Critical Thinking for Excellent Decision Making

29-30 Oct, 2018, Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur

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MR. ANDREW CHEAH started his consulting and training experience in 1991 as a management consultant attached with a US based consultancy firm. He has extensive consulting experience in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, specializing in the areas of performance management, cost reduction, productivity improvement, behavioral change, leadership and training. His clients came from such diverse industries as Electronics & Electrical, Steel Mill, Food Processing, Garment & Knitting, Furniture, Fertilizer, and Yarn/Thread.

 

His last position was the Vice President of Operations before joining the manufacturing fraternity as Head of Departments with multiple responsibilities in the areas of Training, Facility, Industrial Engineering, Productivity, and Safety. Under his leadership, the latter company won the National Productivity Award in 1999, organized by the National Productivity Corporation (now renamed Malaysian Productivity Corporation) and presented by the previous Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir.

 

He became the General Manager for an organization listed on the Stock Exchange of Malaysia/Bursa Malaysia before setting up his own management consultancy practice.

 

Andrew currently partners with a number of training providers in Singapore, Dubai, Malaysia and Africa to deliver training courses on numerous topics relating to both technical/ operational/hard and soft skills subjects (see list below). He now actively does his training and consulting jobs in China, Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia, delivering his services in three languages (English, Mandarin, and Malay language).

 

Andrew is also an active contributor to the industry. He has been invited to speak in events such as International Conference on Best Practices which was graced by senior officials from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), sharing the stage with Professor Michael Gregory of the University of Cambridge, Mr. Dieter Heyl (2007 Vice President of Mercedes Benz Malaysia), and Dr Marcus Chao, President of Lean China Enterprise Inc.

 

Andrew has an MBA degree qualification with the University Of Portsmouth, UK. His experience in international consultancy has also earned him a membership with the Association of Productivity Specialist (New York), in addition to being a qualified ISO 9000 assessor (QMI/SIRIM).

Venue Details

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang,, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, - 50250
Phone : 03 2147 0088

Click For Hotel Location

Contact us

Juliany,
03 2283 6109
juliany@ipa.com.my

Phoebe,
03 2283 6100
phoebe@ipa.com.my 

FOR CUSTOMISED IN-HOUSE TRAINING
Jane,
03 2283 6101
Jane@ipa.com.my

ADDRESS 
A-28-5, 28th Floor, Menara UOA Bangsar, 
No.5, Jalan Bangsar Utama 1, 
59000 Kuala Lumpur
www.ipa.com.my


FOCUSING ON
  • Introduction To Critical Thinking
  • Critical Thinking Type A: How People Manipulate Data And Numbers, And How To Handle These Through Better Understanding And Evaluating Of These Data And Numbers
  • Critical Thinking Type B: How People Play With Words, And How You Can Be An Expert In Spotting Or Knowing This
  • Critical Thinking Type C: Overall Evaluation In Making You An Well-Rounded Critical Thinker
  • Quantitative Data And Its Usage
  • Qualitative Data: Judgment And Usage
  • Limitations And Challenges
  • Conclusion: Be A “Discoverer” And “Scientist”
INTRODUCTION

The performance of organizations is among the top agendas in any management, and quite rightly so. But what is leading to the conclusion of performance? Critical thinking, data analysis and management, leading to excellent decision making thereby saving time, money and trouble.

 

Sadly, many organizations however are overdoing, over-reacting and even measuring the “wrong square peg in a round hole”. And since you cannot hope to manage what you cannot properly decipher, it is no wonder many are not performing up to expectations. You may end up praising the bad and reprimanding the good, leading to morale sapping scene.

OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOME
  1. Learning about data exploration, what to look for in data, and how to choose data.
  2. Being able to spot lies, deceptions and snake-oil sales persons.
  3. Interpreting data, read trends, get actionable insights, predict future performance in ways which are meaningful and actionable.
  4. Understanding limitations of data and what to avoid not to be misled.
  5. Enhancing analytical and creativity skills.
  6. Saving time, money and frustration.
  7. Helping your organization improve performance and achieve great culture.
  8. Reducing chances of becoming a victim in the information age.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Managers, Leaders, Engineers, Executives, Team Members and anyone who needs to analyze, and manage their data in order to make sense and take action, and who needs to guide and coach his/her team in data analysis and management. Very suitable even for those who are not good at numbers, data, or mathematics.

METHODOLOGY

The Active Learning Activities May Include:

    • Hands-on exercises
    • Group discussions
    • Case studies
    • Workshops
    • Interactive storytelling
    • Commentary on other companies / industries
DAY 1
9:00 INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING
  • Why is it important?
  • Opinions versus facts
  • Objectivity: Can’t manage what you can’t decipher or understand
  • Types of critical thinking
10:45 CRITICAL THINKING TYPE A: HOW PEOPLE MANIPULATE DATA & NUMBERS, AND HOW TO HANDLE THESE THROUGH BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND EVALUATING OF THESE DATA AND NUMBERS
  • Likelihood and Plausibility
  • Why the word “average” can be problematic?
  • Graphical representation: conmen of axes – catching deception
  • How to spot cheating when you hear others report on numbers
  • Bias and other traps on how data, numbers are collected
  • Chances and probabilities
  • Workshop on data and numbers
1:00 Lunch

2:00

CRITICAL THINKING TYPE B: HOW PEOPLE PLAY WITH WORDS, AND HOW YOU CAN BE AN EXPERT IN SPOTTING OR KNOWING THIS

  • Asking “how do you/we know”
  • Who is an expert: cases of professionals making mistakes, or knowingly fooling and deceiving you
  • Experts in alternative explanations
  • Definition of counter-knowledge, and managing it
  • Workshop
3:45 CRITICAL THINKING TYPE C: OVERALL EVALUATION IN MAKING YOU AN WELL- ROUNDED CRITICAL THINKER
  • The workings of science and scientific work
  • Are you Superstitious?
  • How to know what you don’t know?
  • Famous cases
  • Workshop
5:00 End of Day 1
DAY 2
9:00 QUANTITATIVE DATA AND ITS USAGE
  • Examples and cases
  • Interpretation
  • Learning forecasting
  • Other applications
  • Workshop
10:45 QUALITATIVE DATA: JUDGMENT AND USAGE
  • Five Forces
  • Strategic Factors
  • Workshop
1:00 Lunch

2:00 LIMITATIONS AND CHALLENGES
  • Human Factors e.g. Confirmation bias, Halo & Horn Effect
  • Not linked to incentivization
3:45 CONCLUSION: BE A “DISCOVERER” AND “SCIENTIST”
 
5:00 End of Course