Logical thinking and Argumentation
Logical thinking can be described as the operation where the thinking process is exposed to one’s intelligence. Using reason and intelligence to analyze a topic or issue and come up with potential solutions is the concept of logical thinking. It is also the process by which all relevant criteria are put into consideration in order to achieve clarity, simplicity, the desired and effective tone in communicating, analyzing, to carefully choose the best course of action. Few people can articulate their thoughts effortlessly and flawlessly; most of us must sweat through the process of rewriting, drafting, and redrafting until we get it right. Similarly, very few people think precisely enough that mere transcriptions of “what they have in mind” may be considered intelligent communications.
My understanding of this concept of logical thinking and how they apply to these scenarios:
- Workplace: Logical thinking can be expressed through communication and also by writing, as it is said, ‘’if you write well, you will think well”. In context of the workplace, if a manager is to write effectively, he must achieve this by good clarity of thought while maintaining simplicity and the desired tone. He isolates and define, as fully as possible, all the critical variables in the writing process and scrutinizes what he writes for these requirements. That is, clarity, simplicity and tone. While doing this he keeps an open mind and stays objective in his reasoning. Doing this over time improves one’s clarity of thought in the workplace.
- Social: Logical thinking and argumentation also applies to our social life. As we relate daily with one another, our thinking and analytical process does come into play even without we realizing it. In trying to achieve success in communication through our thinking, one has to discipline, but not limit, his thinking. He has to make a habit of thinking before he acts. Putting his audience into consideration while exorcising all self-centeredness to ensure his thoughts are harmonized with his words or writing.
An example of an absence of this concept in the workplace would be the termination of an employee contract in the organization without due investigation into the cause for the dismissal. Another example of this could be assigning sensitive roles in an organization to staffs who do not merit such responsibilities because of sentiments or relationships.
Examples of presence of this concept in the workplace could be, prior to the termination of an employee contract, an investigation panel is set up and the reason for such employee’s dismissal is looked into and all pointers justified the dismissal of such staff. Maybe due to bad reasons like theft, fraud or other illegal activities perpetrated by the staff.
As a manager, you are continually faced with the difficulty of putting words on paper. If you’re like most managers, this isn’t your type of problem. It is difficult and time consuming, and the process is made more harder when, as is often the case, your comments must be designed to influence the conduct of others in the business.
