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<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

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<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building and goala GV.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host

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<v Speaker 1>Paul Fellavaliedo.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>It's episode two sixty four. Today we're talking about critical

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<v Speaker 2>thinking for leaders. Leadership isn't just about making decisions. It's

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<v Speaker 2>about making the right decisions. And the best leaders don't

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<v Speaker 2>rely on gut feelings alone. They think, critically, analyze situations

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<v Speaker 2>from multiple angles, and avoid jumping to conclusions. So what

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<v Speaker 2>is critical thinking and how can you use it to

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<v Speaker 2>lead more effectively? Critical thinking is the ability to process

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<v Speaker 2>information logically, assess risks and opportunities, and make informed decisions.

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<v Speaker 2>It means avoiding assumptions, questioning the status quo, and using

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<v Speaker 2>facts instead of emotions to guide choices. For leaders, critical

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<v Speaker 2>thinking is non negotiable. Without it, we react instead of respond,

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<v Speaker 2>we make decisions based on emotions rather than data, and worse,

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<v Speaker 2>we might allow biases to cloud our judgment. So let's

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<v Speaker 2>break it down into four key areas of critical thinking

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<v Speaker 2>that every leader needs. Number one is question everything, and

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<v Speaker 2>I've talked about this on multiple episodes in the last

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<v Speaker 2>few weeks. A critical thinker doesn't accept things at face value.

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<v Speaker 2>If you hear We've always done it this way, that

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<v Speaker 2>should raise a red flag. Ask why do we do

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<v Speaker 2>it this way? Is this still the best approach? And

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<v Speaker 2>what are the risks of not checking? Asking the right

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<v Speaker 2>questions forces you and your team to examine processes objectively.

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<v Speaker 2>It also encourages innovation. The best solutions come from leaders

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<v Speaker 2>willing to change assumptions. And number two is separate emotion

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<v Speaker 2>from logic. Leaders must recognize the difference between in an

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<v Speaker 2>emotional reaction and a logical decision. Emotions shouldn't be ignored,

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<v Speaker 2>but they also shouldn't drive decision making. Before making a

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<v Speaker 2>tough call, ask yourself, am I reacting emotionally or am

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<v Speaker 2>I thinking strategically? And what do the facts tell me?

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<v Speaker 2>And what are the long term consequences of this choice?

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<v Speaker 2>Take a step back, breathe, and assess the situation from

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<v Speaker 2>a neutral standpoint. The best leaders stay level headed, especially

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<v Speaker 2>under pressure. In next, consider multiple perspectives. One of the

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<v Speaker 2>biggest mistakes leaders make is ownly seeing things from their

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<v Speaker 2>own point of view. Critical thinking requires you to step

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<v Speaker 2>into different perspectives. So when you're faced with a decision,

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<v Speaker 2>ask how will this affect my team, what's the worst

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<v Speaker 2>case scenario? And what would my competitors do in this situation.

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<v Speaker 2>Encourage diverse opinions in your leadership team. The more perspectives

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<v Speaker 2>you consider, the more well rounded your decisions will be

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<v Speaker 2>and rely on data not just instinct. Experience and intuition

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<v Speaker 2>are valuable, but they should be backed by data. Before

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<v Speaker 2>making a major decision, gather the facts. Ask what does

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<v Speaker 2>the data tell us? And have we looked at all

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<v Speaker 2>possible solutions and are there any blind spots we're missing.

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<v Speaker 2>Data driven decisions reduce risk and increase confidence. If the

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<v Speaker 2>numbers don't support an idea, it just might not be

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<v Speaker 2>the right move. Great leaders don't think with feelings. They

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<v Speaker 2>think with logic. They challenge assumption, separate emotion from logic,

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<v Speaker 2>consider multiple viewpoints, and rely on facts. Critical thinking isn't

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<v Speaker 2>just a skill, it's a discipline that needs to be

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<v Speaker 2>practiced daily. So the next time you're faced with a decision,

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<v Speaker 2>slow down, ask the hard questions, step back and analyze,

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<v Speaker 2>and most importantly, think before you act. This has been

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<v Speaker 2>the seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and as always I thank

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<v Speaker 2>you for listening.

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<v Speaker 1>For more Paul fell of Alito podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot

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<v Speaker 1>com