Maybe. Sometimes. Barely. Poorly. All the time…
It depends—it depends on what “thinking” is.
What do you think?
Last week we started a series of Leadership Notes about THINKING.
Why?
- Thinking is a central element in the Influential Leadership System, and thus to PRACTICE Influential Leadership we must activate and cultivate our best thinking.
- There seems to be little of it (a certain type) going on all over… it clearly does not come naturally to humans (but it does to my Jack Russell).
But, What is Thinking?
This second Leadership Note on thinking sets the stage for subsequent Notes by defining what is meant by the various forms of thinking.
You will recall from last week (Note 2125) that the infographic below set up the core kinds of thinking Influential Leadership is concerned with:
- Deep thinking.
- Systems thinking (vs. linear, silo and casual thinking).
- Critical thinking.
- Superficial thinking (which has elements of linear, silo and casual thinking).
A brief definition of each is provided below the infographic.
Thinking Defined
Not all thinking is of the same quality. That is the starting point.
The single most important determinant of thinking quality is the effort and energy applied to the activity.
In general, thinking is the process of applying the mind to consider and analyse an event, condition or circumstance in a conscious way.
The essence of thinking is to make reasoned connections between pieces of information that arise from all our senses to form an understanding or arrive at a decision.
1. Deep thinking is purposefully curated time and space set aside for focused thinking about the big issues of your life: how you want to live, what rent you will pay to the universe, how you fit into the big picture of humanity, how you choose to live in relation to others, and your approach to leadership. Yes, it has a bold philosophical element to it—that is how we create a personal and Leadership Philosophy.
2. Systems thinking is an open and holistic approach to understanding complex events, conditions and circumstances (problems or opportunities) by viewing them as interconnected open and interdependent systems rather than independent parts. Instead of focusing on individual components, we examine relationships, patterns, dynamics and feedback loops within multiple frameworks. The Influential Leadership System architecture is built on the Systems Model Approach and demands systems thinking.
3. Critical thinking is the capability to trawl and collect disparate information, to analyse such information objectively, evaluate evidence and form reasoned (logical) judgments. It demands questioning assumptions, identifying biases, and applying logical reasoning to make objective decisions.
This type of thinking is akin to what the psychologists Stanovich and West refer to as System 1 Thinking: “[It] allocates attention to the effortful activities that demand it, including complex computations. The operations of System 2 are often associated with the subjective experience of agency, choice and concentration.”[1]
The Influential Leadership System process (Social Agency) has three sequential elements; critical thinking is the starting point.
4. Superficial thinking is characterised by cursory thinking that focuses only on surface-level aspects without deeper analysis. It often avoids complexity, leading to oversimplifications or misguided conclusions and can result in impulsive judgments and misinformation.
Stanovich and West refer to System 1 Thinking as follows: “It operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control.”
This kind of thinking is not an Influential Leadership ingredient.
5. Linear thinking is a sequential, step-by-step approach to reasoning, where each idea (might) follows logically from the previous one. It emphasizes cause-and-effect relationships, structured problem-solving and predictable results or outcomes. Simplistic thinking is not helpful in the practice of Influential Leadership.
6. Silo thinking is an approach which imagines that individuals or groups operate in isolation, and that events, conditions and circumstances can be ring-fenced. This thinking is the antithesis of Systems Thinking.
7. Casual thinking is what we do effortlessly most of the time. It can be practical and effective for day-to-day interactions. It is similar to System 1 thinking referred to earlier, and likewise not an Influential Leadership System ingredient.
Quality of Thinking Requires Effort—The Result is Better
If we apply our minds, it is impossible to imagine that less thinking or low-quality thinking are better than more and high-quality thinking.
However, knowing this does not imply we can do it easily.
Next week I shall offer some practical aids to help us think smarter to obtain better outcomes, for ourselves and others—in Leadership, we always include others…
Genocide?
The final statement in the opening infographic is not a throw-away line.
There are many fundamentally challenging events, conditions and circumstances that the Earth faces in 2025—all created by unproductive human behaviours—a.k.a. misleadership.
In our practical exercise I am going to apply Influential Leadership thinking to the current genocide being perpetrated in Palestine. More than any other, this matter is testing how far we have emerged from our Stone Age caves.
Strap on your seat belt!
Regards,
Colin Donian
Karoo Founder & CEO
Thinking is Better!
[1] Referenced in: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (pp 20-21)
Leadership Note # 2225 | 02.06.25
e: colind@karoo.world
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