Critical Thinking: Are You Ready?

It’s time to combine my worlds. I’ve done so through my work for years, but rarely stated it. However, since the publication of The Damage of Words and the heartfelt messages I receive from fellow survivors, I am releasing the restriction of solely writing about hiring in Recruitment Isn’t Broken. Few of us are immune to emotional wounds, and the behaviours and thinking we adapt when they remain unhealed play out in all areas of life.

So, welcome to Perspicacious Perspectives, where I will combine my post-menopause, few-f*cks-to-give, Gen-X perspective with the perspicacity that came from healing childhood trauma, reawakening my gifts, and remembering why I’m here.

It may not be right for all, but I hope you’ll stay for the ride!

In March, I delivered the closing keynote at NOCA’s Talent Acquisition Day in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a brilliant event that brought together TA professionals and leaders with talks centring on ‘developing human skills’ in this AI age.

If you’ve been following me, you probably know I’ve been talking about recruiters ‘being human’ for over a decade. Heck, it’s the premise of both of my books, The Robot-Proof Recruiter and Reboot Hiring. I am known for suggesting that people amp up their superhuman skills. Many also remember me for #BeHuman.

However, what struck me from the day was a surprise in Korn Ferry’s research results:73% of TA Leaders are looking for critical thinking in the people they hire.

More than AI, which can be learned.

More than any other skill.

Critical thinking.

Internally, I began scoffing. The snigger became a chortle, and I have thought about it a lot since, because I find it hilarious (probably due to my warped trauma-humour).

…and this isn’t about talent acquisition professionals. This applies to all knowledge workers!

Critical thinking: the problem

According to The Foundation for Critical Thinking:

Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or downright prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.

As someone who loves to think and has learned, during the years invested in healing from my dysfunctional childhood, to hear my thoughts and to question them consciously, I knew why I was scoff-laughing.

Because, as The Foundation for Critical Thinking goes on to state:

Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities and a commitment to overcoming our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.

But they stopped teaching critical thinking when I was a child because, according to The Critical Thinking Institute:

• Teachers haven’t been taught how to teach critical thinking
• Knowledge is valued over thinking; teaching is still styled on the [pre-internet] 1800s
• Educators think they are teaching it when they are not
• Grades aren’t based on critical thinking
• The nature of class (lesson) structures

(Definitely read their full article.)

Of course, I see another glaringly obvious reason: it is easier to control people who cannot think critically.

Ouch…. but think about it in both work and life scenarios. 🤨

Layer in people’s emotional wounds

Before I healed the core wound created during my childhood, I lacked self-awareness, let alone ‘self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking’. I was defensive and close-minded, unlikely to consider an alternative point of view, and forceful with my strong opinions, which burned many people! 🫣

Remind you of anyone you have to deal with at work or outside of it?

See why I was chuckling?

Fact is, many company leaders or managers are not open to receiving even the most well cultivated crtical thinking. Many carry wounds from generational trauma, unaware of how it impacts behaviour and thinking. Those told to ‘suck it up’, have a ‘stiff upper lip’, ‘man up’, etc., are often oblivious to the insidious nature of suppressed emotions.

Perhaps this even resonates with you?

Perhaps you are a people pleaser, a codependent, a perfectionist, a worrywart, or have an ever-present fear of being in trouble, or perhaps you are hyperindependent. It may surprise you to know these are all signs of an emotional woundthat can be healed.

And why, you may ask?

Because AI is now in our future, it requires knowledge workers to use critical thinking, so any old wounds impacting our ability to do this will need healing. It’s time to understand our thinking and behaviours with curiosity, self-compassion and oodles of kindness.

If it helps, my memoir vulnerably details how I healed. Each step I took away from a close-minded, exceptionally defensive, deeply insecure, hypervigilant victim of complex trauma, to become a self-loving, open-minded, curious, non-defensive, self-masterful woman. Some of you remember old me! Some of you have witnessed the change and know why I want others to feel this too. 🦋

Learning to hear my thoughts was the most challenging and rewarding outcome of healing.

Life-changing.

And proving necessary for the years ahead.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts below.

I am Katrina Collier, uniquely combining over two decades in the recruitment profession with my lived experience healing trauma, to fix human connection. Based in London, UK, I am the author of 3 books: The Robot-Proof Recruiter, Reboot Hiring, and my memoir, The Damage of Words, a popular 6-continent keynote speaker, and deliver workshops that future-proof talent acquisition teams, amongst other things!