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In Learn to Lead, what does 'critical thinking' mean?

Careful, fair-minded reasoning guided by logic and respect for the truth.

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  1. Finding faults in other people's ideas
  2. Thinking fast without stopping to check
  3. Careful, fair-minded reasoning guided by logic ✔

Why: Here 'critical' does not mean nitpicking. Critical thinkers value reason and try not to let their own prejudices, assumptions or emotions cloud their logic.

Huh, didn't know that: WWI ace Eddie Rickenbacker's six-word formula for success: think things through, then follow through.

The dad joke
I'm a very critical thinker. I think hard about the critical stuff, like what's for lunch.
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References

Answer: Careful, fair-minded reasoning guided by logic. Here 'critical' does not mean nitpicking. Critical thinkers value reason and try not to let their own prejudices, assumptions or emotions cloud their logic.

  1. Learn to Lead Volume 2, Chapter 5, Principles of Critical Thinking (Civil Air Patrol) www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Vol2LetterLowFinal_8BDFDB373E830.pdf
    Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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Test yourself in the game

Leadership & CadetsA leader knows the flight has 24 cadets but says 'between 2 and 200.' Which standard is missing?Leadership & CadetsFocused thinking uses the 80/20 rule. What does it tell a leader to do?Leadership & CadetsInstead of answering your argument, someone insults you. Which logical fallacy is that?

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