Being Open$-$Minded

This activity is important because keeping an open mind is essential for developing a more proactive learning orientation. A proactive learning orientation increases your ability to think critically, and critical thinking helps you to plan more effectively. People who are open$-$minded have the ability to do four key things: $(1)$ question their beliefs, $(2)$ pause and seek feedback, $(3)$ watch for communication blocks, and $(4)$ check the accuracy of their past judgments and predictions.

The goal of this activity is to enhance your ability to apply the four key skills of being openminded by helping you to recognize examples of people practicing these skills, and failing to practice them, in action.

Read the short scenario below. Then, read the statements related to the scenario and select the key skill of being open$-$minded to which it best applies. Remember that some of the statements represent people using the skills successfully, and other statements represent people failing to use the skills successfully.

Scenario:

Everett, Taye, and Cameron are starting a food truck business together based on their shared love of street tacos. They have acquired one truck and do not plan to acquire a second truck for the foreseeable future. One of the major decisions they have to make is whether the truck will be stationary or roaming. The stationary option would mean that the truck would be parked at their city's local food truck plaza. This would lock them into standard set business hours $7$ days a week and would limit their ability to take the truck to private events. With the roaming truck option, they would have the freedom to bring the truck anywhere permitted by their local regulations, including private parties and local events. But the roaming option means a less predictable schedule and thus, less predictable revenues. Taye thinks they should choose the stationary option. Taye has no experience with food trucks or the restaurant industry in general, but he has done a lot of research with the local small business development association to inform his opinion. Everett wants to go with the roaming option. Everett has managed food trucks for the last three years. She has managed one stationary and one roaming food truck, and the roaming truck took in more revenue than the stationary truck. Cameron also wants to go with the roaming option. He has spoken with a close friend who has her own roaming food truck, and she told him that she thinks the roaming option is preferable in their town due to the high demand for food trucks at kids' birthday parties, private corporate engagements, and local events.

Everett pauses to reflect on the data Taye presented and on whether his disagreement with her view is valid

Tave calls Everett's noint "stunid" durina their discussion.