Styles of Thinking

OLD Style of Thinking

 We are limited primarily to thinking methods
developed by three Greek philosophers –
SOCRATES, PLATO and ARISTOTLE – 2500 years
AGO!

 Western thinking is concerned with "what is,“

– determined by analysis, judgment and
argument.
 Styles of Thinking

New Style of Thinking

 Another whole aspect of thinking is concerned with "what

can be” .involves constructive thinking and creative
thinking.

 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
 This is the focus of the six thinking hats
What is the 6 HATS THINKING Method?

It is precisely a NEW way of thinking.

It is a new Style of thinking
NEW?

Yes. WHY?

WE are limited primarily to thinking

methods developed by three Greek
philosophers – SOCRATES, PLATO and
ARISTOTLE – 2500 years AGO!
What is their system?

They created a system of thinking

based on a search for truth, carried
out by argument.

This system was designed to preserve

a stable world.
So, what’s wrong with that?

 That is good for quite a number of

situations. Truth by argument.
 We have developed many good tools for
argument and analysis
 Today, western culture depends on this type
of thinking…in family arguments, in business
discussions, in the law courts
 Truth is reached by argument!
YES. So,
what’s wrong with that?
 Argument lacks constructive energies
 Argument lacks design energies
 Argument lacks creative energies

 Pointing our faults may lead to some improvement

but :

IT DOES NOT CONSTRUCT SOMETHING NEW

And…

Synthesizing both points of view does

not produce a stream of alternatives

IN TODAY’S WORLD, THERE IS A

NEED TO DESIGN NEW
POSSIBILITIES, NOT JUST TO ARGUE
BETWEEN TWO EXISTING
POSSIBILITIES
What does the 6 HATS
METHOD offer us?
Views are laid out side by side …
IN PARALLEL
And then design a way forward

PARALLEL THINKING!
What does the 6 HATS
METHOD offer us?
It offers us a way to SEPARATE out the
different aspects of thinking, instead of
trying to do everything at once.
WE can focus together on the risks,
then the benefits, then feelings etc..
• DIFFERENT ASPECTS …
DIFFERENT HATS!
Parallel Thinking
Six Thinking Hats - Edward de Bono

The Six Thinking Hats technique of Edward de Bono is a model that

can be used for exploring different perspectives towards a complex
situation or challenge. Seeing things in various ways is often a good
idea in strategy formation or complex decision-making processes.

The STH technique is designed to help individuals deliberately

adopt a variety of perspectives on a subject that may be very
different from the one that they might most naturally assume. In
wearing a particular thinking hat, people play roles, or "as if"
themselves into a particular perspective. For instance, one could
play the devil’s advocate, even if only for the sake of generating
discussion. The purpose of devil’s advocacy is to deliberately
challenge an idea: be critical, look for what is wrong with it.
How does Parallel thinking
work?
ADVERSARIAL

“This Mr A Ms B “Yes, it
proposal will!”
won’t work”
PARALLEL
Mr A The idea is a bit
far-fetched

Ms B It might not
be
Mr A We will be the understood
first to do it

Ms B We will put
YEU’s name on
the map
Six-Hats Technique

• Many major international organisations use this technique for problem

solving
• Each ‘hat’ represents a perspective or way of thinking
• They are metaphorical hats that a thinker can put on or take off to indicate
the type of thinking they are using
• In a group we can ask members to ‘put on’ different hats in a sequence to
aide the problem solving process
• This can help overcome the problem of each group member adopting
random positions at random times
• It also permits us to control people who insist of sticking to one perspective
(ie. negative) - we can ask them to assume a different hat
Six-Hats Technique
Six Thinking Hats

Each of the Hats is named for a color that is

mnemonically descriptive of the perspective one adopts
when wearing the particular hat.

De Bono’s hats are indicative of both emotional states as well as

frames of mind (i.e., perspective from which an issue is
viewed). He noted: "Emotions are an essential part of our
thinking ability and not just something extra that mucks up our
thinking" (1985, p27). One thinking style (or hat) is not
inherently "better" than another. A full, balanced team
recognizes the need for all hats in order for the team to consider
all aspects of whatever issues they are facing.
(1)White Hat ( Logical)
Focus on :
Facts

Look for Data Available

Look at the information you have, and see what
you can learn from it.
Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either
try to fill them or take account of them.
This is where you analyze past trends, and try
to extrapolate from historical data.
(2)Black Hat - Negative
Focus on :
DISADVANTAGES!!!!
Judge wearing black Robe
Logical negative View.
Focus: cautious and defensive: why might it not work?.
It allows you to eliminate problems/risks, alter them,
or prepare contingency plans to counter them.
It helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more
resilient.
(3)Yellow Hat -Positive
Focus on :
ADVANTAGES!!!!
Optimism

Think positively!
See all the benefits in a decision
The value in it
The opportunities.
(4)Green Hat
Focus on
CREATIVITY!!!!

Focus: creativity.
Develop creative solutions to a problem.
Be unconstrained by practicality
Don’t criticise ideas.
Other creativity tools (e.g. brainstorming)
can help you when wearing this hat.
(5)Red Hat
Focus on :
FEELINGS & Emotions

Look at problems using: intuition, “gut

reaction”, and emotion.
Also try to think how other people will react
emotionally.
Try to understand the responses of people who
do not fully know your reasoning.
(6)Blue Hat
Focus on :
CONTROL

Focus: Process control.

This is the hat worn by people chairing/facilitating meetings.

What is the contingency Plan.

What is our agenda? , What is our next step?
Which hat are we using now?
How can we summarize the discussion so far?
What is our decision?
 EXAMPLE – WHAT HAT am I using?
“ AT THE BUS STOP”
Paul and David are off to a party in Town

P: The bus comes at 4.00pm

D: I do not feel good about this.
P: What about walking?
D: It is 4.05…
D: Strange. The bus always comes on
time in Germany. Let us wait a bit
more.
 EXAMPLE – WHAT HAT am I using?
“ AT THE BUS STOP”

 P: How about walking?

 D: Advantages: It is not so far after all.
 P: More buses stop at the next bus stop.
 D: “I will get sweaty”
 P: “Too much pollution”
 D: “Doesn’t seem to be a good idea!”
 P: Do you have your mobile? We can call our
friends to say that we will be late
 EXAMPLE – WHAT HAT am I using?
“ AT THE BUS STOP”

D: Well, it is a nice day…

P: Okay, off we go..
D: We will pass through the park then.
P: We should be there only 15 minutes
late!
How do you use the HATS?

You can use them on their own

“Sorry guys, let’s put our
green hat on…”

You can use them in a sequence

When do you use them on
their own?
Exploring a new idea
Judging an idea
Offsetting negativity
Dealing with major changes
Checking for overlooked value

Reading the Group

Exploring Underlying Emotions
Taking a vote on a decision
Predicting Acceptance of an
Idea
When do you use them on
their own?
Avoiding mistakes
Assessing Changes
Checking for Practicality
Negotiating

Challenging Complacence
Seeking Improvement
Pushing for more alternatives and Fresh Concepts
Getting Unstuck
When do you use them on
their own?
Assessing a New Situation
Influencing Decisions
Offsetting Unrealistic views
Preplanning
Settling Disagreements
Negotiating

Providing Structure during a debate

Exploring a Subject
Staying on track
Requiring an outcome
Setting Time Limits
When do you use the
HATS in a sequence?
 When those taking part in the thinking have
strongly held different views

 When there is a rambling discussion that is

not getting anywhere

 When time is short and a subject needs to

be examined thoroughly
 THERE IS NO FIXED SEQUENCE !
But there are some guidelines

In the beginning

“How are we going to tackle the subject?”

“What do you feel about this matter?”

“What information do we have?”

“Let’s start with the benefits of this idea?”

But there are some guidelines

To avoid in the beginning…

Never Start
negatively!

Creativity starts
from a solid base!
But there are some guidelines

In the middle of the sequence

“What are the “What are the
alternatives?” flaws?”

“Let’s look at “How does this

the values?” check with our
information?”
But there are some guidelines

At the end…

“To summarize “Can this be

our thinking…” done?”

“I like this idea”

“What can we do with this
idea?”
Together, in a sequence

DECISION EMOTION!
What are the How do
alternatives? we feel
about it?
How does each What is the
alternative fit our actual
needs? situation?

Is there
What alternative another way
do we like best? to look at
it?

What is the
conclusion?
In a longer sequence…

Define what we
need to decide

Generate and
review alternatives Summarize and plan next
steps
What is known about
the situation?

What are the

advantages?
Assess the decision
What are the
disadvantages?

Make a decision
Using Six Hats

In most group contexts, individuals tend to feel constrained to

consistently adopt a specific perspective (optimistic, pessimistic,
objective, etc.). This limits the ways and extent to which each
individual and thus the group as a whole can explore an issue. With
the Six Thinking Hats, one is no longer limited to a single
perspective in one’s thinking. The hats are categories of thinking
behavior and not of people themselves. The purpose of the hats is to
direct thinking, not classify either the thinking or the thinker. Indeed,
by wearing a hat that is different from the one that one customarily
wears, one may chance upon a variety of new ideas. Wearing a hat
means deliberately adopting a perspective that is not necessarily
one’s own. It is important that all group members are aware of this
fact. A group member must clearly identify the color of the hat he is
wearing while making a statement. Wearing a clearly identified hat
separates ego from performance. The Six Hat Method is useful even
for individuals thinking by themselves.
Using Six Hats

Hats may be used in some structured sequence depending on the nature of

the issue. Here is an example agenda for a typical 6 hats workshop:

Step 1: Present the facts of the case (White Hat)

Step 2: Generate ideas on how the case could be handled (Green Hat)
Step 3: Evaluate the merits of the ideas - List the benefits (Yellow Hat), List the
drawbacks (Black Hat)
Step 4: Get everybody’s gut feelings about the alternatives (Red Hat)
Step 5: Summarize and adjourn the meeting (Blue Hat)
Examples:

 1. Deciding on a time to wake up in the

morning

 2.Watching football instead of Carnival

 3. How can we make our nights longer?

 4. How can we make our days longer?

 Main benefits of Six
Thinking Hats method
1. Allow to say things without risk
2. Create awareness that there are multiple perspectives on the issue at
hand

3. Convenient mechanism for 'switching gears'

4. Rules for the game of thinking

5. Focus thinking

6. Lead to more creative thinking

7. Improve communication

8. Improve decision making

CHEERS!
???

Questions

???
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono has written 56 books with translations in 34
languages. He has been invited to work in 52 countries.He was
born in Malta and graduated from the University of Malta. He
proceeded as a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford and has held
appointments at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London
and Harvard.

Dr de Bono is the originator of the term 'lateral thinking' which

now has an official entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. He
is regarded as the leading international authority in conceptual
and creative thinking, and also the direct teaching of thinking as
a skill.