As a professional you are expected to exercise sound judgment in interpreting and analyzing information,
determine the nature of the problem, identify and evaluate alternative courses of action, make sound decisions,
and, throughout a mission, monitor the process and impact of a changing environment so you can amend,
revise, correct, or alter your decisions, or any element that led to those decisions.

Sound judgment is “Critical Thinking”

Definition

Dr. Richard Paul, the founder of the National Academy on Critical Thinking, and known for his pioneering role in the development of the field uses the following definition: “Critical Thinking is the examination and test of propositions of any kind which are offered for acceptance, in order to find out whether they correspond to reality or not.”  Another way to put this is: that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the caliber of his or her thinking by carefully analyzing, assessing, and reorganizing it.

A well-cultivated critical thinker according to the Foundation for Critical Thinking:

1. Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely
2. Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively
3. Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards
4. Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences
5. Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

Warriors should be skeptical of information, and instead rely on their intellect and training to help evaluate data to create data that leads to knowledge and thus better decisions. True warriors must understand that during a mission there may not be enough actionable information, but not allow this to lead to strategic indecision on their part. They must understand that a decision waiting on additional information often results in lost opportunities. They must understand that value based assumptions are based on how they believe the world should be. A warrior must use more explicit or descriptive assumptions that describe his world as it actually is at the moment. They must understand that to be trapped in a single concept of interpretation of events around them, allows them to think of things in one way. A warrior must be able to change focus and shift their thinking to see things differently.

The key to developing any new skill, including critical thinking, is through training, study, and practice. The more the warrior practices thinking using proven elements and standards that can be taught, the quicker his critical thinking will improve. You may find this difficult as you challenge your mind to think in new ways. Remain flexible and open to change, and confront you’re on ego. If you do this over time, critical thinking will dominate your thought process and you will begin to recognize uncritical thinking in others. Good luck and stay safe out there.  

Dale Stewart