Critical Thinking: A Non-Negotiable Skill for Modern Leadership

For many, critical thinking feels like a skillset that’s slowly fading away. And honestly? I get it.

We’re bombarded with information—some of it accurate, much of it not—and sifting through the mess takes time, effort, and discipline. It’s easier to scroll, repost, react, and move on. But if we want to lead ethically, especially in today’s climate, we can’t afford to opt out of critical thinking.

As someone who’s been in love with leadership development for most of my life, I know firsthand that leadership starts from within. In a recent IG interview with poet and host Reality, I was reminded of how—even as a young person—I was passionate about standing for what I believed in. More importantly, I stood for people who didn’t yet know how to stand for themselves.

That conviction hasn’t left me. But what has evolved is my understanding of how complex leadership is—especially when we’re trying to lead in a time where everything is political, whether we like it or not. I’ve often tried to separate my professional roles from my political views. But at this point, who am I kidding?

Leadership is political. And critical thinking? It’s one of our most powerful tools in resisting manipulation, propaganda, and power used without accountability.

In a Time of Manipulation, Clarity Is Power

We’re living in a time when the loudest voices aren’t always the most informed—and repetition has become a dangerous tool.

Science tells us that repetition helps us learn and internalize information. This is great when we’re trying to build healthy habits. But it’s also the foundation of propaganda—repeat a lie long enough, and it becomes normalized.

This means we can:

• Form poor habits through repeated misinformation

• Normalize beliefs that are counter to our values

• Internalize worldviews that aren’t even ours

  
  

Social architects know this. It’s how societal norms are shaped—and it’s also how they can be re-shaped. But only if we stay awake, aware, and willing to think critically.

This Is the Line Between Leadership and Manipulation

Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

According to the Foundation for Critical Thinking, it’s a disciplined process of actively and skillfully:

• conceptualizing

• applying

• analyzing

• synthesizing

• and evaluating information

  
  

Whether that information comes from observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or conversation—it all requires intentional thought.

It’s not about thinking harder.It’s about thinking better.

In short:

Critical thinking is the difference between reacting and responding, between consuming and discerning, between being led and truly leading.

Reflect Before You React

Ask yourself:

• How are you vetting the information you’re spreading?

• Are you allowing disinformation and misinformation to root in your thinking?

• Are you fighting propaganda with truth—or just more noise?

• Are you moving with clarity and purpose, or reacting from emotion?

  
  

Leadership is influence. Whether you lead a team, a classroom, a household, or a social media community—what you say and share matters.

3 Research-Backed Strategies to Strengthen Your Critical Thinking

Here are three tools you can start using today to sharpen your discernment and lead with more clarity:

1. Read Diversely

Expose yourself to perspectives outside your echo chamber—especially the ones that challenge your worldview.

Why it works: Reading broadly expands your cognitive flexibility, a key component of critical thinking.

2. Ask Clarifying Questions

Instead of reacting immediately, pause to ask:

• What am I really being asked to believe?

• What evidence supports this?

• What might be missing?

Why it works: This slows down your reaction time and opens the door to deeper, more informed thought.

3. Practice Metacognition (Think About Your Thinking)

Before responding or making a decision, ask:

• Why do I think this way?

• Is this influenced by bias, assumptions, or past experiences?

Why it works: Research shows that metacognitive awareness improves both decision-making and problem-solving accuracy.

Critical thinking isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership requirement. It helps us navigate complexity, stay rooted in our values, and push back against systems built to manipulate and divide.

If we want to raise up a generation of leaders who lead with truth, not trend—this is where it starts.