'Must-Have' Skills for Government Professionals Detailed at AMA Government Conference

ARLINGTON, VA, April 21, 2013 (Press-News.org) Dr. Haywood Spangler, co-developer of AMA Enterprise's Critical Thinking for Government seminar, discussed techniques for developing critical thinking skills at an AMA Enterprise Government Solutions briefing for government HR and Training and Development professionals yesterday.

The conference, titled 'Sharpening the Critical Thinking Skills of Government Leaders,' drew Federal, military, and some state and local HR and Training and Development professionals, and focused on providing attendees with the tools they need to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to tackle the unique challenges facing government today.

Quoting David A. Garvin of Harvard Business School from a recent New York Times article, Dr. Spangler noted that "Leaders need to think critically...People need to sharpen their thinking skills, whether it's questioning assumptions or looking at problems from multiple points of view."

During the conference, attendees discussed the Watson-GlaserTM Critical Thinking Appraisal, which is the most respected assessment of individual critical thinking skills. Dr. Spangler also facilitated an interactive exercise with attendees, providing a sample of AMA Enterprise's Critical Thinking for Government seminar. Participants completed a role-playing exercise to help determine how they should implement critical thinking skills in a real-life work situation.

"We were thrilled with the government attendance - the standing-room only conference was an indicator of how seriously government professionals are taking the call to sharpen their critical thinking skills," said Sam Davis, Vice President, AMA Enterprise Government Solutions. "Dr. Spangler's presentation reinforced the fact that training in this area is crucial to helping government organizations retain the professionals they need to stay strong and viable."

About AMA Enterprise
With more than 85 years of experience and headquartered in New York, American Management Association (www.amanet.org) is a global leader of comprehensive talent development. AMA Enterprise, a specialized division of AMA dedicated to building corporate and government solutions, transforms enterprise-wide talent to fuel a culture of innovation, high performance and optimal business results. For more information on AMA Enterprise Government Solutions please visit http://www.amaenterprise.org/gov.