Our team was recently conducting a Wellness Assessment for a client that is looking to double their revenue over next 5 years. A key component of realizing this objective is pursuing new markets which will require their supply chain to be more agile and responsive to market changes. Part of the assessment highlighted the need for the organization to increase its level of education beyond just transacting in their SAP ERP system and improve their ability to be critical thinkers. Critical thinking is understanding the why, when and how to make changes in processes and master data to best meet the ever-changing needs of the business and the market.
What else is critical thinking?
Critical thinking skills include:
- Reasoning;
- Evaluating;
- Problem Solving;
- Decision Making; and
- Analyzing.
All of these skills are not only needed for an organization to mature in the use of systems and information, they can be applied to any situation in life that calls for reflection, analysis and planning. Being able to think clearly and solve problems systematically is an asset for individuals regardless of the role they are playing at work, home or in the community.
Organizations that are agile and able to respond quickly to changes place increasing demands on flexible intellectual skills, and the ability to analyze information and integrate diverse sources of knowledge in solving problems. Good critical thinking promotes such thinking skills and is very important in the fast-changing workplace.One of the principal outcomes of Reveal’s ongoing Value optimization® (oVo®) methodology is helping the organization improve its critical thinking thru the smart use of SAP to improve supply chain performance. Educated users and managers develop critical thinking skills to separate facts (data) from opinions (biased behavior) to examine and address challenges and opportunities. These critical thinkers become more independent, accountable and self-directed contributors that are able to plan and analyze materials and work centers and rise above the transactions. By investing in their workforce the organizations increases the value they receive from their people, processes, and technology and develop critical thinkers that embody the phrase “work smarter, not harder”.
Develop critical thinking in your organization and your organization will be better prepared to leverage digital transformations, IoT, IA, Blockchain, new market opportunities, business risks, double revenue and whatever else is ahead.
