red skills practice setaa9acd77acfce008d811-69cbf2233f06ee9835eee8c5147c2757.r99.cf1.rackcdn.c…•...

©American Management Association. All rights reserved.

RED Skills Practice Set

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© American Management Association. All rights reserved. 1


2533V (04-14)


Distinguish Fact from Opinion Point to specific, credible information to substantiate why something is true or can logically be concluded based on data.

Recognize Assumptions



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Ask open-ended questions to determine if there are facts, evidence, or experience to back up an opinion. Consider the extent to which this information is logical, credible, and relevant in your situation. Strongly stated, authoritative statements can be misinterpreted as fact rather than opinion.

Examples of Questions to Ask •  What is the basis for your opinion? •  What evidence do you have to support it? •  Why do you believe this information is accurate? •  Why do you think this information applies to this problem?

Tool: Distinguish Fact from Opinion Use questions to determine if someone has evidence to support his/her position.


Consider Relevance Recognize Assumptions

Rather than accept assumptions on face value, question whether they make sense based on the situation and that they continue to apply as you learn more.



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Ask open-ended questions to clarify assumptions, both those explicitly expressed and those implied. Consider whether the assumptions being made are not only accurate but also relevant to the given situation. Consider what alternative outcomes might be if the assumptions made were different.

Examples of Questions to Ask •  What assumptions are you making? •  Why do you believe your assumptions apply in this situation? •  What assumptions do you think other people are making? •  If you were to shift your assumptions, how would that affect your

decision?

Tool: Consider Relevance Use questions to clarify assumptions and understand the extent to which they apply.


Seek Alternative Viewpoints Recognize Assumptions

Explore other people’s assumptions and perspectives of the same situation. Make a point to seek out viewpoints from people who see things differently than you do.



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Ask open-ended questions to understand how different people see the same situation. Seek out people who may not see things the same way you do, for example, your manager, people on your team or people who work in other departments, companies, or industries. The goal is to better understand the assumptions you are making and their implications.

Examples of Questions to Ask •  How do you see the situation? •  Why do you see it this way? •  What were you expecting to see? •  How do you see this playing out in the future? •  How might the situation be different if different assumptions were made?

Tool: Seek Alternative Viewpoints Use questions to understand how other people see the same situation so as to learn more about their perspectives and assumptions.


Be Aware of Persuasion Techniques Evaluate Arguments

Be cautious when people “sell” their ideas, recommendations, or products. Learn some of the common techniques designed to convince you to agree with them.



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The fine art of persuasion is a valuable skill in all aspects of life, particularly when we work in an organization and need other people to help us to get our job done. We rely on our own influencing skills and are influenced by others in common business situations every day. Gain insight to know which persuasion techniques you are most susceptible to so that you can learn to recognize them. The tools for recognizing assumptions can help.

Examples of Common Persuasion Techniques •  What’s in it for me”: Emphasizes benefits and minimizes negatives •  “I’m only trying to protect you”: Implies negative outcomes •  “1 + 1 = 3”: Presents seemingly reasonable, but flawed, logic flow?

Tool: Be Aware of Persuasion Techniques Be alert when someone is trying to influence you. Pay close attention to accurately evaluate his/her intent and the consequences.


Recognize Bias Evaluate Arguments

Pay close attention to be sure you don't see something that’s not there. Avoid giving more credibility to information you already believe is right—make sure the facts back it up.



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Pay close attention to be sure you don't see something that’s not there. Avoid giving more credibility to information you already believe is right—make sure the facts back it up.

“Confirmation bias” is the tendency to agree with information we already believe to be true, even if shown contradictory data. We interpret data in a way that is consistent with what we already believe. We give more weight to evidence that supports a position we already hold.

Examples of How to Avoid Confirmation Bias •  Ask the same question, once posed in the positive and then in the

negative. For example: “Do you want to hire Candidate A or B?” can result in a different answer than “Who wouldn’t you hire—Candidate A or Candidate B?”

•  Beware of “loaded statements” that imply a judgment about how you should feel. They can influence how you consider the facts. For example: “You know, there’s a lot of history with that project.”

Tool: Recognize Bias


Check Strong Emotions Evaluate Arguments

Be aware of your own emotions as well as others’. When emotions run high, it’s impossible to remain objective or to reason clearly.



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Emotions fight against calm objectivity. We see it all the time in heated debates in the political arena. We see this when eye witnesses report different details. The same is true in business situations. Take time to understand how emotions affect how you interpret information.

Examples of Questions to Ask •  How is emotion affecting the way information is being presented to you? •  How are your emotions affecting your ability to think critically? •  How would you interpret the same data if strong emotions were not at

play?

Tool: Check Strong Emotions When emotions run strong, we often completely ignore the facts.


Weigh Data Carefully Draw Conclusions

Assign appropriate weight to information and data in a given situation. Avoid giving preferred information more weight than is warranted. Try not to get sidetracked by irrelevant or insignificant data.



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Ask open-ended questions to determine if there are facts, evidence, or experience to back up an opinion. Consider the extent to which this information is logical, credible, and relevant in your situation. Strongly stated, authoritative statements can be misinterpreted as fact rather than opinion. Example: Quick Checklist for Weighing Data Carefully

Tool: Weigh Data Carefully Distinguish between data that is clearly relevant to the situation from that which is not.

Where does the data come from? •  Authority? •  Expertise? •  Bias?

What does the data say? •  Current? •  Complete? •  Accurate?

Why consider the data? •  On point? •  Valid? •  Credible?

How else can the data be interpreted? •  Logical? •  Alternative conclusions?


Use Multiple Sources Draw Conclusions

Expand upon, confirm, or question data from other sources rather than rely on a single source.



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Using multiple sources helps reduce bias and helps validate the information. For example, to gauge customer satisfaction, use multiple sources rather than a single source. For example, conduct multiple surveys over a period of time across various customer segments, engage focus groups, use instant polls on the website, and monitor online discussions.

Checklist for Using Multiple Sources • How many sources are used and for what purpose? •  If only one source was used, why? •  Explore new sources:

–  Sources not typically used that could be valuable –  Sources that weren’t available in the past –  Sources used for a different purpose, with the same data

Tool: Use Multiple Sources Use multiple sources to validate information, findings, and conclusions rather than a single source.


Ask Others to Critique Draw Conclusions

Ask others to “play devil’s advocate” and challenge your conclusions. A “second pair of eyes” can help to identify gaps or inconsistencies.



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It is quite common to ask others to critique business strategies, marketing plans, and other ideas because doing so makes the projects stronger. Be thoughtful in selecting the right people to talk through your assumptions, data analysis, and conclusions. Go to people who know more than you do. Approach people who can challenge your conclusions. Seek out good listeners who ask good questions.

Prepare before Asking Others to Critique •  Be clear about why you chose them, what you want them to do, and why. •  Develop a set of questions to start the conversation, for example:

–  To what extent do you agree with my underlying assumptions? –  How well does the data support the arguments presented? –  Do the conclusions flow logically? –  What is missing or doesn’t make sense?

Tool: Ask Others to Critique Invite others whose expertise and thoughtfulness you value to help you evaluate the quality of your assumptions, the evidence presented, and the soundness of the conclusions.


Diagram for Understanding Draw Conclusions

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Use visual representations such as pictures, diagrams, or charts to convey information, process, or logic flow simply and to identify flawed logic or missing information.

Diagramming Tools

Mind Maps

Fishbone Diagrams

Affinity Diagrams

Flow Diagrams

SWOT

2x2 Matrix



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Diagramming Tool: Mind Maps Used to show concepts and their relationships to one another.

•  Developed by Tony Buzan, Mind Maps are used for organizing related ideas around a central concept in a non-linear fashion. Using a “tree” metaphor and different colors to categorize concepts, Mind Maps are used for note-taking to display brainstorming ideas visually.

•  Mind Maps often use color coding to further enhance the visual illustration, showing the relationships among the concepts.


Diagramming Tool: Fishbone Diagrams Used for process improvement.

•  Credited to Kaoru Ishikawa, Fishbone Diagrams are used to illustrate the various inputs to produce a product. The goal is to trace causes of variations, defects, or inefficiencies in order to make improvements.

•  Inputs are grouped into major categories, such as people, process, equipment, and materials, and each is depicted on a fishbone coming off the spine. Minor or subordinate items are illustrated as coming off the major fishbone.



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Diagramming Tool: Affinity Diagrams Used for organizing data into common themes.

Affinity diagrams are used to organize information into common themes. They are especially useful when you are gathering information and have a lot of disparate information that should be organized into meaningful groups. Start by brainstorming issues or gathering information. Write each idea on a separate card or sticky note. Sort the ideas into groups and create a header for each group as you define it. Keep working until you reach a useful categorization.


Diagramming Tool: Flow Diagrams Used to illustrate a sequence of logical steps, actions, and decision points.

Flow diagrams are used to illustrate a series of logical steps, tasks, and decisions, where one leads to the next. Specific shapes are used. This makes it easy to identify points at where assumptions are made, where more information is needed, or where decisions are made. They can be used to facilitate a discussion about how various alternatives might affect subsequent steps or outcomes.



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Diagramming Tool: SWOT Analysis Used to assess your organization and the external environment (including competitors, suppliers, customers, and the government) in response to a specific problem or situation.

Credited to Albert Humphrey, a SWOT analysis is often used in business strategy analysis to identify factors that would affect a specific strategy or problem. Brainstorming is used to identify what goes into each box. When the chart is completed, each box contains a number of simple statements that identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to the situation. Further research is done to determine the best course of action.


Diagramming Tool: 2x2 Matrix Used to visually represent and compare alternative options in terms of level of effort and return.

•  A 2 x 2 Matrix is used to assist in deciding on a course of action based on two factors: the level of effort (resources and risk) versus the level of return (revenue, good faith, or other value).

•  Brainstorming is used to generate alternative courses of action, which are then placed into the appropriate box.

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