Critical Thinking Skills and Organization – Term Paper

Individual Learning In Organizations

A group within an organization plays a significant role in the attainment of goals. Organizations strive to develop teams to help them in the management of the different teams and the employees within the organization. Each of the teams is developed from specific characters of individuals within an organization with consideration of their skills and experience about the different jobs assigned to them. However, each of the teams is given specific roles that define their interaction in the organization and their outcomes that are needed to ensure they stay focused on their objectives and ensure all the outcomes set are attained (Mathieu, Gilson, & Ruddy, 2006). Each member has to integrate moral and ethical values in ensuring that they help a team achieve its goal. This paper presents a personal report about a role I would play as a member of a team and the skills needed to increase performance.

Performance as a Moral Team Member

One of the most critical elements in being effective in the group is offering support for the other members of the organization. I strongly believe that each of the members of an organization plays a major role in its cohesion and outcomes. Each of the members also has their weaknesses and strengths that either affects their involvement in the organization or increases their ability to perform. Therefore, for all the members of a team to perform effectively, there is a need for support for all the roles assigned. The weaknesses of one of the team members could jeopardize the performance of the whole team. Therefore, in order to enhance corporation and cohesion in the team, it becomes critical that we get to learn from each other and offer support in any way needed. 

Another element that I have come to inculcate in the operations of the team is building trust among the members. Trust is a critical element in the development of cohesion and promoting the ease corporation among the members. Each of the members comes with a particular background or experience that could be in support of the objectives of the team or to its ruin. However, in situations where there is no unity, it becomes hard for the leader or even the members of the organization to understand the roles that they assume in the attainment of the outcomes. However, cohesion and unity among the members go a long way to ensure that all the issues within a team can be addressed as a unit. Trust among team members helps each member follow the direction of the leader and be committed to the objectives of the organization. 

Characters

As a team member, I consider myself to be a good listener, which helps me in the determination of specific issues raised in the organization that is affecting the ability of the members to corporate effectively. It is critical for all the members to understand their team members, to be aware of the different roles the members have been assigned, and be involved in the growth and development of all the members of the organization. The instructions offered to the members of the team and the attainment of the specific goals depends on the way the instructions were understood and implemented. 

Another important skill I consider of importance in my development as a team member and a professional is communication. Interactive communication is one of the best ways that members of a team can relate to each other and understand their commitment to the goals of the organization (Lencioni, 2012). Communication is critical in the determination of the way the team operates and the relationship between the members. All the issues within the team can be addressed at the right time if communicated at the right time. At the same time, communication becomes an effective measure in ensuring the way the team members relates to each other and the way the individual members can become better in their roles no matter their personal differences. Communication helps address all the concerns of the team and helps establish a platform that will help all team members be more involved in the attainment of set outcomes. 

Despite my ability in integrating these skills in helping the team develop, I lack the skill of critical thinking as a way to help in helping the individual members of the team to make the best choices regarding individual choices. 

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is considered as a discipline of actively and skillfully integrating, synthesizing, evaluating, and applying information collected from an area of research for a given region (Liu, Magjuka, & Lee, 2008). Within a team, it becomes critical for the leaders and the members to be aware of the information available and the particular resources available. This means that in every issue raised in the team, it becomes critical for all the members to be aware of the possible options that they can take and the issues that have to be addressed early before the time elapses. Therefore, to develop the skill of critical thinking, an individual has to understand the different biases that can create an indifference leading to the inability of making effective decisions that are of importance in the implementation of effective choices. Another step to consider is developing a plan that considers the future scope and outcomes. In every situation, there are various options to consider or select increasing the need to establish an effective way to ensure that the best outcome and method is selected. This also helps eliminate possible challenges that could hamper the outcomes of the actions taken. The other step to consider is integrating research work into the individual choices being made. Effective research helps expose an individual to the different issues within a market or a business that can help them make the right decisions regarding an issue. Lastly, to develop critical thinking skills, it becomes critical to brainstorm with the other members of the team to learn more about their perspectives on an issue and their approaches to addressing a concern within the team or organization. Brainstorming helps learn about issues and people from a personal perspective, which is critical in learning and even developing personal skills.

In conclusion, a team leader is always under pressure to make the right decisions about an issue that will affect the whole team and even the organization. However, the success of the team also includes the involvement of the individual members of the team, who are involved in the decision-making process and the implementation of individual issues that are affecting the team. Therefore, each member of a team becomes as important in its success as the leader. Consequently, it becomes critical for the members to develop skills to help them be active members of the team. 

References

Lencioni, P. (2012). Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Hoboken, NJ.: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.

Liu, X., Magjuka, R. J., & Lee, S. H. (2008). The effects of cognitive thinking styles, trust, conflict management on online students’ learning and virtual team performance. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(5), 829-846.

Mathieu, J. E., Gilson, L. L., ; Ruddy, T. M. (2006). Empowerment and team effectiveness: an empirical test of an integrated model. Journal of applied psychology, 91(1), 97.