You might have heard that information is the new currency. Over the years, it has become the single strongest asset to businesses and countries. As we gather tons of data, analytical skills are no longer optional; they’re essential. Whether in business, healthcare, education, or governance, analytical skills are a valuable talent. The ability to break down complex problems, evaluate information, and make reasoned decisions sets professionals apart.

But what exactly are analytical skills, and how can you actively develop them? In this blog, we explore what it means. Let’s understand why it’s important for working professionals. Lastly, we’ll discuss nine ways to sharpen this powerful ability.

Analytical Skills 101

Analytical skills refer to your ability to collect and process information. This helps you identify patterns and draw meaningful conclusions. It helps you solve problems efficiently. Further, they help leaders and managers make informed decisions and evaluate arguments critically. A report by the International Baccalaureate Organization offers a simple definition of analytical thinking. According to them, it involves breaking down complex problems into manageable parts, identifying patterns, and drawing logical conclusions. Upon reflection, this explains why MBA programs place significant emphasis on analytical skills.

Why are these skills considered a game changer? To understand that, we need to break analytical skills into their components. Together, they form the full spectrum of analytical skills. Any professional looking to hone their analytical skills should work on them.

Firstly, ambitious professionals should cultivate observation. Business leaders need to notice key details and inconsistencies in a situation. Secondly, research skills. Part of analytical skill building is to learn how to gather and evaluate relevant data. Next, data interpretation is an important analytical skill. Learn how to comb through data and statistics for meaning, trends, or information. Fourth, logical thinking helps professionals connect facts and identify relationships. Lastly, analytical skills include problem solving. Any leader worth their salt is a master at blending all the information they have to design effective solutions. These components work together to help you make sense of the world. They also help you navigate your career with greater confidence.

Why Are Analytical Skills Important?

Strong analytical abilities benefit professionals at every stage of their careers. As you can imagine, a leader who can comprehend and assess information can devise better solutions than one who cannot. Further, even working professionals still climbing the ranks benefit from analytical skills. Businesses value employees who think logically and evaluate options critically.

Simply put, a better understanding of the problem leads to more effective solutions. This is seconded by a Pew Research Center report. It revealed that employment in jobs requiring analytical skills grew by 92% from 1980 to 2018, outpacing overall job growth. Strong analytical skills benefit careers across industries. It is a transferable skill that you take with you from job to job. Besides, a significant feature is how it improves the chances of identifying potential issues early and preventing them.

We’ve established that analytical skills can benefit you, your career, and your business. Now, let’s read through the nine steps you can take to improve your analytical skills. We have tried to ensure that they are actionable steps you can incorporate into your life today.

1. Curiosity, Curiosity, Curiosity

Analytical thinking begins and ends with curiosity. If you think about it, it’s easy to understand why. Those driven to compregend the world and a desire for knowledge will learn more. Their interest will ensure that they retain more information, and their passion will help them connect the dots. Further, curiosity encourages a questioning mind that doesn’t accept things at face value. At the very least, this will allow people to understand how things work. At a higher level, this knowledge allows learners to manipulate things based on their expertise.

2. Engage with Opposing Viewpoints

A Harvard Business School Online article touched upon how analytical skills enhance critical thinking. It revealed that considering perspectives different from your own can enhance critical thinking. It suggests that engaging with opposing viewpoints helps eliminate cognitive biases and fosters a more comprehensive understanding of issues.

For actionable growth, we suggest approaching it much like a subject in university. Make sure you jot down the questions you encounter during your day. Go over them during your free time and use Google or watch documentaries, and read articles made by experts. Keep an open mind. A fun game you could create for yourself is to explore alternative solutions to everyday problems.

3. Playful Problem Solving

A feature of the human brain is that it excels at learning through play. Numerous papers support this notion, and we teach infants through play, too. It is stimulating, challenging, and exciting all at once. We aren’t suggesting that you stop taking your work seriously. However, we are suggesting that you incorporate an element of play in levelling up your problem solving skills.

As you may be aware, there are many methodical frameworks to find solutions. We are taught tried and tested methods at work or in our courses. They allow you to find effective, repeatable solutions. However, we suggest that you make start competing with yourself. Was this solution more effective than the last? What was different about it? The truth is that cognitive functions are stimulated by games like Sudoku, chess, and logic puzzles. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology indicates that games can improve problem solving skills. It can improve memory too. Overall, we believe that adding the thrill of competition can stimulate the growth of analytical skills. And who better to compete with than the past you?

4. Improve Your Data Literacy

This one is a long term effort. You have to plan to learn how to read and interpret data. You don’t have to become a data scientist, but you do need to know the basics. It’s an important part of building your analytical skills.

To do so, you could consider registering for a course that teaches data analysis. Today, many micro courses and diplomas from ranked universities offer data analytics courses online. Further, if you are planning to do an MBA specialization, you could select a course that offers data analysis as part of it. For example, LUBM offers a UK accredited MBA in Finance in the UAE that includes data analysis.

Further, you could learn the basics of Excel, Google Sheets, or visualisation tools. You could also truly understand what data points represent by reading graphs, pie charts, and dashboards regularly.

5. Time for Critical Reading

A part of the analytical skill set is critical reading. As the name suggests, it is the process of interpreting and critiquing information. Sharpen your ability to dissect arguments and evaluate evidence. You can do this by regularly engaging with complex texts like academic journals or analytical essays. Doing so can boost your critical evaluation skills. It also helps you question assumptions and spot bias.

We suggest you read from a variety of sources, like reports, news, and academic articles. Get into the habit of summarizing what you’ve read into a few key takeaways. Compare this with your own experience and other sources. This can seem daunting, but we pick up new habits and skills with astonishing speed. Trust your capabilities and keep going. Over time, you become more updated with current events, too.

6. Practising Logical Reasoning: Debates and Discussions

Logic lies at the heart of analytical thinking. If you want to bolster your analytical skills, you need to be able to engage logic. Once you’re trained in interpreting data, this is the next step to application. Strengthening this ability helps you make sound conclusions based on facts. Earlier, we went over how logic games can help hone your talents. Now, we adress two other practices: hypothesis thinking, and discussions. Also called an ‘if-then’ statement, it tries to link a hypothesis with a conclusion. Essentially, it’s a thought experiment you follow to the end. ‘If’ x is true, ‘then’ y happens. Secondly, debating and discussing your perspectives is an excellent way. It forces you to articulate your opinion, question assumptions, and back up your arguments with evidence. We think you’ll be surprised to discover how many biases you hold. However, it is important to keep an open mind and a calm head while practising this.

7. Learn from Real Life: Workshops and Seminars

Perhaps one of the best things you can do as a professional is to gain awareness of how things work. This can come in the form of insights from real world  case studies. However, we believe that one’s analytical skills benefit the most from exposure to the industry and other professionals. We suggest that you connect and network with people and industry leaders. They’re a goldmine for practical insights. While you can gain excellent information from data on a screen or a page, real life guidance is incredibly valuable. You learn things that wouldn’t make it to a page, and gain a lot of feedback and insight. It will add invaluably to your pool of knowledge and understanding. 

Further, workshops and seminars are excellent places to connect with like minded professionals. You could choose a free data analysis seminar and network while gaining experience. These settings also offer opportunities to apply analytical skills in collaborative environments. At LUBM, we believe that live events can benefit working professionals and learners alike. That is why we regularly host free seminars and workshops across the GCC. This gives our learners a chance to learn from industry experts and network. Stay tuned for a chance to attend our events by sharing your details here!

8. Reflective Thinking and Visualisation Techniques

Could you imagine if a few minutes of your spare time could boost your analytical skills? The truth is, once you begin to build those skills, you’re going to be increasing your knowledge rapidly. Thus, reflective practices like journaling or discussing experiences can deepen analytical skills. Additionally, visualisation tools like mind maps and flowcharts help organise thoughts. This further helps you spot patterns and connections.

9. Seek Feedback: Mentorship and Network

The truth is, you don’t know what you don’t know. Perhaps the biggest challenge to gaining a skill is knowing where to learn from. For some, the answer lies in a course. Most MBA programs offer students access to experts and stronger professional networks. However, you could also ask a business leader you trust to mentor you. Constructive feedback from mentors or peers is helpful. Through it, you can identify areas for improvement in your analytical approach. You discover the people with whom to start discussions that help you grow as a professional. Further, getting feedback from others can highlight blind spots and reveal growth areas. You find spaces to engage in discussions about problem solving, and strategies. Overall, this enhances your ability to think critically and adaptively. Keep an open mind, and don’t hesitate to ask them, “What would you do differently?”

Analytical Thinking is a Skill, Not a Trait

The good news is that analytical skills aren’t just something you’re born with. They’re learned, and earned. They can be strengthened over time with consistent practice. No matter how you start, every step you take improves your ability to think clearly and act more decisively. At LUBM, we appreciate the need for analytical skills in future business leaders. That is why our courses support learner development of analytical skills. At LUBM, our UK accredited degrees integrate problem solving and data-focused coursework to prepare you for success. If you’re looking to take your skills to the next level, consider joining a program we offer.