After reading through Richard Paul and Linda Elder’s The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, and Gerald Nosich’s Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum, I think adherence to critical thinking is imperative for anyone who seeks to fully develop themselves as a virtuous leader. It’s through the development of intellectual virtues that a person fulfills the potential of their thinking, raising it to a level of excellence. This can only be achieved by the application of the standards of critical thinking to the elements of reasoning. As this process happens, intellectual virtues find their place in a person’s thinking. There might be a push and pull as a person asks themselves necessary questions about their thinking, beliefs, attitudes, etc. Over time, intellectual virtues come to the forefront and a person begins to understand where they are in relation to the various intellectual virtues. (Paul & Elder, 2020, pp. 12, 24-26)
What are the intellectual virtues?
[intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, confidence in reason, intellectual perseverance, fairmindedness, intellectual courage, intellectual empathy, and intellectual autonomy] (Paul & Elder, 2020, p. 23)
Making a decision about the types of critical thinking
A struggle might occur when a person makes a decision to develop a more fairminded approach to thinking. It is possible to be a critical thinker without being a “fairminded” critical thinker. Fairminded critical thinkers consider other people, as well as themselves. A person can be very intelligent and reason through an issue well, but lack the qualities of character that come with the development of intellectual virtues. Making a shift in the way a person thinks could cause some tension. (Paul & Elder, 2020, 23-24)
Why does it matter if intellectual virtues are developed?
I worked at an organization that relied on me to produce content for its website, social media, and other communications in the form of writing, graphics, and videos. At times, this meant I needed to discern if images, audio and video files, etc. were from sources that were under copyright protection. I faced a situation where I needed to confront a superior about the possibility of copyright infringement in an assignment she gave me. Even though I showed her copyright laws, she still demanded that I produce the work with the images she had provided for me to use. A struggle developed between us and she began to openly ridicule me as being the “most morally upright person” she’d ever known. I felt very constrained by my position in the organization, especially under her authority. She kept pushing me to create what I knew was illegal and she argued that it was okay. I stood my ground and did not create with copyrighted materials (it eventually went higher than her), but it made me not want to work for the organization anymore. I felt there was a lack of integrity from her, from those who supported her, and ultimately the organization.
In the above example, my superior lacked intellectual humility as she refused to see my point of view and didn’t consider that she might not know enough about the topic of copyright. A person with intellectual humility would have approached and handled the situation differently, making efforts to learn more about the topic and listening to the other person. She also lacked intellectual courage as she would not face her own ignorance. I was exercising intellectual integrity as I remained true to my own thinking (that engaging in illegal activity is not a path to take). (Paul & Elder, 2020, pp. 24-25)
As the conflict was taken higher, there was a meeting to discuss the disagreement between us. In that meeting, a person who was in leadership exercised intellectual empathy by putting herself in each of our places in order to understand us and the situation. The leader also adhered to the intellectual virtue of fairmindedness as she considered both points of view. This leader exemplified why it matters to develop intellectual virtues. Her leadership style was in drastic contrast to my direct superior and she was able to make wise decisions and judgments in a reasonable manner. (Paul & Elder, 2020, p. 25-26)
As the leader in the example showed, utilizing intellectual virtues made her a more effective leader in the way she handled a conflict. Is it possible for a leader to faithfully serve an organization and still develop the highest levels of intellectual virtues? I think the leader in the example showed that it is possible. Thinking of faithfulness in terms of fulfillment of duties: If a person is in a leadership position, it would be difficult for them to be found faithful in fulfillment of their leadership duties if they did not make an effort to develop intellectual values. It’s through intellectual virtues that a leader attains excellence in their thinking, which contributes to success within their organization. A good leader would serve an organization more excellently and more effectively if they developed the highest levels of intellectual virtues.
References
Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning to think things through: A guide to critical thinking across the curriculum (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Paul, R, & Elder, L. (2020). The miniature guide to critical thinking: Concepts and tools (8th ed.). London, UK: Roman & Littlefield.
Cynde Puckett | MSLD 500 | Dr. Rietsema | February 3, 2021 | Assignment: A Virtuous Leader
Cynde Puckett-Valenti 