Critical Thinking Is the Second Question You Ask

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Critical Thinking Is the Second Question You Ask

Yesterday, during a conversation with the

#CFOs who make up the CFO Alliance, a great question was asked: What exactly is critical thinking?

Dr. Tim Naddy came back with a terrific response: Critical thinking is the second question you ask.

For financial teams, their greatest value is in helping the business sort the signal from the noise—connecting the dots between market trends, operations, and financial data. That doesn’t come from just reporting numbers; it comes from ASKING BETTER QUESTIONS.

Good questions don’t happen by accident. To ask great questions, you need to truly understand the business, the market, and the numbers. And this isn’t just a finance challenge—it’s a leadership imperative.

🔹 As senior leaders, we’re expected to bring strong, seasoned critical thinking.

🔹 As managers, we must develop this skill in our teams.

🔹 As professionals, we need to move beyond just presenting data—we must ask questions that make others think better.

How are we encouraging our teams to ask the second question?

Would love to hear your thoughts about how do you develop critical thinking in your own organization.