Topic 2: Important skill in life

The 10 skills mentioned before can be divided into 3 skill groups that can help to live happily with family and society.

1. Decision making

It is the process to find an opportunity, to correct a possible choice and choose from many directions. There are 2 processes

1.1 Program decision

is a decision by order, rule, manner that are made repeatedly and become routine, e.g. decision about further studies, job investment, building a residents. Program decision will decrease personal choices because decision will be made only under certain circumstances.

1.2 Non-Program decision

This is a decision made from new experiences. Since there is no rule or no law, such decisions can result in anxiety. Sometimes a manager has to consider the risks and uncertainties that could lead to decisions in job changes, to expand the business, to make a new investment.

Steps to arrive at decisions are

Step 1. Defining the problem is the very first important step because if a problem is analyzed appropriately, one can precede to the next step.

Step 2. Identifying the limiting factors is the next step. If limitations are defined properly, one can estimate the conditions or sections by calculating the resources to arrive at the envisioned results.

Step 3. Developing alternatives for the time when change of choices might potentially and possibly result in fewer problems or maximize profit, e.g. work overtime, assign special tasks, hire more employees.

Step 4. Analyzing the alternatives after developing many choices, taking all the pros and cons and compare them carefully. Consider a choice whether it bring the desired results.

Step 5. Selecting the best alternative can be done by analyzing and estimating many choices, comparing pros and cons of the alternatives before selecting and choosing any alternative.

2. Problem solving

Problem solving may involve many methods depending on the characteristics of a problem, and the know-how and experience of the problem solver.

2.1 Understanding a problem

The problem solver must clearly understand the problem and be able to answer the following questions:

What is the question of this problem?
What information do we have about this problem?
What further information do we need?
Which condition needs more analysis?

Analyzing a problem step by step will make the process smooth. Problem analysis could show that learners understand their problem by writing all topics relating to the problem.

2.2 Planning to solve the problem

helps to find a method to solve the problem by using the results from step 1 (2.1) and combining with the knowledge related to the problem. Then plan for support and ways to solve the issue in case that the problem needs to be checked by experiment. Plan the experiment or investigation well which may include methods to evaluate the results of this problem.

2.3 Proceed with and evaluate the solution to solve a problem

is a duel approach to a problem. It evaluates as how to solve the problem and the results may show a positive or negative result. If the chosen method gives the right result then it will be accepted and used to solve other problem. But if we find out that the result is not satisfactory (negative), we will have to go back to choose a new or other method to solve the problem as described in step 2 (2.2).

If still no satisfactory method is found, learners have to go back to point (2.1) to understand the problem and find what information is not complete yet, e.g. insufficient information to analyze the problem.

2.4 Checking the problem solving result

is to evaluate the big picture of the achieved result and decisions applied to solve the problem. When solving any problem, one needs to examine the effects the solution has to family and society.

Despite the step by step procedure shown here, the problem solver must have confidence that the problem can be solved. This includes determination and dedication to solve the problem because some problems take time and many attempts to be solved. If a learner feels exhausted from working, he should have time to relax and then come back to solve the problem with a dedicated attitude.

3. Creative thinking

3.1 creative thinking depends on

(1) Freedom of thinking and making new innovations.

(2) No limitation, no rules and an “it’s possible” attitude.

(3) The vision to continue an idea and to think further.

(4) Imaginative thinking which not many people have.

(5) Scattering ideas in many directions and have many options.

(6) Accepting strange ideas and thinking outside box.

(7) Making new and useful inventions, innovations and development.

(8) Having ideas that don’t harm or endanger oneself or others.

4. Makes a person not to be routine and diligent.

One who has creative thinking will be hard-working, have a curious focus on a task until the end, be activate and enthusiastic, and always look for new experience.

5. Makes a person solve a problem properly and under the condition of limited resources.

A creative thinking person won’t create conditions of thinking to solve a problem and make decisions by circumstance such as “small and beautiful”.

6. Creates work and new things.

Since all creative thinkers usually use their own ideas and good communication skills to understand others who use their useful own ideas. Creative thinkers will take what has been written above as a guide line and develop themselves well.

3.2 Why we have to train and develop creative thinking?

Creative thinking can be trained and developed; readiness can begin at primary

school by taking courses that support and activate new ideas and develop creative thinking.

1. Starting to express personality

A person with creative thinking often makes new things and innovations no one has thought about before. There will be fights until the new idea has been accepted.

2. This idea will lead to new things and methods.

Starting creative thinking will lead to new things and innovations outside of routine.

3. Makes a person to see new aspects and be flexible.

Besides from new ideas, discoveries or methods, one with creative thinking will look at the same things others see, but the aspect or perception is distinctive and not limited by imagination. Many things will be conceived from a different angle.

3.3 How to develop creative thinking

To develop creative thinking, one should perform the following:

(1) Give yourself freedom

(2) Put yourself outside the box or limiting conditions

(3) Think deeply, careful and cautious

(4) Focus the mind outside emotions

(5) Don’t involve social biases

(6) Accept comments from others

(7) Don’t hesitate in decision making

(8) Don’t think about profits

(9) Listen carefully

(10) Always practice thinking

3.4 How to spark creative thinking

To activate a person’s creative thinking, this person must be supported by parents, teachers or bosses.

Provide a good environment to support the intellect by doing the following:

(1) Give freedom to brain storm

(2) Write and comment ideas

(3) Distinguish similarity and separation

(4) Use comparison (analogy)

(5) Don’t be vague

3.5 Obstacle to creative thinking

(1) Obstacles arise from hesitation due to life routine, habitude and instinct to solve a problem, satisfaction with easy life’s answers, being afraid to fail and in taking risks, need for conditions and rules, to mimic, being able to experience work only under a command structure, and dislike of new experiences, no open mindedness, inflexibility, lack of focus, lack of self-awareness.

(2) Obstacles from others not listening, looking for mistakes, criticizing and denying all the other points, envy, ridicule, satirize, blocking opportunities.

(3) Lack of motivation, cutting down from motivation, little acceptance, only profit oriented, limiting time, etc.

To encourage creative thinking or to actively support a person to think creatively, one needs to provide proper activities and environment to prevent and eliminate all obstacles.

4. Critical thinking

is the ability to come to valid evaluations beginning with accurate assumptions or situations.

4.1 Basic to critical thinking

is the ability to observe, to find format, main points, and evaluate assumptions under observation.

4.2 Specific knowledge regarding an idea

such as to find evidence or an location, e.g. if we have to make a decision whether to believe or not, we need to relate reasonable information, and consider all evidence.

4.3 Meta-cognition

such as knowing one’s intellect or to act from intellect, e.g. to concentrate, introspect, and reason.

4.4 Motivation

means power of thinking which begins with need or desire to be conscious. Motivation in thinking will define the attitude and habit of thinking by oneself and making people believe or disbelieve something.

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