We Think (Critically), Therefore We Are

The single most important role I had in nearly 30 years in the college classroom was teaching critical thinking. My substantive area of expertise was important and interesting and usually timely, but encouraging the *process* of collecting, evaluating, synthesizing, reflecting, reconnecting disparate pieces of information to make compelling arguments was always my goal.

Whenever I had the chance, we'd focus on cognitive biases and dig into the whys and the hows of issues and problems. I learned the significance of this exercise most clearly from my children when they were small. They were remarkably authentic learners at ages 2 and 3 when all they did was ask why, why, why and how, how, how! Exhausting for me, but oh so valuable for them as they developed confidence in their ability to learn.

In the classroom, I encouraged my students to be toddlers (well, at least in this regard!), to engage the world around them by asking, Why? and How? whenever possible so that they could identify and shed some of their assumptions, and broaden their understanding of and engagement with the world around them.

My attraction to coaching – and for young adults, particularly -- is not at all surprising to me. The through-line between my teaching and coaching is critical thinking.

As coach, actively listening and asking questions that lead with why and how creates space and support for others to interrogate their biases, investigate their lives, and develop solutions for themselves.

For the client, this challenging work requires reflection and self-awareness, gathering experiences and other information, and assembling the various pieces in ways that make sense for them. This is the essence of critical thinking. 

Critical thinking is learned and requires loads of practice. It is very hard work. But if you believe -- as I do -- that it is key to our individual (not to mention societal) well-being, then the effort is worth the challenge.