When we have some tough thinking to do such as problem solving, developing project plans or building a business case we need to do some quality thinking. These are the times that we really need to look at all angles of the situation, play devil's advocate and be creative about alternative approaches and solutions. Whether working alone or as part of a team we need to make sure our thinking is focused and at its best. Using the 6 Hat thinking styles developed my Edward de Bono can help us to do this.
Plans developed using the '6 Thinking Hats' technique will be sounder and more resilient than would otherwise be the case. It may even help you avoid making very public mistakes, and spot good reasons not to follow a course of action before you have committed to it.
'Six Thinking Hats' is an important and powerful technique. It is used to look at decisions from a number of important perspectives. This forces you to move outside your habitual thinking style, and helps you to get a more rounded view of a situation.Many successful people think from in very rational, logical and positive way and of course this is part of the reason that they are so successful. However, this same strength might also be a potential weakness if they fail to look at a problem from an emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoint. This can mean that they underestimate resistance to plans, fail to make creative leaps and do not make essential contingency plans.
When we are thinking about something there are a range of approaches available to us, but usually we try to do them all at once. We may be looking out for dangers and difficulties - why something will not work. We might be trying to find new ideas. We might be looking for more information. Then there are our feelings and emotions that try to interfere all the time. If you look at a problem with the 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, then you will solve it using all approaches. Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, public sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning.
The Six Thinking Hats method is now in use worldwide in all sorts of organisations. It is used to separate out the different thinking styles and when working in a group it can help to separate the different styles and so bring the very best of the each thinking styles. It also helps a team to recognise their own thinking styles preferences and how it can best contribute within group discussion or problem solving.
How to use 6 Hat Thinking
The approach is simple and practical. You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings it has the benefit of blocking the confrontations that happen when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem.When an issue is discussed, everyone present applies a particular hat to that issue and thinks in the same direction. The six hats of different colours represent every basic type of thinking.
The Blue Hat
The blue hat is for looking at the thinking process itself: "What should we do next?"; "What have we achieved so far?" We use the blue hat at the beginning of a discussion in order to define what we are thinking about, and to decide what we want to have achieved at the end of our thinking. The blue hat may be used to order the sequence of hats that we are going to be using, and to summarise what we have achieved.
This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, etc.
The White Hat
White suggests paper. The white hat focuses on information, and the available data . When we wear the white hat, we ask the following kinds of questions:
- What information do we have?
- What information do we need?
- What information is missing?
- How are we going to get the information we need?
- What questions should we be asking?
The white hat is used to direct attention to available or missing information.This is where you analyse past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data.
The Red Hat
Red suggests fire and warmth. The red hat is to do with feelings, intuitions, gut reaction and emotions. You may not know the reasons why you like something, or why you do not like something. When the red hat is in use, you have the opportunity to put forward your feelings and intuitions without any explanation at all. Your feelings exist, and the red hat gives you permission to put these feelings forward.Also use the red hat to think about how other people will react emotionally. Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.
The Black Hat
Black reminds us of a judge's robes. This is probably the most useful hatas many successful people get so used to thinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance. This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties. It is certainly the hat that is most often used.
The black hat is for caution and stops us from doing things that may be harmful. The black hat points out risks, and why something may not work.Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more resilient. Without the black hat we would be in trouble all the time.
However, the black hat should not be over-used, as over-use may also be dangerous.
The Green Hat
Green suggests vegetation, which suggests growth, energy, and life. The green hat is the energy hat. Under the green hat, you put forward proposals and suggestions and propose new ideas and alternatives. Under the green hat, you suggest modifications and variations for a suggested idea. The green hat allows you to put forward possibilities. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas.When the green hat is in use, everyone makes an effort to be creative.
The Yellow Hat
Yellow suggests sunshine and optimism. Under the yellow hat we make a direct effort to think positively and to find the values and benefits in a suggestion: "What is good about this?" Even if we do not like the idea, the yellow has asks us to seek out the good points. "Where are the benefits?", Who is going to benefit?", "How will the benefits come about?"; "What are the different values?"
Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.
6 Hat Thinking in Action
Imagine the directors of a London based companyare looking at whether they should relocate from the capital to the North East of England. Their's is a competitive market and they need to be looking at how to reduce costs whilst maintain market share. The economy is slowly starting to recover however inflation and commodity prices are rising.There is still demand for office space in London and rents are just starting to rise again. As part of their decision they decide to use the 6 Thinking Hats technique during a planning meeting.
Looking at the problem with the White Hat, they analyse the data they have. They examine the trend in vacant office space, levels of availability and leases costs both within the capital and in the North East. They anticipate that by the time that a new building would be completed, that there will be still be a significant difference in building costs and rental. They look at the levels of EU subsidies available for companies moving to the Region. There is currently some demand for office space in the capital-especially in the area in which the company is currently based.
With Red Hat thinking, some of the directors think the proposed building looks quite ugly. While it would be highly cost-effective, they worry that people would not like to work in it. They also feel that many of their current staff would be unwilling to move to the North East. However, given unemployment levels in the Region they also know that the move could make a big difference to the local economy.
When they think with the Black Hat, they worry that government projections may be wrong. The economy may stall once again and enter a double dip downturn, and their current London offices could stand empty for a considerable length of time. Although unemployment is high in the NE they may not be able to recruit the calibre of skilled people they need to stay competitive.
With the Yellow Hat, however, if the economy holds up and their projections are correct, the company could reduce their costs and overheads significantly. If they are lucky, they will find a buyer for their London premises and therefore they could sell the building before the next downturn, or rent to tenants on long-term leases that will last through any future recession.
With Green Hat thinking they consider whether they should change the design to make the building more attractive. Perhaps they could build high calibre, low energy 'Green' offices that people would want to rent in any economic climate. Alternatively, maybe they should invest the money in the short term to buy up property at a low cost when a recession comes. Perhaps they could also retain staff by arranging remote working contracts with key players in the business who may not be prepared to make the move.
The Blue Hat has been used by the meeting's Chair to move between the different thinking styles. He has signalled what style of thinking they should be adopting for the different stages of the planning process. They may have also needed to keep other members of the team from switching styles, or from criticising other peoples' points.
The Benefits of 6 Hat Thinking
Six Thinking Hats is a good technique for looking at the effects of a decision from a number of different points of view.
It allows necessary emotion and scepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within decision making. The technique also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be more positive and creative.
For more information on how to use this powerful thinking approach read De Bono's book: Six Thinking Hats
http://www.amazon.com/Six-Thinking-Hats-Edward-Bono/dp/0316178314
