Introduction to the Basic 7-Step Method of Cultivating Clarity in 4 – 2.5 hour sessions, including interactive exercises.
This short program is a great lead in to prepare a broad group of employees to start using these techniques. It is a great primer for those who intend to take the more detailed 2-Day program later.
This workshop can be customized for your specific needs. See attached link for more details.
This short course lays a foundation for understanding exactly what critical thinking is, and how it relates to rational thinking, systems thinking, decision science, and even creative thinking. See attached link for more details.
Make recommendations based on the questions/comment made during training and also based on the feed back from the training surveys.
Problem solving (i.e. provide internal communications policy, and/or create any policies that clearly outline policy and procedure)
Provide follow up and continued training
Start a partnership with someone from the organization to reinforce learning
“Education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think” – Albert Einstein
Day 1: Thinking Skill Optimization for the Workplace: The Master Key
This program will introduce an all-new Seven Step Method for Thinking Skill Optimization. Starting with the importance of building a foundation of knowledge as “grist for the thinking mill” by cultivating curiosity, the method defines the difference between critical thinking and logic, moves on to rational, creative, and systems thinking, before wrapping up with a basic introduction to the theory of knowledge and clear communications. Obviously with a one day presentation, each section is short, but some will include practice exercises, with small groups reporting back to the entire group.
Day 2: What is a Fact?
Facts are about either things (concrete objects), qualities (features), or thoughts (constructs). The type of legitimate statements regarding each group differs. The simplest to evaluate are statements about concrete material objects (things, such as a brain). Some of the characteristics (qualities, such as color) of those things are also relatively straightforward to judge. Others are complicated and difficult (intelligence, patience).
Events (a track and field competition) and geometric constructions (triangles) are two additional separate categories that have different applicable judgment criteria.
Constructs are a whole different type of “thing,” which are based primarily on thoughts. Constructs require a totally different standard of evaluation. Constructs include scientific, economic, philosophical, political and religious theories, world-views, and entities, as well as organizations, including banks, schools, clubs, families, companies and The United Nations.
We can enhance the ability of groups to communicate and make good decisions about constructs by embracing the goal of examining utility rather than ultimate truth.
Modern humans experience many conflicting loyalties. By embracing the thinking skill of evaluating constructs by their utility rather than an often unprovable standard of ultimate truth, we can minimize unnecessary disagreement, and move toward tolerance, acceptance and co-operation.
The seminar will also provide an opportunity to consider how the consciousness of the person stating the facts about all these different types of “things” influences our perceptions and judgments.
This seminar will build on the Thinking Skill Optimization for the Workplace: The Master Key program. It includes time for small groups to practice the factual evaluation techniques, for things, qualities, events and constructs.
Version A: Getting ready for retirement, or already retired? Thinking about your legacy?
Learn to see new opportunities in your current circumstances, and lay a basic foundation to be able to communicate your vision and earned wisdom to the next generation.
This program provides short introductions to all seven steps, and participants spend additional time working with steps 3 and 4, Rational and Creative Thinking.
Version B: Many people took stock of their life paths during the pandemic. Many realized that it was long past time for a change. Learning specific new skills can help open doors. But what about “The Master Key”? This program lays the foundation for you to earn compound interest on what you already know.
This program provides short introductions to all seven steps, and participants spend additional time working with steps 3 and 4, Rational and Creative Thinking.
Version C: Technology has changed many things in the economy, and the pace of change is only going to speed up. Are you ready to deal with the threats and opportunities that will emerge from the use of AI? Are you someone who thinks that AI will solve humanity’s problems? Or are you skeptical about it? This content will help you lay the foundation to learn to discern facts from opinions, truth from untruth, and reality from models and illusion. (Participants spend more time on Steps 3 and 6.)
| THINKING SKILL OPTIMIZATION METHOD | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
STEP |
COMMON TERM |
CONSTRUCTING COMPETENCE |
WHAT’S THE POINT? |
|
1 |
Being Human |
Cultivate Curiosity! |
Cultivating Open-mindedness |
|
2 |
Critical Thinking |
Question the Context! |
Solve the Right Problem
|
|
3 |
Rational Thinking |
Compare – Contrast!
|
Make Effective Use of How Our Brains are Wired |
|
4 |
Creative Thinking
|
Connect – Create! |
A Recipe for Intuition |
|
5 |
Systems Thinking |
Contemplate Complexity! |
Appreciate Multi-Level Interactivity |
|
6 |
Decision Science |
Calibrate your Confidence! |
Build Your Own Theory of Knowledge |
|
7 |
Clear Communications
|
Converse & Compose Capably! |
Be able to Explain How You Know What You Say You Know |
The Cultivating Clarity methodology allows you to:
Day 1: Thinking Skill Optimization for the Workplace: The Master Key
This program will introduce an all-new Seven Step Method for Thinking Skill Optimization. Starting with the importance of building a foundation of knowledge as “grist for the thinking mill” by cultivating curiosity, the method defines the difference between critical thinking and logic, moves on to rational, creative, and systems thinking, before wrapping up with a basic introduction to the theory of knowledge and clear communications. Obviously with a one day presentation, each section is short, but some will include practice exercises, with small groups reporting back to the entire group.
Day 2: What is a Fact?
Facts are about either things (concrete objects), qualities (features), or thoughts (constructs). The type of legitimate statements regarding each group differs. The simplest to evaluate are statements about concrete material objects (things, such as a brain). Some of the characteristics (qualities, such as color) of those things are also relatively straightforward to judge. Others are complicated and difficult (intelligence, patience).
Events (a track and field competition) and geometric constructions (triangles) are two additional separate categories that have different applicable judgment criteria.
Constructs are a whole different type of “thing,” which are based primarily on thoughts. Constructs require a totally different standard of evaluation. Constructs include scientific, economic, philosophical, political and religious theories, world-views, and entities, as well as organizations, including banks, schools, clubs, families, companies and The United Nations.
We can enhance the ability of groups to communicate and make good decisions about constructs by embracing the goal of examining utility rather than ultimate truth.
Modern humans experience many conflicting loyalties. By embracing the thinking skill of evaluating constructs by their utility rather than an often unprovable standard of ultimate truth, we can minimize unnecessary disagreement, and move toward tolerance, acceptance and co-operation.
The seminar will also provide an opportunity to consider how the consciousness of the person stating the facts about all these different types of “things” influences our perceptions and judgments.
This seminar will build on the Thinking Skill Optimization for the Workplace: The Master Key program. It includes time for small groups to practice the factual evaluation techniques, for things, qualities, events and constructs.
Version A: Getting ready for retirement, or already retired? Thinking about your legacy?
Learn to see new opportunities in your current circumstances, and lay a basic foundation to be able to communicate your vision and earned wisdom to the next generation.
This program provides short introductions to all seven steps, and participants spend additional time working with steps 3 and 4, Rational and Creative Thinking.
Version B: Many people took stock of their life paths during the pandemic. Many realized that it was long past time for a change. Learning specific new skills can help open doors. But what about “The Master Key”? This program lays the foundation for you to earn compound interest on what you already know.
This program provides short introductions to all seven steps, and participants spend additional time working with steps 3 and 4, Rational and Creative Thinking.
Version C: Technology has changed many things in the economy, and the pace of change is only going to speed up. Are you ready to deal with the threats and opportunities that will emerge from the use of AI? Are you someone who thinks that AI will solve humanity’s problems? Or are you skeptical about it? This content will help you lay the foundation to learn to discern facts from opinions, truth from untruth, and reality from models and illusion. (Participants spend more time on Steps 3 and 6.)