Walking around the elephant: a critical-thinking strategy for decision making

The parable of the blind men and the elephant provides a metaphor for emphasizing important characteristics of critical thinking and strategies for decision making. The article describes critical thinking as a process and cognitive skill that functions in identifying and defining problems and opportunities for improvement; generating, examining and evaluating options; reaching conclusions and decisions, and creating and using criteria to evaluate decisions. Critical thinking improves the quality of professional and personal decisions. Critical thinking also contributes to the effectiveness of group decision making by creating synergy and collaboration. The article presents evidence of the crucial nature of critical thinking in nursing practice, management, and executive roles, and in the practice of continuing education and staff development. The article identifies and develops the major defining characteristics of critical thinking. Illustrating the characteristics in practical examples, the article suggests ways to foster critical thinking for ourselves, with our learners, with managers, and with our colleagues.