Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats
Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats is a method that helps to reduce meeting times and make meetings more effective. The method is nowadays widely spread since it is simple, robust and effective. With this post I want to introduce the method briefly and also tell you about some experiences I’ve made using it.
The Method & Background
According to Edward de Bono “emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity are all crowd in on us like juggling with too many balls”. Introducing the six thinking hats represented by six colors allows thinkers to “juggle only with one ball at a time”, meaning to think structured without interference of thoughts. Putting on any of these hats will define a certain type of thinking. The hats are always referred to by their color, not by their meanings. Since colors are neutral it makes the conversation a game with rules instead of an emotional debate. The use of this method is easy. All participants must get the six thinking hats explained. After that you can just structure any conversation using the six thinking hats by their colors. The Method is described in detail in the book Six Thinking Hats
The Six Thinking Hats
Let’s now check out the nature or focus of each of the thinking hats and start with the color blue. Blue is perceived a cool color and is concerned with facilitating the other 5 thinking hats. Blue is the hat that a moderator would wear and is used to organize the process. This hat can be used to decide an agenda or set a certain topic for the meeting.
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The white hat is about objective facts and figures. When this color is on, only facts and figures are presented. No emotions, no judgements but measurable objective values are part of “white hat thinking”.
Opposite to the white hat, the red hat represents emotional thinking. Fear, anger or rage fall under the red hat and are presented in “red thinking”.
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As red and white are contrary hats, black and yellow is the next pair of colors. “Black thinking” is cautious and careful. It points out weaknesses in an idea. The black hat is often mistakenly used as the bad hat but in reality is actually the most valuable one, since it points out potential problems or potential danger.
As mentioned, yellow is the opposite of the black hat. The yellow hat covers positive thinking, is optimistic and covers hope.
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After the two pairs of colors the 6 hats gets completed with the color green. Green is the color of new ideas and indicates creativity.
Using The Hats
All hats can be used together as well as independently.With single use you will have only one hat to enable specific thinking, such as green for new ideas. The hats can also be used sequentially, with each color present for a certain time and switching to the next afterwards. Discipline and time are important factors when using the hats sequentially. All participants should focus on the active hat and avoid interference of thoughts.
The 6 thinking hats are most beneficial in group conversations but could also be used individually.
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I’ve used the method on several occasions and always found it very useful. Conversations run way better whilst using the hats than just using an agenda. A good point for introducing and using the six thinking hats are retrospective meetings. This would introduce participants to a new method that they would surely appreciate. After they become familiar with the method, they can apply it to any other meeting, group discussion or individually.
Discipline and timing require high attention in order to make the method work properly. Thus a moderator who is not taking part in the thinking process itself is beneficial.
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