Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: A Teachable Skill

Kasie Roberson, PhD

Right now, there is a lot of talk about generative AI and how we should and should not use it. It has been on my mind since ChatGPT was first introduced in late November 2022.

As the faculty member in the Daniels School of Business who created and scaled our core undergraduate strategic business writing course and was writing a textbook on business writing when ChatGPT was released, I recognized very quickly the impact AI could have on how people think and write moving forward. I set out to learn as much as I could about this new tool and what best practices would look like for people to use it without sacrificing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as allowing them to maintain their authentic voice.

At Purdue’s business school, we began teaching best practices for using AI in business writing in the fall of 2023 and my undergraduate textbook, Strategic Business Writing: A People-First Approach, one of the first textbooks to market to discuss best practices for using AI in business writing, was released in May 2024. In my textbook and every talk I give on AI and business communication, I explain the foundational people-first framework I developed. It includes the following key skills: audience analysis, emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem solving, building connection and trust, and communication ethics.

Over the past few years one of the biggest concerns people have raised with me about students, and people in general, using generative AI is that it will hinder their critical thinking skills. In today’s post I want to discuss how critical thinking and problem solving, as it is needed in the workplace, is a uniquely human skill, and one that can be taught.

Wholistic critical thinking and problem solving is uniquely human

Solving problems at work can sometimes be challenging because they often involve different people and can take time. While generative AI may be used as a thought partner to help think through how to address part of the problem, the individual needs to know and implement necessary steps to properly address the whole problem or task. Generative AI alone cannot do this. The following steps on critical thinking and problem-solving are discussed more in depth in my textbook in Chapter 3.

Step 1 – Be Aware

In order to solve problems and/or embrace opportunities, we must first be aware of them. This means we must stay alert, active and engaged by:

• Always checking email
• Attending meetings, workshops and seminars
• Scheduling regular check-ins with supervisor and direct reports
• Staying up to date with news and industry happenings

Step 2 – Know Your Priorities

In our jobs a key critical thinking skill is knowing what work projects or tasks take priority. We must know how to:

• Proactively plan— by establishing goals, setting a completion date and an overall timeline while breaking up the work into manageable parts, and then doing our best to stick to the timeline we have built
• Reactively plan — look at all asks and consider: the who (who is making the request), what/when (is the ask related to a project that is due soon), where/how (is everything available that is needed to accomplish the task), and why (is this an urgent task that must be addressed)

Step 3 – Set Boundaries

Sometimes we may be asked to take on tasks by colleagues or direct reports that are not a priority. In these situations, we need to set healthy boundaries and either say no to the request or push the deadline back. To professionally set a healthy boundary, we should:

• Recognize the request (don’t ignore it)
• Empathize with the audience (show you recognize it is a priority for them)
• Briefly explain why the ask is denied or delayed (you have other tasks that must take priority)
• If the task will be completed, state availability for when that will occur

Step 4 – Keep Track of Work

Another important part of critical thinking and problem solving is keeping track of our work. Managing multiple projects can be challenging, and it is important that each person find their best way to stay organized. Some options include using:

• Whiteboard – great for understanding the landscape of a task or project
• Desk Calendar – good for people who like to write down their schedule
• Digital Calendar – useful for coordinating meetings with others
• Slack or other work share – great if a team needs common access to documents
• Post-it notes – helpful if people like to have short to-do list reminders
• AI assistant – new tools that can help people organize their tasks, summarize meetings, track progress and edit/revise updates

Step 5 – Close the Loop

The final step needed in critical thinking and problem solving is closing the loop on tasks, projects or asks. This may include:

• Filing legal or tax documents
• Reporting financial numbers
• Highlighting positive outcomes
• Explaining negative outcomes
• Showing appreciation (saying thank you is always appreciated by others)

Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are incredibly valuable

People who are adept at critical thinking and problem solving are often some of the most valuable employees and leaders at companies. When you invest in taking the time to be aware of happenings in your company and industry, know your priorities, set healthy boundaries around asks as needed, keep track of your work, and close the loop on tasks or projects, you are demonstrating to others your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. People who think critically and solve problems are seen as the responsible go-to employees who can be counted on to accomplish goals and put out fires when necessary. These employees are always needed and appreciated. If you want to set yourself apart, consider how you can level up your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.