10 Ways to Improve Critical Thinking in the Workplace

In today’s workplace, being a great thinker isn’t about how much you know—it’s about how you use what you know, and how you approach what you don’t.

The world of work is constantly changing: AI is reshaping industries, customer expectations are evolving daily, and collaboration looks different in every organisation.

So, how do you stand out? By becoming the person who doesn’t just follow the process but questions it, improves it, and reimagines it. Here are 10 ways to be a great thinker in the workplace that will help you thrive, inspire others, and add real value to your career.

1. Think Outside the Box (and Then Question the Box Itself)

Everyone talks about “thinking outside the box,” but the real test is whether you can question why the box exists in the first place. Most workplaces are built on habits, routines, and outdated “this is how we’ve always done it” mindsets. Great thinkers spot these invisible walls and aren’t afraid to step over them.

And the stakes are high: poorly designed workplace systems cost the UK economy up to £71.4 billion every year. Employees are losing an average of 68 minutes per week due to inefficiencies. If that isn’t proof of why we need out-of-the-box thinkers, what is?

Poorly designed workplaces cost the UK economy £71bn a year

Research by Mitie reveals shocking productivity losses and employee dissatisfaction

The TimesTom Saunders

2. Develop Emotional Intelligence

Intelligence will get you into the room; emotional intelligence will make people listen to you once you’re there. Being able to read the room, understand unspoken tensions, and respond with empathy is one of the most underrated forms of workplace thinking.

The results speak for themselves. Training in emotional intelligence improved productivity for 93% of employees at a Motorola plant. That’s not just “being nice”—that’s measurable business value.

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3. Practice Critical Thinking Every Day

Critical thinking isn’t just for analysts or problem solvers—it’s for everyone. It’s the ability to pause before reacting, weigh evidence, and spot bias (especially your own).

Globally, the lack of critical and engaged thinking comes at an enormous cost. Employee disengagement is estimated to drain the global economy by $8.8 trillion, roughly 9% of global GDP. Great thinkers protect organisations from falling into that trap by asking sharper questions and cutting through the noise.

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4. Use Imagination Beyond Knowledge

Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

In the workplace, imagination isn’t about daydreaming—it’s about possibility. Knowledge tells you how things are done; imagination helps you see how they could be done.

And with the World Economic Forum predicting that 39% of workers’ core skills will change by 2030

(WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025), Imagination isn’t optional—it’s survival.

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5. Embrace Failure as a Thinking Tool

Failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s a shortcut to it. Great thinkers treat mistakes like experiments: each one teaches you where the boundaries are and what needs to change.

When something doesn’t work, don’t hide it. Share it. Analyse it. And most importantly, reframe it: “What did this failure teach us that success never could?” This mindset is what keeps organisations adaptive in a world where disruption is constant.

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6. Ask Better Questions Than Anyone Else

The best thinkers aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who keep asking the uncomfortable, curiosity-driven questions.

Instead of asking, “How do we fix this problem?” ask, “Why does this problem exist at all?”
Instead of asking, “What do we need to deliver?” ask, “What’s the real outcome we’re aiming for?”

It’s worth remembering that disengaged teams—those who stop asking questions—cost companies dearly. The global disengagement bill of $8.8 trillion is fuelled in part by workplaces that discourage inquiry.

7. Stay Curious About Everything

Curiosity is the oxygen of great thinking. It doesn’t just mean reading industry blogs or attending training—it means noticing how things work in unexpected places.

And curiosity is needed more than ever. As automation and AI expand, “soft skills” such as curiosity, adaptability, and creative problem-solving are increasingly in demand (Mexa Solutions). They are the very skills that technology cannot easily replace.

8. Balance Short-Term Fixes With Long-Term Vision

Great thinkers know the difference between patching a hole and redesigning the ship. Workplaces often reward quick fixes, but true innovation requires balancing urgent needs with future resilience.

Whenever you solve a problem, ask yourself: “Am I curing the symptom, or am I treating the cause?” Leaders who ask this question are the ones who build organisations ready for tomorrow’s challenges, not just today’s.

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9. Collaborate With Contrasting Minds

Brilliant thinking rarely comes from echo chambers. If you only surround yourself with people who agree with you, you’ll never grow. Seek out colleagues with different backgrounds, opinions, and approaches—even if they frustrate you at times.

In fact, diverse teams that embrace different ways of thinking are more innovative and better at solving complex problems—something global studies repeatedly confirm.

10. Protect Time to Think Deeply

The modern workplace glorifies busyness: back-to-back meetings, endless notifications, and inbox overload. But great thinking requires depth, not distraction.

Block out time on your calendar that’s purely for reflection and idea-building. Treat it as sacred. No one will give you this time—you have to create it yourself. And it’s often in those quiet, uninterrupted moments that your most valuable ideas emerge.

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Final Thought: Great Thinking Is a Daily Habit

Being a great thinker in the workplace isn’t about occasional “lightbulb moments.” It’s about daily habits—curiosity, questioning, imagination, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking—that compound over time.

And with 39% of core skills predicted to change by 2030 (World Economic Forum), workplaces need thinkers more than ever. The best workplaces don’t just need doers—they need thinkers who can see the bigger picture, inspire new directions, and challenge what’s possible. Start practising today, and you’ll not only shape your career—you’ll shape the future of work itself.