If you do not work in the field of Education, the phrases “P21” and “4 C’s” may sound like a foreign code, but they are increasingly important in today’s organizations.  P21 is the nickname for the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, which is a national organization working to advance the skills of all U.S. students.

 P21 believes we need to help make our children more competitive in a global economy by teaching the 4 C’s (Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity).  P21 is working to bridge the gap between information learned and tested in the classroom, and the skills needed to be successful in the workplace.

Shouldn’t we be making the same effort in the workplace?

According to the AMA’s recent survey, the answer is a resounding YES!  In the AMA 2010 Critical Skills Survey, over 80% of employers said they measure performance in and select employees based on critical thinking ability.  Sadly only about half of those surveyed felt their employees were above average in critical thinking ability.

Organizations that choose not to build the skill levels of their employees risk falling behind in the competitive marketplace.  While using a scientific assessment like the Watson-Glaser™ II Critical Thinking Appraisal instrument to select employees who are skilled in critical thinking is clearly beneficial, training is equally essential.

In fact, the survey pointed to one-on-one coaching, training, and mentoring as critical avenues for developing critical thinking.  At Pearson, we suggest an on-site Critical Thinking Boot Camp to identify weaknesses, address challenges, develop techniques for better decision making, and follow-up coaching from an expert.

Could you imagine a basketball team selecting Kobe Bryant to join their organization but not giving him a coach or requiring him to attend practices?  Without that continuous training would he still be the great basketball player he is today?  Why are your employees any different?

We must not only use world-class tools to select our employees, but also devote our time, energy, and resources into helping those individuals maximize their talent.

So, how are you building your employee’s skills in Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity?

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BIOGRAPHY

Breanne Potter is currently a Solutions Architect for Pearson TalentLens (http://talentlens.com) and is focusing on helping organizations develop their employees' critical thinking skills via the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal assessment and development tools. Breanne also authors AssessmentBuzz.com (formerly thembtiblog.com).

Pearson TalentLens develops and delivers scientific assessments for employee selection and development that increase workforce performance. With more than 80 years of experience in the employee assessment field, Pearson offers award winning products such as the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Bennett Mechanical comprehension Test, and the Golden Personality Type Profiler, and has a global presence with offices in seven countries. Its clients include half of the Fortune 500, expanding small businesses, and all organizations that make identifying talent and unlocking employee potential a top priority.

She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology. Beginning her career as a recruiter in St. Louis, MO, Breanne experienced the fast-paced excitement of high volume recruiting in a strong economy, as well as the challenge of recruiting top IT professionals in a highly competitive and demanding market. In addition to her role as a recruiter, Breanne began revamping the selection process in her organizations to standardize processes and improve selection success. Throughout her Human Resources career, she has had significant experience in team building, leadership development, training, conflict resolution, and organizational development. She previously worked for CPP, Inc and consulted with organizations using MBTI, TKI, FIRO-B, Strong Interest Inventory, and CPI. Breanne is a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Association for Psychological Type International (APTi), and the Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM).

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