why (5 is a guideline) to that answer until the team has a solid view of the root cause of an issue. It is a rudimentary approach to critical thinking that helps the team look upstream at the causes of an issue, rather than getting stuck in discussions that can become circular and counterproductive.   

                Of course, critical thinking in and of itself will not resolve your project issues. As a PM, the next step is to apply the appropriate project discipline to identify the most impactful action items, assign owners, set a timeline and manage progress and status. Critical thinking will only get you to that point faster and more effectively.  However, making these types of discussions part of your management routines in your regular project meetings will help your team members begin to think more laterally on their own, helping them bring creative ideas to the group, rather than just the issue itself.

                Developing and practicing critical thinking is an effective way to help you understand the full scope of an issue and drive out solutions faster and more effectively. You'll be adding value as a project manager and a facilitator, and may even be able to help your project stay on track. It's a valuable skill that can help you not only as a project manager, but throughout your career.

 

Ideas for this article are based on "The taxonomy of Socratic questions" created by Richard Paul, author of Critical Thinking: How to Prepare Students for a Rapidly Changing World