Thinking Hat
Thinking Hat: Edward de Bono devised Six Thinking Hats, which he published in his book of the same name in 1985. It pushes you to think outside of your usual frame of reference and consider things from a variety of angles. This gives you a more complete picture of your condition.
A reasonable, optimistic attitude may frequently lead to a good solution or conclusion, but it can also be beneficial to analyse a situation from several perspectives. You may consider it from an emotional, intuitive, creative, or risk management perspective, for example. If you don’t consider these viewpoints, you risk underestimating people’s opposition to your goals, failing to make innovative leaps, and overlooking the need of crucial contingency preparations.
Six Thinking Hats may be used in meetings or on your own. It has the advantage of eliminating any conflict that may arise when individuals with various thinking styles debate a subject in meetings, since every viewpoint is legitimate.
Each “Thinking Hat” represents a distinct way of thinking. These are described in detail below:
- White Hat
With this thinking helmet on, you concentrate on the information at hand. Examine the data you have, examine previous patterns, and see what you can glean from it. Look for areas where you have gaps in your knowledge and strive to fill them or account for them.
- Red Hat
When you’re wearing the Red Hat, you use your intuition, gut response, and emotion to solve difficulties. Consider how others would respond emotionally. Try to comprehend the reactions of those who do not completely comprehend your explanation.
- Black Hat
Examine the probable negative consequences of a choice using Black Hat thinking. Take a cautious and protective approach to it. See if you can figure out why it isn’t working. This is significant since it shows the plan’s flaws. It enables you to remove, modify, or make contingency plans to deal with them.
Black Hat thinking aids in the “toughening” and “resiliency” of your strategies. It may also assist you in identifying catastrophic faults and hazards prior to taking action. It’s one of the true advantages of this technique, since many successful individuals get so used to thinking optimistically that they are unable to anticipate issues. As a result, they are unprepared for adversity.
- Yellow Hat
This headgear encourages optimistic thinking. It is the positive mindset that allows you to recognise all of the advantages and value in a choice. When everything seems bleak and challenging, Yellow Hat thinking might help you keep going.
- Green Hat
The Green Hat is a symbol of inventiveness. This is where you come up with new ways to solve an issue. It is a free-wheeling method of thinking in which ideas are seldom questioned. (There are a variety of creative tools available to assist you.)
- Blue Hat
This hat symbolises process management. It’s the cap that meeting chairpersons, for example, wear. When faced with challenges as a result of a lack of ideas, individuals may turn to Green Hat thinking. When contingency preparations are required, Black Hat thinking will be requested.
Looking at issues from the perspective of various experts (for example, physicians, architects, or sales directors) or consumers is a variation of this strategy.
Six-Hat Thinking in Action
A property company’s board of directors is debating whether or not to construct a new office building. The economy is booming, and available office spaces in their city are flying off the shelves. They use the Six Thinking Hats approach as part of their decision-making process.
They study the data they have while wearing the White Hat. They can see that the quantity of available office space in their city is shrinking, and they calculate that current space will be in very short supply by the time a new office building is ready. They also say the economy is looking well, with steady growth expected to continue.
Some of the directors claim the planned structure is unsightly and dark, and they’re thinking with a Red Hat. They are concerned that it will be burdensome and uninspired to work there.
They question whether the economic prognosis is inaccurate when they ponder with the Black Hat. The economy might be poised to enter a slump, leaving the building idle or just partly inhabited for an extended period of time. Companies will opt to operate in other, more appealing locations if the building is unappealing.
The directors, however, wearing the upbeat Yellow Hat, know that if the economy holds up and their estimates are accurate, the firm will earn a big profit. If they’re fortunate, they may be able to sell the property before the next slump, or rent it to long-term tenants who will stay through any downturn.
They explore if they should alter the building to make it more attractive using Green Hat thinking. Perhaps they could construct high-end offices that people would want to rent regardless of the economy. Alternatively, they may put the money into short-term investments and then purchase property at a cheaper price when the next slump occurs.
The meeting’s chairman wears the Blue Hat to keep the conversation and ideas flowing, encouraging the other directors to alter their thoughts across the various views.
The directors now have a considerably more thorough picture of potential outcomes after considering their alternatives from several perspectives, and can make an informed decision.