Critical thinking is as necessary to good branding as positioning. The ability to reason out the why and what for of any brand makes it a standout.
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On this episode of Thought Talk I am joined by Helen Lee Bouygues the founder of the Reboot Foundation, an organization that funds and publishes research on improving critical thinking.

Helen is joining us from Paris for a conversation on the importance of critical thinking in a world where search algorithms and social media are designed to feed us more of the same of what we already believe to be true. 

Tune in for an enlightening discussion on why critical thinking is of the top three traits employers are looking for as well as how you can practice and hone this important tool for success. 

Tips to improve your critical thinking

• Overcoming online misinformation — Don’t just reinforce your own opinions instead do your research. 
  
  
  
  • Keep your research sources varied, combat the algorithms.
  
  
  • Triangulate your information by seeking out multiple, validated sources.
  
  
  • Verify who the authors of the research are and what institution the information originates from: be aware of the interests they may serve.
  
  
  
  

• Follow the S.H.A.R.P. scenario planning method — be more aware and better prepared for the future.
  
  
  
  • S — slow down, give yourself time to think
  
  
  • H — hone and practice your critical thinking skills
  
  
  • A — accumulate information
  
  
  • R — reason and cross-check
  
  
  • P — ‘perspectivise’: try to see things through to their logical conclusions
  
  
  
  

Tips to improve critical thinking in your children

• Critical thinking can become second nature when we teach it to children when they are young — find the critical thinking guide for parents on the Reboot Foundation website.

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  • Foster free expression and open-mindedness
  
  
  • Encourage children to think out loud
  
  
  • Ask why — a lot: probe their thoughts
  
  
  • Teach emotional management — the part of the brain responsible for emotional management is the same as that for critical thinking, give it room to grow
  
  
  • Teach your kids the responsible way to do internet searches
  
  
  
  

About Karen Tiber Leland

Karen Tiber Leland is the founder of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding, marketing, and color strategy and implementation firm helping CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs develop stronger personal, business, and team brands. Her clients include Cisco, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

She is also the best-selling author of nine traditionally-published business books that have sold over 400,000 copies and been translated into 10 languages. Her most recent book is The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build and Accelerate Your Brand. She regularly writes for Inc.com and Entrepreneur.com and has had articles published in Self, The Los Angeles Times, American Way, The Boston Globe, and many others.

Karen has spoken for Harvard, The AMA, Direct Marketing Association, and Stanford, among others. She has been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, and Oprah.

Get in touch with Karen on Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

About Our Guest

Helen Lee Bouygues is one of the most successful women in business transformation. She has served as interim CEO, CFO, or COO for more than a dozen companies. She is the founder of the Reboot Foundation, a columnist at Forbes, and is working on a book on critical thinking.

A former partner at McKinsey & Company, Bouygues has helped transform more than 25 firms. Over the course of a twenty-year career, she has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in capital, renegotiated billions of dollars in debt, and brought dozens of companies into the black.

Bouygues has lectured around the world. She sits on multiple boards, including those of companies in the retail, manufacturing, oil and gas, renewable energy, and automotive-parts sectors. She graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University and earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

You can learn more about Helen Lee Bouygues on her Twitter|Website

Mentioned

Reboot Foundation

The Social Dilemma

Resources

My 10th book — No Nonsense: Time Management: 50 Tips to Hack Your Time and Get Everything Done — will be out on December 31st through Career Press.

This book contains the results of decades of studies I’ve done on time management and applies it to today’s environment: working from home, video conferencing, and time, productivity, and energy management.

Pre-order a copy on Amazon right now.

Sharing (Tweetables and Quotes)

Critical thinking is very simply thinking well. It is stopping to think about what you are reading or reviewing and not letting emotion color it in terms of your analysis and ultimate conclusion. PODCAST: https://bit.ly/3mCJBjH @BouyguesLee

The global business landscape is entirely unpredictable now. COVID-19 ha