Future Skills

CHAPTER 5CRITICAL THINKING

Now we move from hard, technical skills onto the soft skills that are related to personality and personal attributes. But just because something is a soft skill doesn't mean it can't be learned and improved. Any soft skill can be honed. And hone we must, because as more and more practical tasks become automated and given over to machines, certain soft skills will become increasingly valuable in the workplace.

For me, critical thinking is right up there as one of the most vital soft skills to cultivate for future success. In this era of fake news and social media bubbles—and indeed, with the sheer volume of information that we're now bombarded with on a daily basis—the ability to look at evidence, evaluate the trustworthiness of a source, and think clearly is becoming more important than ever. Critical thinking is often confused with being critical or negative, but that's a misconception. Critical thinking is about objectivity. It's about having an open, inquisitive mind—something that all employers find valuable.

Critical thinking isn't just important for career success (or academic success, for that matter). If you lack the ability to think critically, you may be more vulnerable to things like manipulation, fraud, and fake news in your everyday life. Critical thinking is an important life skill, then—and not just something you get credits for at university or a throwaway statement that looks good on your CV.

What Exactly Is Critical Thinking?