Critical thinking for business and life
Being stupid is not a condition. It is a choice.
When we suppose we know things we do not know, that’s what makes us truly stupid.
Failing to see the boundaries of our perspective, that’s what limits our potential.
By learning to think critically about business and life, anyone can see the world more clearly.
“A clearly articulated call for all of us to ‘do the reading and thinking for ourselves.’”
“Although many have attempted to keep up with [AI’s] sprawl, Frank instead issues a clarion call for one of the most basic human traits: ‘patient thinking and humility.’ . . . The author’s points and content are clear and helpful, and he practices what he preaches.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Clear-eyed guide to questioning assumptions and developing critical thinking skills.”
“Frank treats business as a case study in human behavior . . . The result is a well-sourced, persuasive case that the real advantage lies not in knowing more, but in our ability to use critical and rational thinking to view the world more clearly.”
— BookLife Reviews
Our philosophy
Smart people make bad decisions all the time.
The solution is not found through a list of steps or boxes to fill. Clear thinking takes a full perspective, an approach that goes beyond adopting systems and memorizing slogans. It requires a broad recognition of where our goals fit in the world around us.
The right questions
Certainty is a warning sign, not a virtue. The most dangerous decisions can feel the most obvious. Knowing the right questions to ask, and the context behind them, must come before we trust any answer, or act on it.
The right thinking
Critical thinking is often considered a soft skill. Yet today it’s the essential business skill machines can’t replace. By thinking critically, we keep the final judgment with us, where it belongs.
The right decisions
Intelligence gets us far, but not necessarily to the right business decisions. Those come from seeing the world clearly and reasoning honestly about where we’re headed and what stands in our way.
About Us
Less Stupid exists to help people and businesses ask better questions, uncover what they do not know, and see the world more clearly before they decide to act.
Through lectures, seminars, courses, and consulting, we help guide clearer thinking under pressure. With a team led by business journalist, editor, author, and critical-thinking instructor Peter H. Frank, we recognize the all-too-human habit of forgetting to question and wonder. The good news is that clearer thinking can be learned. With awareness, not genius, anyone can become a more rational and critical thinker.
Peter H. Frank
A veteran journalist, author, MBA lecturer, TV anchor, and international banking executive, Frank has spent a career asking tough questions and probing for reasons. As a business reporter at The New York Times and financial editor at The Baltimore Sun, and later as a consultant and senior communications and marketing executive inside MBNA America and Bank of America, he has worked internationally with dozens of publicly traded and private companies on communications and corporate strategy.
Trusted by Leading Organizations:
- The New York Times
- Bank of America
- MBNA America Bank
- The Baltimore Sun
- American Management Association
- ImpactHub
- Maastricht School of Management
- Discover Financial Services
Work with Frank
Bring Less Stupid to Your Organization or Event
Whether through speeches, workshops, or graduate-level curricula, our discussions help teach people to think clearly under pressure and identify the dangers of easy AI answers.
Keynotes & Lectures
A high-energy talk on critical thinking, built for events, conferences, offsites, and leadership summits.
Corporate Training
Half-day and full-day workshops that leave teams with a working approach to better thinking, not a forgettable system.
Flexible Courses
A tailored curriculum on critical thinking, built for students through the MBA level and for nonprofits, startups, and enterprises.
Sample Topics:
- Critical Thinking: The Siren Song of AI
- Critical Thinking in Business: Why It’s Needed Now More Than Ever
- Critical Thinking: Introduction
- Critical Thinking and Strategy
- Critical Thinking for Business and Entrepreneurs
- Critical Thinking for Students
- Critical Thinking in Journalism
- Critical Thinking: An Exploration in Modern Nursing
Contact Us
Please send us any requests, comments, questions, or suggestions.
For bookings, please include your organization name and email address.