Self-Assessment Through Critical Thinking Is The Key To Productivity

Lacking productivity is one of the major reasons why there are so many people who are unhappy in this world.  Due to unproductivity, many people are unable to get the job they want or meet the people they desire.  The sad fact is that many people are unproductive, because they have not developed the critical thinking skills to become more productive. In part, it isn’t their fault.  My educators up until college seldom asked me what I thought about anything. Kindergarten to Grade 12 education is fundamentally about remembering—facts, dates, and people.  It wasn’t until I went to college and later graduate school that I began improving my critical thinking skills. Fortunately, part of my graduate school experience included law school, where critical thinking is the core of the curriculum. So if I had to go to law school and later receive a master’s degree before I became an effective critical thinker, how could the average person become a better critical thinker without enjoying similar experiences?

Whether you have a college or graduate degree or no degree at all, it is important to determine whether you truly have developed the critical thinking skills to be productive in the workplace as well as your personal life. It all starts with an adequate assessment of yourself.

Getting started

Although self-assessment, for some people in group settings, can be a good start in building a positive attitude and outlook in life, this might not be applicable to all people, especially to those who prefer to do things on their own.

If you are one of these people who would rather do things on his or her own, then now is the time to realize how big self-assessment can contribute to your being productive. Experts say that if one starts with the process of self-assessment now, it will be easier for him or her to be productive and accomplish greater things for themselves and for the people that they love in the future.

Experts agree that for one to excel and become successful in life, the concept of productivity is very essential. This is because knowing how to be productive, even when you’re down, creates unforeseen opportunities unavailable during any other time.  Being productive also serves as an inspiration that keeps your spirit high no matter how challenging the times may be.

For those who want to start being more productive, it would be best to begin with a self-assessment by following these two tips:

- Discover and re-discover your purpose in life. Indeed, the most powerful thing that can help a person get started with self-assessment is discovering your cause or your purpose in life. Once you are able to do this, you can find a reason in your heart for becoming more productive. The reason may be for the betterment of yourself or for your family.  No matter what it is, it is important to anchor yourself to a motivation that promotes productivity.

- Be thirsty and hungry for something. For people who are just starting out with the process of self-assessment, enjoy the process for the end result. This is because wanting to learn the concept of productivity alone would not fuel your drive to aim for greater heights.  If you really want to use self-assessment to excel and be productive, don’t be content with what you have right now nor merely go through the motions without an objective.

It is best to always be hungry for knowledge as fuel for learning. If you are consistently learning new things, you will be able to acquire new skills and even boost your self-confidence in the long run.  Although it may be unlikely or impractical to immediately enhance your critical thinking skills through formal education, if you can engage in some form of critical thinking training to improve your productivity, you are encouraged to do so. One of the greatest yearnings we have as human beings is to be seen as significant as well as leave a legacy that defined our life.  If we can understand and embrace our unmet need to create legacies, we will be moved to become more productive.

To gain the tools for becoming more productive through critical thinking, visit: http://ibarcriticalthinkingmethod.com 

Charismatic Leaders are Monomaniacal, Relentless & Focused in Changing the World

The late business guru, Peter Drucker, noted that successful innovation revealed a unique story usually about a monomaniac consumed by a challenge (Flaherty, 1999).  Drucker was not specifically speaking about charismatic leaders, but the commonality is eerily similar. Drucker’s analysis of this fearless leader, who goes against the norm and is iconoclastic in his desire to shatter the limitations of conventional wisdom, is the foundation of this style of leadership.  This brand of leadership does not listen to the roar of the crowd and insists on proving an idea correct despite overwhelming criticism.  Pundits can attribute traits such as extreme confidence, relentlessness, and steel determination to charismatic leaders. But, what spurs this level of insanity from these individuals and what can be learned by others who fall prey to the roar of the crowd? 

Entertainers Will Smith and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs repeatedly note in interviews that their success hinged on an insatiable desire to succeed. Combs actually referred to his ambition as “insane.” The late Steve Jobs suggested that “insanity” was a prerequisite for phenomenal success. Jobs articulated that the time, attention, and hard work it takes to achieve high levels of success would naturally cause the normal person to give up.  This purported insanity allows individuals to lead breakthroughs in traditional markets and innovations within new markets. So, how could the average individual adopt the monomaniacal and insane traits of charismatic leaders?

There are several strategies that average individuals can achieve in the vein of charismatic leaders.

1.       Have a deep, burning desire for acclaim and distinction. The insatiable desire by charismatic leaders to overcome insurmountable odds developed from an early childhood desire to be significant.  Early experiences stemming from abandonment, isolation, or mere low self-esteem sparked imagination in the mind and heart of the budding charismatic leader.  For individuals devoid of these life-altering experiences, build a desire from something of general interest and let it consume you. Revisit your childhood and determine what interest or idea has persisted within you, but was placed in the background out of a sense of being a “responsible adult.” Charismatic leaders follow this idea as if their life depended on it.

2.       Become a voracious reader and use history as a template for transformation. William Duggan in his book “The Art of What Works: How Success Really Happens” suggested that if a concept or strategy worked in the past, with some tweaking, it will work again in the present. The Biblical Solomon’s proclamation to the world that there is nothing new under the sun is prescient for Duggan’s analysis. Shakespeare said that he made new words out of old words. Charismatic leaders study the biographies, strategies, and tactics of historical figures to conquer new territory that change old systems of thought and operations. By becoming a voracious reader on subject matter pertinent to your ideas, you can begin imprinting your impression on the world.

3.       Dream big and spend large chunks of time in isolation.  Although charismatic leaders are viewed as “People Persons,” they create and develop many of their ideas in isolation.  Thomas Edison spent an inordinate amount of time in his laboratory before inventing the incandescent light bulb.  In Dean Keith Simonton’s “Greatness: Who Makes History and Why,” Simonton noted that Albert Einstein professed that his work did not lend itself to social interaction.  Einstein Reportedly said, “I am a horse with a single harness, not cut for tandem or teamwork…for well I know that in order to attain any definite goal, it is imperative that one person should be thinking and commanding (p. 388).  

4.       Use current technology to lead. Charismatic leaders become an army of one before the rest of the population has caught on to an idea.  Twenty-two year old Molly Katchpole started an online petition against Bank of America (BOF) after discovering that BOF would begin charging a $5 monthly fee on debit card transactions.  After a month, 306,000 people signed Katchpole’s petition causing BOF to reverse its decision to levy the monthly fee. The Internet and social media have allowed individuals to lead crusades that would have required enormous human capital once upon a time. Start a blog, petition, or Facebook page on an important issue that you and others are passionate about and become the vanguard for change.

5.       Document your work. Charismatic leaders reflect on their achievements by documenting the challenges and triumphs of their feats for future generations to follow. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the book, “The Prince,” to advise leaders how acquire and maintain political power. “The Prince” is required reading for world leaders as well as students of Political Science interested in political theory. “The Prince” has remained relevant for over five hundred years.  As you develop strategies and tactics for changing the world, keep a journal of your process to serve as a tutorial for those who aspire to pick up where you left off.

Changing or influencing the world is an arduous task. However, by emulating the transformational strategies and tactics of charismatic leaders, you too can make a lasting impression on the world stage.

Related: Charisma

Reference

Flaherty, J.E. (1999). Peter Drucker: Shaping the managerial mind, how the foremost management thinker crafted the essential of business success. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.