...thinking about thinking...

My essay topic will be about thinking; thats my choice. ok, what about thinking? How do you define, distinguish between critical thinking, creative thinking, higher order thinking, problem solving? Are they the same? Ok think about it.

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I read this article twice, and both times, the same passage struck me. I quote:

" Wisdom is the use of one's knowledge and skills for a common good, by balancing one's own with other people's and larger interests, over the long as well as short terms, through the infusion of positive ethical values. Wise people make an effort to understand other people's points of view and to take those points of view into account in their thinking (Sternberg, 2003).

When one observes failed leaders, one rarely find that they failed because they were stupid. More often, they fail because they are uncreative. But even more often, they fail because they are smart but unwise; in other words, they are foolish.

Failed leaders tend to show a cluster of fallacies in thinking. These fallacies include
(a) unrealistic optimism - the belief that just because they have an idea, it must be a good idea that will succeed on implementation;

(b) egocentrism - the belief that the world revolves round them;

(c) false omniscience - the belief that they know it all;

(d) false omnipotence - the illusion that they are all powerful;

(e) false invulnerability - the belief that they, like Superman cannot be harmed (except, perhaps, by the elusive kryptonite bullet); and

(f) ethical disengagement- the belief that ethics are important for other people but not for themselves.

excerpt from "From Intelligence to Leadership: A Brief Intellectual Autobiography" Robert J. Sternberg, Gifted Child Quarterly 2011, 55, 309-312

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My thoughts to the above:

(a) amazing that the characteristics should be so universal.
(b) would any of such leaders know/believe they are 'failed'?
(c) for those who would be leaders, do take note that these observations are real. If you really aspire to be a leader, you would need to consider the antithesis of the above of what would make a wise and good leader. And live them. Not study as a theory.
(d) and if you dont have what it takes, dont be a leader, and cause misery to others.

Like it or not, leadership and intelligence (not the lack of it) are closely correlated. The above is couched in a rather polite theory of fallacies. If one wants to be blunt, one can reduce each of the above belief to adjectival characteristics. I am tempted to turn the above into a 'calling a spade a spade' vocabulary exercise just for entertainment.

But I digress...i have to get my essay out......