Of all the different management, leadership, communication,
innovation, and thinking tools, tips and techniques that I’ve learned over the
years, nothing has affected me more, or has had more practical applications,
than Edward de Bono’s “Six
Thinking Hats” model.
De Bono,
the guru of “thinking about thinking,” originated this framework that I now
use, either consciously or unconsciously, literally every single day. It’s one
of the best examples of how we can use visual and metaphorical thinking and
communicating to solve real-world challenges.
The model in brief: There are six metaphorical “hats” — each
a different color. Each hat represents a different type of thinking. By
metaphorically taking off or putting on a different hat, you can intentionally
and strategically switch to a different type of thinking.
Here are the six hat colors, and a brief overview of what
type of thinking each represents:
1. White Hat: Neutral; objective; facts; data;
information; objectivity
2. Red Hat: Emotion; gut feeling; intuition; passion;
subjectivity
3. Black Hat: Cons; critical; caution; risks; costs;
weaknesses; disadvantages
4. Yellow Hat: Pros; optimism; benefits; strengths;
advantages
5. Green Hat: Creativity; innovation; brainstorming;
new ideas; possibilities
6. Blue Hat: Process; structure; thinking about
thinking; next steps
The Six Thinking Hats method can be applied in many
different types of situations, for example:
- In a
meeting: as a formalized, structured process (e.g., a group brainstorming
or strategy session)
- In a
one-on-one discussion: as a common language that will encourage dialogue
and minimize conflict
- In
your own mind: as a way to frame your own thinking, separate fact from
emotion, and make better decisions
When used in a group, it enables what De Bono calls
“parallel thinking,” which occurs when all members metaphorically “wear” the
same color hat at the same time. This dramatically improves communication,
minimizes conflict, and fosters innovation.
How do the Six Thinking Hats do this? The best way to understand
it is through a real-life illustration:
Say you’re in a meeting, trying to reach a decision. Instead
of the normal chaos and conflict caused by endless debate, cross-talk, shooting
down ideas, etc., what if we were able to say:
“Let’s temporarily put aside our Red Hats (our emotional
reactions), our Black (negative/critical) and Yellow (positive/supportive)
opinions, and all put on our White Hats to first objectively identify the
objective facts and relevant data, before we start jumping to possible solutions
(Green Hat) and proposing next steps (Blue Hat).”
Once agreed, from there the group can efficiently, and with
minimal conflict and debate, run the situation through this simple and
logically sequenced series of questions:
1. White Hat: What are the facts about the situation at
hand?
2. Red Hat: How do people feel, emotionally, about the
situation?
3. Black Hat: What’s not working — and why?
4. Yellow Hat: What is working – and
why?
5. Green Hat: What’s new (ideas, possibilities)?
6. Blue Hat: What’s next (where do we go from here)?
(Note: You don’t necessarily always have to use the hats in
this exact sequence; but this is an example of a very common and effective
approach.)
By enabling parallel thinking — by having everyone
wear the the same color hat at the same time (and headed together in the same
direction) — you will see how much more orderly your meetings will be, and how
much more quickly you can reach decisions and get things done!
And if you assign one person in the meeting to be the Blue
Hat leader, that person (regardless of organizational role or rank) will serve
to make sure that things run smoothly, stay on track, and that everyone plays
by the rules.
Using this methodology, my company and clients have successfully
conducted numerous executive-level strategy meetings, facilitated
cross-functional team-building and brainstorming sessions, and helped hundreds
of individuals maximize the effectiveness of their own decision-making skills,
along with their ability to more effectively conceive and communicate ideas.
Here’s a question that may hit close to home: How might you
use the Six Thinking Hats in your job search?
Let’s say that you were presented with a potential job
opportunity. What kind of question might each Thinking Hat pose to help you
make the best possible decision?
1. White Hat: What are the objective facts about the
position and the company (title, salary, benefits, location, industry, work
environment, department, new manager, etc.)?
2. Red Hat: How do I feel about this opportunity; what
is my gut telling me (am I excited, nervous, hesitant, concerned, etc)?
3. Black Hat: What don‘t I like about it, what’s
bad about it — and why (i.e., what are the negatives or concerns associated
with the White Hat facts and my Red Hat feelings)?
4. Yellow Hat: What do I like about
it, what’s good about it – and why (what are the positives
associated with the White Hat facts and my Red Hat feelings)?
5. Green Hat: What are the various options,
alternatives, choices available to me (i.e., what’s going through my mind in
terms of what-ifs, and out-of-the-box possibilities; what does it look like if
I visualize actually taking this job)?
6. Blue Hat: What are the next steps; where do I go
from here (when do I have to make a decision by, what do I have to do next,
what actions should I take)?
Although this is just one simple and common example, you can
easily see how using the Six Thinking Hats to frame your thinking can go a long
way toward maximizing your effectiveness – and enhancing your confidence – when
it comes to making any decision.
It is important to note, however, that while it takes just a
few minutes to learn this seemingly simple model, it takes time, training, and
much practice to truly master it.
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