“The scientific method as a problem-solving framework is a good friend.”
Let’s envision a world where leaders not only solve complex problems with precision but also uncover hidden opportunities that propel their organisations to new heights.
This blend of sharp analytical thinking and boundless curiosity is the secret to transformative leadership. In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing landscape, mastering these skills is no longer optional; it is essential.
This article explores how to cultivate these critical abilities to develop unparalleled leadership expertise.
One typical illustration of analytical thinking is using the scientific method, something that we were encouraged to develop and use as a default mechanism.
As we know, the scientific method is a specific set of interrelated steps to define the problem, create a hypothesis, collect data, test ideas, and draw conclusions. The scientific method works using a consistent methodology based on structure, logic, and analytical thinking. It has rigour and discipline.
We use the analytical thought process scales to think through various situations, from geometry to history, weather forecasting to party planning, architectural designs to gardening, to fixing cars. The scientific method as a problem-solving framework is a good friend.
One way to see and understand analytical thinking is to see it as discernment. It is a thinking process that exists at several different levels. Discernment is the ability to apply logic and reason to solve problems. It is understanding the picture in a puzzle and how the pieces fit together.
One aspect of analytical thinking worth mentioning is its ability to see relationships and make connections, such as determining cause and effect or understanding the relationship between the whole and its parts.
Additionally, it can construct, destruct, and reconstruct the elements of a problem and search for solutions that are not readily apparent. As an individual moves through the leadership development process, the ability to make connections and see relationships broadens in scope across people, organisations, and the outside world.
At a deeper level, analytical thinking is about sharpening one’s intellectual capacity. A part of this process is the ability to make informed judgments. We call this discernment. It is the ability to see and understand situations clearly and intelligently.
Consistently solving problems creates a good goal-scoring instinct. But to achieve strategic objectives requires a great deal of perception, which is the ability to discern meaning and figure things out at a deeper level.
In the pursuit of framing and substantiating a judgement, there are several processes at work: the powers of observation, the collection of data, and the weighing of evidence.
At this point, what is important is not simply the goal but the ability to step back and get an accurate perspective of the situation by asking questions:
What is new in our industry?
What are we not giving attention to?
What is the implication of recent trends?
What can potentially impact our businesses?
What do we see for the future?
What can we do differently?
The various ways in which we solve problems are indicative of how we think and learn. Consider the concepts of single-loop and double-loop learning. When a problem occurs and a solution doesn’t work, single-loop learning questions are asked, and actions are taken. On the other hand, double-loop learning questions the assumptions that underlie the actions.
It dives below the surface of solving the problem to understand what is going on. Both types of learning are important, but knowing when and how to use them is critical. The ability to step back, take stock, test assumptions, and gain insight is the value that discernment brings to the overall process of thinking and learning.
The ability to discern only intensifies with curiosity by asking further questions and digging deep to know “What if…?”. What discernment is is to think logically; curiosity is to think creatively. Curiosity has two sides. One side accepts and embraces new ideas and diverse perspectives. On the other side, it confronts. It questions authority, takes risks, and challenges perceived constraints.
For leaders, curiosity is an itch that must be scratched. And when curiosity is unleashed, it has the power to create scientific breakthroughs and artistic triumphs.
It is a reason, and it is a passion. For all these reasons, it is a critical competency needed for leadership. What makes curiosity important in the expertise stage is its natural inquisitiveness with questions posed in all shapes and sizes.
For sure, they include the what and the how. But what curiosity seems to fuel is an insatiable need to go beyond why to contemplate, what if…? Sometimes it’s illuminating, and sometimes it’s edgy. Sometimes it leads to understanding; sometimes it leads to confusion. Curiosity is nothing if not relentless. The need to ask questions is critical to acquiring and applying knowledge and skills and building a base of expertise.
However, it is not bound by logic; it speaks to the creative mind and human emotion.
The relationship between curiosity and discernment, inquisitiveness, and judgement creates a unique dynamic. Both are a bit like the odd couple. While one is convergent, analysing clues, making judgements, drawing conclusions, and ensuring everything is neat and tidy.
The other is divergent, asking questions and looking for options, wondering what is messy and scattered. But they have figured out how to live together. Independent, each is important, but together they create a disciplined yet flexible way of thinking conducive to building a solid base of leadership expertise.
About the Author: Dr Toye Sobande is a Strategic Leadership Expert, Lawyer, Public Speaker, and Trainer. He is the CEO of Stephens Leadership Consultancy LLC, a strategy and management consulting firm offering creative insight and solutions to businesses and leaders. Email: [email protected].
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