If you do not work in the field of Education, the phrases “P21” and “4 C’s” may sound like a foreign code, but they are increasingly important in today’s organizations. P21 is the nickname for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which is a national organization working to advance the skills of all U.S. students. P21 believes we need to help make our children more competitive in a global economy by teaching the 4 C’s (Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity). P21 is working to bridge the gap between information learned and tested in the classroom, and the skills needed to be successful in the workplace.
Shouldn’t we be making the same effort in the workplace?
According to the AMA’s recent survey, the answer is a resounding YES! In the AMA 2010 Critical Skills Survey, over 80% of employers said they measure performance in and select employees based on critical thinking ability. Sadly only about half of those surveyed felt their employees were above average in critical thinking ability.
Organizations that choose not to build the skill levels of their employees risk falling behind in the competitive marketplace. While using a scientific assessment like the Watson-Glaser™ II Critical Thinking Appraisal instrument to select employees who are skilled in critical thinking is clearly beneficial, training is equally essential.
In fact, the survey pointed to one-on-one coaching, training, and mentoring as critical avenues for developing critical thinking. At Pearson, we suggest an on-site Critical Thinking Boot Camp to identify weaknesses, address challenges, develop techniques for better decision making, and follow-up coaching from an expert.
Could you imagine a basketball team selecting Kobe Bryant to join their organization but not giving him a coach or requiring him to attend practices? Without that continuous training would he still be the great basketball player he is today? Why are your employees any different?
We must not only use world-class tools to select our employees, but also devote our time, energy, and resources into helping those individuals maximize their talent.
So, how are you building your employee’s skills in Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity?
Image Source Editor’s Note: Breanne Harris is the Solutions Architect for Pearson TalentLens. She works with customers to design selection and development plans that incorporate critical thinking assessments and training. She has a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and has experience in recruiting, training, and HR consulting. She is the chief blogger for Critical Thinkers and occasionally posts at ThinkWatson. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter for more of her thoughts.
Did you know critical thinking was rated the NEW #1 workplace skill? Download our paper: 
I agree critical thinking skills are effective for students and adults. We are losing sight of some basic skills. Adults are scared of math, science, and technology…Critical thinking skills will help yet the base skills are still necessary.
If you are lacking cognitive skills in math, English, grammar etc… no amount of Critical thinking is going to make it.
I also agree that employers say they are looking for critical thinking. Although leadership must also change the culture and incentives to allow for work and thinking.