Creative thinking has always been one of the main aspects in the successful implementation of any business strategy. In the prospect of business growth and development, it is necessary to establish an effective decision-making approach, which will help to outline the company’s strengths and decrease the negative impact of weaknesses. The Six Thinking Hats technique is a framework for thinking and decision making introduced by a famous expert in the sphere of creative thinking, invented in the early 1980s – Dr. Edward de Bono, and is licensed by Advanced Practical Thinking (APTT), of Des Moines, Iowa. Organizations such as Prudential Insurance, IBM, Federal Express, British Airways, Polaroid, Pepsico, DuPont, and Nippon Telephone and Telegraph use the Six Thinking Hats method. The six different hats represent six different modes of thinking. This technique was introduced in order to help in the process of solving problems. The method promotes fuller input from more people.
In de Bono’s words it “separates ego from performance”. Everyone is able to contribute to the process without hurting egos as they use the different views of the hats. The six hats system encourages performance rather than ego defense. People can contribute under any hat even though they support the opposite view. It is also an alternative to traditional argument and is more constructive. It is also much faster, allowing the brain to maximize its sensitivity in different directions at different times, reducing meeting times to one quarter or even one tenth. The Six Hats method gets rid of egos, which are a problem in traditional thinking. It is no longer a matter of defending or attacking an idea. If you want to show off you do so by performing well under the hats. It is based on how the brain chemicals differ when we are being cautious and when we are being positive. This chemical reaction is a key part of brain function.
Six thinking hats have no limits of implementation as long as it is applicable to any chosen sphere of human activity. The main concept of the technique states that it is a mandatory condition to “wear only one hat” in the process of looking for the solution to the problem. The author of the technique used this metaphor in order to attract attention of the target audience to the specific nature of the problem. It is necessary to look at the technique from the inside and criticize its content in order to understand the mechanism of its application. However, the main idea is to look at the problem from different perspectives, which can outline new objectives of the decision-making process and analysis of the situation.
There are six colors according to the concept of Edward de Bono including white, red, black, yellow, green and blue hats. The author of the technique assumes that every hat has its own behavioral pattern and specific thinking towards elimination of the problem.
- The White hat has a concept of considering available data including both current and historical aspects of the case. The White hat helps to see the gaps in knowledge and information about the problem, which should be filled in to find the solution to the problem.
- The Red hat is a technique, which will help to see the roots of the problem with the help of emotions and intuition. It focuses on the understanding of human behavior and responses to different events, which have a relation to the problem. Mainly, intuition and emotional response become two determinants of the final decision.
- The Black hat considers taking into account the negative sides of the case. It focuses on the weaknesses, which should become the target of the plan of actions. It is important to take into account the weaknesses in order to counter them and reduce their negative influence on the process of problem’s elimination. It is essential to “wear a black hat” as long as it helps to switch from the positive thinking and see omissions of the case. This technique helps to prepare for facing problems on the way to success and develop an appropriate plan of actions helping to avoid difficulties. It can be useful for many people who tend to see only positive sides of the situation trying to avoid drawbacks.
- The Yellow hat, in its turn, has the opposite approach towards the investigation of the case. It is a positive thinking technique helping to keep activity at the same level despite the negative factors circling around the case. It can be necessary when the situation faces numerous difficulties and obstacles. This hat helps to keep on performing with the same intensity in terms of problems circling around the situation.
- The Green hat is a creative approach, which encourages to apply the diversity of creative ideas and techniques. In the prospect of this approach, creative thinking focuses on the criticism of ideas under the influence of different factors. It helps to establish an appropriate plan of actions, which will emphasize the strengths of the case and reduce the weaknesses preventing from achieving success. The Green hat can take into account the most ridiculous ideas, which can bring the situation to the new level of prosperity.
- The Blue hat is the last element of the six thinking hats. It encourages to control processes. It is involved in managing the thinking process, focusing on the current activity and determining the next steps to be taken. It is involved in determining suitable action plans for implementation and assessment as well.
This approach integrates itself with the other hats as long as it helps to evaluate problems according to the processes and apply an appropriate technique to improve the process. Some processes may require using the Black hat, while others need thinking from the perspective of the Green hat. The main aim of the technique is to take into account different points of view regarding the problem.
Six thinking hats help to see the effect of decisions and apply an appropriate technique to establish a plan of actions, which will allow to fix or improve the course of the situation. In addition, this approach helps to apply opposite behavioral patterns for those who tend not to see the gaps and other missing points in the case. The intention of the author of the technique is clear – avoidance of mistakes and improvement of thinking processes aimed to understand peculiarities of any case. In general, this technique is an extension of the common thinking measures, which help to create a systematic decision-making plan of actions. Six thinking hats help to see the depths of any situation and apply an appropriate technique, which will be the most useful way to achieve success.
The “Six Hats” approach helps leaders of any group guide thinking processes in one direction at a time so that the various elements of the issue are thoroughly considered. By applying this process, teams are able to come up with new ideas, analyze issues to discover flaws or problems and ultimately make better decisions without a great deal of time lost in argument or counterproductive strategies. By using this approach, individuals begin to understand themselves as thinkers rather than reactors and are able to develop confidence in their ability to properly analyze and address the issues of their environment.
From a leadership standpoint, Six Hats provides a valuable tool that enables one to identify the problems at hand, discover numerous means of solving these issues and explore the potential consequences of these solutions. In addition, this approach enables leaders to further analyze the potential strengths and weaknesses of these consequences to determine how much they might help or hinder the goals of the group in order to select the best viable alternative for the direction the group is trying to reach. From this point, the Six Hats approach also helps leaders determine ways of implementing the new solution reached and evaluate it later to ensure it is delivering on its expected outcomes.
By envisioning new events as opportunities and being ready to pursue each opportunity to its fullest potential, leaders using this approach are able to react quickly and appropriately to changing environments and make the most of even bad situations. Finally, use of the Six Hats approach provides the individual with the confidence and competence to naturally assume the role of facilitator in group meetings, attempting to ensure group members’ thoughts and ideas are clearly articulated and organizing meetings so as to reach solutions rather than waste time.
The effectiveness of the Six Thinking Hats technique is ensured by dividing and dividing the modes of thinking into six directions and choosing the necessary approach in a particular situation. Each way reveals those or other sides of the issue at hand and translates it into conscious thought. The deliberate choice of one of the main types of thinking at each moment allows a person to focus on a specific issue and to consider the problem from a particular side.
The Six Hats of Thinking method can be applied in any field related to intellectual work. It can be of interest to senior and middle managers, marketers, and creative agency employees involved in creating advertising, development, and promotion of brands. Hats can be exchanged, which makes effective communication and employee integration. Hats are also needed to manage organizations’ transformation and business culture intelligently.
Critiques of Six Thinking Hats Technique
Six thinking hats is an approach, which provides anyone with the ability to see the situation from different perspective. It is an approach, which has patterns for anyone. In general, in order to see the problem it is necessary to apply an opposite behavioral pattern different from the current one. Six thinking hats help to gain experience and switch to the appropriate thinking style according to the situation. It may seem that Edward de Bono’s technique limits thinking processes to the form of six approaches. However, it is impossible to reach the limit as long as there is an option to combine different approaches and make a systematic thinking plan evaluating situation’s peculiarities. Regardless of the situation’s characteristics, it is possible to find a specific decision, which will enhance the decision-making process of the case.
Another point, which is worth criticizing is the time required to apply an appropriate thinking pattern. For example, it can become a challenge to apply or combine several approaches at the meeting in the company. The new technique can be time-consuming in the view of lacking experience at the moment of an urgent application of any of the approaches. It can be a required to try this technique before implementing it into the working process. It can also become a challenge for other participants to work in terms of new behavioral patterns and thinking processes. Regardless of the company’s experience, facing new approaches can become challenging and time-consuming.
Six thinking hats is a technique applicable to different spheres of human activity. It has the diversity of advantages, which make this technique useful and beneficial in the performance of any case. It helps to improve any service, see the roots of the problem of any situation and find the key to the case with several options. It helps to see advantages and disadvantages of every decision. People with different approaches towards thinking and decision-making, can benefit from this technique.