Critical Thinking & Decision – Making for Engineers and Managers – Thinking Clearly, Deciding Wisely

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles and mindset of critical thinking.
• Identify cognitive biases and logical fallacies that affect reasoning and decisions.
• Apply structured thinking tools to solve technical and managerial problems.
• Evaluate evidence, arguments, and data for sound decision-making.
• Communicate ideas and solutions clearly and persuasively using critical reasoning.

This training is designed for professionals seeking to strengthen their analytical reasoning and decision-making capabilities, including:

• Engineers and Technical Specialists
• Project Managers and Team Leaders
• Engineering and Operations Managers
• Technical Directors and Supervisors
• R&D and Innovation Managers
• Decision-makers involved in planning, design, or strategy

• Basic

This training combines expert-led lectures, practical case studies, simulations, and collaborative exercises designed to strengthen analytical and decision-making capabilities. Emphasising hands-on application, participants will engage in structured reflection, peer learning, and problem-solving challenges to apply critical thinking in real engineering and management contexts.

Tools and Frameworks Introduced
• Paul–Elder Model of Critical Thinking
• Root Cause Analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram)
• Decision Matrix and Cost–Benefit Analysis
• Systems Thinking (Causal Loop Diagrams)
• Bias Identification Framework (Kahneman & Tversky)
• Argument Mapping and Evidence Evaluation
• Group Decision-Making Models (Delphi, Six Thinking Hats)

Materials and Resources
• Participant workbook with exercises, templates, and checklists
• Pre-workshop reflection survey (“How Do You Make Decisions?”)
• Case studies (e.g. NASA, Toyota, Singapore MRT, Google Eng.)
• Post-workshop action plan and reading list

Your expert course instructor has been coaching leaders, managers, and supervisors in ExxonMobil & BP and other large organisations for more than 30 years. He has held various positions in Engineering, Logistics, Supply, Distribution, Safety and HR. In his previous capacity as Training Manager, he managed the company’s training system equivalent to People Developer, i.e. from Training Needs Analysis, Training & Development Programme Design, to actual training delivery. He designed and facilitated in many Organisational Effectiveness Intervention programmes including senior leadership team sessions. He also set up and successfully ran several cohorts of Team Leaders School as Dean. He is a management coach and an active member of the Organisational Development & Intervention fraternity.

He possesses a Master degree in Training and Performance Management. He also holds a Professional Certificate in Designing and Facilitating Experiential Learning from STADA. He has been delivering training for the last 30 years and held positions like Training Manager and Safety Management System Manager in his career. Whilst he was in the HR Department at ExxonMobil, he was involved in employee coaching and terminations. He was also the steward of the Performance Improvement Process for identified poor performers in ExxonMobil Chemical.

Later, in a senior public sector role, he developed a Coaching Framework and raised 28 internal executive coaches and put 160+ public officers at the Director level through coaching, saving the organisation $1.3 million in coaching fees and accelerated the success of newly promoted Directors in the public service.

Your expert course instructor also mentored 16 senior leaders in a chemical company in Brunei and guided their leadership performance through the company’s intense turnaround activities. He was most recently a Vice-President for Human Resources in a large organisation in Singapore, and Director of its Academy.

Unlock the potential of your workforce with customized in-house training programs designed specifically for the energy sector. Our tailored, in-house courses not only enhance employee skills and engagement but also offer significant cost savings by eliminating travel expenses. Invest in your team’s success and achieve specific outcomes aligned with your organization’s goals through our expert training solutions. Request for further information regarding our on-site or in-house training opportunities.

In our ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, we will no longer providing hard copy training materials. Instead, all training content and resources will be delivered in digital format. Inspired by the oil and energy industry’s best practices, we are leveraging on digital technologies to reduce waste, lower our carbon emissions, ensuring our training content is always up-to-date and accessible. Click here to learn more.

To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer individualized “One to One” coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers. They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help you achieve your goals faster.
Request for further information post training support and fees applicable