The system of six thinking hats

Improving the efficiency of decision making is ever more frequently a topic of discussion in business literature. In April, two lectures were given by Edward de Bono about the peculiar aspects of the complex process of improving our thinking in Budapest. .He also gave us an interview. – The main difficulty in thinking comes from the congestion and confusion in our minds. We are trying to do too many things at the same time. It is like trying to juggle too many balls. The essence of de Bono’s method is to avoid getting things mixed up during meetings. He has divided the process of thinking into stages, which enables people to separate logic from emotions, creativity from information etc. The segmentation of the thinking process is called the concept of the Six Thinking Hats, where the six hats represent the nature and effects of certain types of thinking. According to his experience, organisation of thinking is usually the first stage in the thinking process. Definition of the objective, and possible paths leading there can be a good starting point. This the blue hat.
– Focusing is the most important thing here – he emphasised. We have to know what we want to think about. Assessment of accessible and required information is represented by the white hat. Facts dominate here, but: – Sometimes what we believe to be facts, are only opinions or convictions. Regarding emotions: – all emotions should be expressed. Emotions are an organic part of the decision making process, because they do not go away. – The red hat is not about eliminating emotions. This stage is like a mirror, where emotions are reflected in their complexity. The black hat stands for caution and pointing out problems and difficulties. This is probably the most frequently used and most important hat. – It’s much easier to be critical than constructive. Excessive use of the black hat, unlimited caution, criticism and the evasion of risk will not help. It is important not to over-emphasise these. The fifth stage, the recognition of values is symbolised by the yellow hat. This is positive thinking, when we focus on the advantages and benefits. The green hat is creative thinking. New ideas, concepts and approaches come in this stage. This is when we try to break away from old routines, in order to find better ones. In our constantly changing world, old clichés do not always apply. Often it is not enough to know how to follow a road, but we have to plan the road ourselves.