Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior

Thinking. We do it automatically, without having to even “think about it.” But here's the problem: to deliberately think, and think well, is actually quite difficult. Over the years, we develop bad thinking habits. We coast along on autopilot and many of our thought processes are just us repeating over in our minds that which we already believe. Thinking may sound like a nebulous and abstract concept separate to business communication, but it’s not; it's a vital skill in effective communication.

Thinking: an Essential Skill

Canada, like many other countries, has defined a list of essential skills that are required in life, learning, and in the workplace. There are nine of these skills that Canada considers as “building blocks” because they are the foundation on which all other skills are learned. These are,

  • Reading
  • Document use
  • Writing
  • Numeracy
  • Oral communication
  • Thinking
  • Digital technology
  • Continuous learning

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Exercises

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