Why is it that an environment that would be labeled “abusive” if imposed by a spouse upon a spouse or a parent upon a child is anywhere within the bounds of acceptability in a workplace?

This is why I work from home!

The process is very liberating and does inspire one to see the world differently. However, no one actually expected such exercises to create finished work.

I think that’s the crux of it. We need to loosen up and let things flow – but most of the time there’s more to be done than the first draft/sketch. We revere Leonardo and Michelangelo’s sketches, but they treated them more as functional objects, part of the process rather than finished works.

@ Isobel –

I also think, as you’ve pointed out in your article, that critical thinking can get replaced by criticism and a temporary suspension of judgement allows people to contribute their suggestions in a safe environment.

Yes, depending on the context, that can be really helpful.

I’ve also been in situations where the best option was simply to grow a thicker skin! Robust critiques can be well-meant, and you can get away with some very blunt exchanges as long as you focus on the work, and there’s an underlying mutual respect.

@ Andrew – Sounds like you’ve done a good job of combining quality and quantity…

@ Plish –

Not sure one can even call that critical thinking as much as a fault analysis (not sure there’s a good word for what I’m trying to say here).

Nit-picking? Fault-finding? Yes-butting?

That Twain quote is one of my favourites. Imagine if he’d lived to see Twitter…

@ DebB – You should see some of the ridiculous stuff that never sees the light of day on Lateral Action.

@ Sarah – Yes, the Inner Saboteur is a master of disguise!

The balance for me about stopping critical thinking spiralling into negativity (and sometimes I find that my inner saboteur is posing as my inner critic) is to make sure my critical thinking – and I try to ensure I apply this to my feedback to others, not just to myelf – is always positively phrased.

Doing this always takes as a starting place, How could this idea be better, rather than what’s wrong with it.

Easier to build on a positive.

Bests,

Sarah

It’s true–without a certain amount of internal criticism, the amount of ridiculousness would skyrocket. The trick is finding the right balance and that can be so HARD (grin).

Critical thinking as often seen in ‘toxic’ cultures is that which stops things before they start; the 5000 ways that something can’t be done but not one solution offered process. Not sure one can even call that critical thinking as much as a fault analysis (not sure there’s a good word for what I’m trying to say here). The process is not about moving from better to best but is instead about pointing out the bad in closed ended fashion.

On the other hand, truly critical observation (which by the way, should probably be tempered at some point as well as one could constantly be critically tweaking) is essential when the idea needs to be more than just an idea.

It’s critical thinking that underlies Mark Twains quote of, “I wanted to write a short letter but I didn’t have time so I wrote a long one instead.” and Michelangelo’s, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

That’s critical thinking!

As Michelangelo also said, “A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.”