T he r eader ’

 
 
3. In the last sentence, Weber suggests that the charismatic leader may often be
A. a military leader. 
B. vulnerable. 
C. paranoid. 
 
 
Read this excerpt on critical thinking and answer the questions utilizing what you learned about 
creating a main idea. 
Success in work depends on thinking skills. It isn’t enough for graduates to possess a 
large body of information in their fields; they must be able to apply information to their jobs.
Employers are not looking for walking encyclopedias but for problem solvers and decision 
makers. 
If our thinking were perfectly logical, dealing with issues would be easy. We’d begin 
with a completely open mind. Then we’d gather available evidence, examine it objectively, and 
draw the most reasonable conclusion. 
However, things don’t always go so well. Instead of beginning with an open mind, we 
often begin with a certain bias. We sometimes think a particular answer is right even before we 
examine the evidence. If our desire to be right is strong enough, we may choose evidence that 
confirms our bias and ignore other evidence.
To avoid “rearranging prejudices,” try the following two-step approach to critical 
thinking; it can help you be honest.
Step 1. Begin by deciding what your position is on the issue in question. Putting this 
decision in writing can help.
Step 2. After you express your view in a sentence or two, ask yourself, “What evidence 
do I have to support my view? What have I seen in my life or learned from 
others that leads me to this conclusion? Are other conclusions possible?”
Answer these questions as completely as you can. You might put them in list form rather than 
full sentences. With this approach you can develop reasonable views that withstand discussion 
and debate. 
[Ruggiero, Vincent Ryan. 
 Critical Thinking.
Rapid City, SD: College Survival, Inc., 1989, pp. 
4; 12-13.] 

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Chapter 3, Main Idea 11