Strategic And Critical Thinking Skills example essay topic

Student Professor Course Date Innovation and Creative Thinking Creative thinking is a way to express and execute new ideas. "Innovation and creativity have been publicized as a way for corporations to become competitive and prepare for the future" (Byrd and Smith 68). This theme is also described as being the trademark of management and product development by Brian O" Riley (60). Coming up with ideas is only one part of an innovation effort since they must also be carried out on a consistent basis in order to be effective. New ideas take time and the originators of the idea must understand the concept of time in order for it to be a success.

All evidence shows that most strategic innovations come from outsiders who are not part of the organization. Real innovation involves hard work, time, and must be made up internally by a group of revolutionaries who want to apply changes and enforce them. Another important factor of innovation and critical thinking is that upper management supports the people who are implementing these ideas or they will be short-lived. Innovation is not always easy to achieve, which is why there are so few companies that achieve it. Companies who utilize creative and innovative skills within their organizations will ultimately be the ones who strive for self-renewal and succeed in the long-term. Quantitative Decision Skills Quantitative decision skills are used when making decisions based on mathematical data, theories, and probability.

Richard Levin states that this method can be utilized when an objective is clearly stated, several alternative courses of action exist, and there is a calculable measure of the benefit or worth of the various alternatives. He also explains that "uncertainties for which allowance must be made or probabilities calculated must include events beyond the control of the decision maker and uncertainty concerning which outcome (or external events) will actually happen". Furthermore, quantitative decision skills allow one to understand conclusions of a problem through the use of numbers and other mathematical concepts. Entrepreneurship Enterpreneurship can be defined as the creation of a business venture.

An entrepreneur is one that owns and manages a business and who also possesses the ability to see what is not there, which is known as "entrepreneurial vision" and one who assumes risk. Having this vision gives a person the ability to see how to alter an environment in order to create opportunities. Entrepreneurs are also characterized as individuals who have enough self-confidence to make their visions real. Vincent Ryan, who is the author of Anatomy of an Entrepreneur, suggests that entrepreneurs are those persons who thrive on building something from scratch, setting it on the right course, handing the reigns over to someone else and then moving on to another project. Leadership Ed Rose wrote that there are five characteristics that define a leader and can be remembered by the acronym "ACTOR". Adaptable, Considerate, Trustworthy, Optimistic, and Resourceful.

He continued by saying that leaders must be adaptable to change, must be considerate to the effects that their actions may have on others, they must provide a positive vision of the future, and should also provide the required training to ensure that their followers know their responsibilities. Leadership involves members of a group who surround a central person and that all strive towards a certain goal. It is also seen as an idea that one can make a difference in the course of events and lead others to believe in the cause. Leaders can also be characterized as those individuals who face risk and uncertainty and who often shoulder grave responsibility because of their passion and compulsive drive to get things done.

Teamwork A team is comprised of a group of people who are committed to working towards a common goal. Commitment, balance, and communication are the keys to teamwork. Teamwork is not only a group process, but is also a personal responsibility and skill. Nowadays, all work is teamwork, and the challenge is to perform well when having to share the responsibility to get something accomplished with people over whom you have no authority. Teamwork requires personal and individual action. The following guidelines demonstrate how organizations can increase teamwork amongst their employees: o Develop consensus around a common vision and goals that focus on organizational outcomes. o Implement team-based performance measurement, feedback, and reward systems. o Ensure that top management demonstrates and fosters cooperation in word and deed. o Promote the use of team building, skill development, and team training as common practices in organizational life. o Facilitate front-line management team involvement in and ownership of decision processes and outcomes.

A successful team also encourages constructive criticism so that it allows for open communication among the team members. Every member of the team must feel important and feel as if they have contributed to the end result. Another benefit of a team is when one person is unable to be there, the other team members can pick up the slack. Teamwork is also characterized when team members participate and support each other. Teams are comprised of all sizes and can accomplish many goals together as long as they have a common purpose and mission.

Ethics Ethics is possessing honesty, morals, and integrity no matter what the situation may be. It is what an individual, group, or company believes in and holds to be true. It is doing the right thing and standing up for what you believe in even when others may not agree. Many companies instill a "Code of Ethics", which are the laws and rules that govern the company itself.

It is the code of practices that are to be understood and followed by all employees and also establishes trust within the company. In the article "Can You Really Mandate Corporate Ethics", Alexander T. wood and Carol Anderson Wood state that "ethics create and build a safe environment based on care, responsibility, and other core values unique to the corporation, while functionally ineffective ethics create an environment of chaos and fear, or malaise and distrust". They continue by saying that in order to effectively mandate ethics in the workplace, the following must be achieved: "awareness of core values, establishing ownership of the core values, democratic implementation of core values and processes, clear lines of moral authority, enhancement of moral intelligent, commitment to morals, and constant reminders of values". Global Perspectives Global perspective allows information to be shared in multiple countries through the use of the Internet.

It has been described as "the new frontier for relationship marketing". With the innovation of the Internet, customers' worldwide can practically obtain anything they want with just a few clicks, while bringing companies into territories they never dreamed of venturing into. Since many businesses are now operating through the Internet, managers in the global market now have to learn and utilize many different skills due to the "hyper competitiveness of the marketplace" today. Although global marketing has many advantages, it has also placed strategic constraints on many organizations.

For example, different strategies must be formulated in order to stay competitive in the marketplace since competitive advantages do not last very long due to constant changes. The Internet has made life easier on many, while also changing the way businesses function. Communications Communication involves a sender and a listener. The ultimate goal is for the sender to utilize words, pictures, symbols, or gestures to get a point across, while the listener in turn tries to interpret the message and offer feedback. Feedback demonstrates how well the message was understood and received. Communication is an important aspect of everyday life.

It is a sense of personal power, which comes from a belief that an individual can attain their goals in their own way. Communication can instill a sense of power by formulating authority, accessibility, assertiveness, a positive image, and solid communication skills. Body language is also an important element of communication. One's tone of voice, gestures, and posture can determine if the message will be communicated clearly or sent the wrong way. A person's tone of voice is vital in how the listener will interpret the message. Many people may make assumptions about one's personality based on their voice.

Gestures are another element that may cause the listener to misinterpret one's message. For example, if a person crosses their arms while speaking, one might assume that they are bored, annoyed, or elated. Another important aspect is posture. Posture provides insight to an individual's personality. Good posture demonstrates confidence and competence. Next, personal space plays a role in communication since it can affect certain genders, cultures, and generations.

Strategic and Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the ability to look at a problem, question or situation; integrate all the information, arrive at a solution, and justify one's position. Critical thinking is not always an easy task, but it is necessary for growth and change. Strategy emerges from the decision process and answers questions such as where a company may want to go and how they should get there. It combines the questions of "where" and "how" to create competitive advantages. This strategy is known as "competing on the edge" by many companies.

Strategic and critical thinking skills are essential in order for companies to stay ahead of the game. The most effective strategic decision-makers make choices that are fast, high quality, and wildly supported. They create strategy by doing the following: o Building collective intuition that enhances the ability of a top-management team to see threats and opportunities sooner and more accurately. o Stimulating quick conflict to improve the quality of strategic thinking without sacrificing significant time. o Maintaining a disciplined pace that drives the decision process to a timely conclusion. o Defusing political behavior that creates unproductive conflict and wastes time.

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