Edward De Bono’s Method Of Six Thoughts

Many of you have certainly heard of this method, and in that case, it has probably helped to solve problems more creatively. The Method of Six Thought Hats, developed by Edward de Bono, is a tool for discussion and reasoning. It is used to see new perspectives by increasing co-thinking.

Edward de Bono is now 84 years old, but still alive. This Maltese psychologist and professor at Oxford University has given us an  invaluable legacy in the world of creativity. His legacy has had a particular impact on management and leadership.

The six thinking hat technique is classically dynamic and encourages communication in business,  but it is also a common practice in universities and elementary school classrooms. There, it is used to teach children to think better and make decisions as a group.

One thing de Bono emphasizes (also in his other books such as  Practical Thinking, Water Logic,  and  The Use of Lateral Thinking)  is that  we should all learn to think better. And he reminds us of the interesting faktasta that we, in fact,  we can  learn to think.

Opening up to other perspectives, learning to be more flexible, reflection, and an original formula for reasoning will not only help you make better decisions, as they will also  improve the quality of your relationships and make you more effective.

A method of six thinking hats

Edward de Bono’s method of six thought hats always follows the same formula, the same practice. But as simple as it may sound at first,  it has an incredibly positive effect on our brains. It’s because it’s basically “education”  where we learn to think better.

De Bono says  something as simple as putting a hat on his head is often a deliberate act. Your thoughts should also follow that rule: “be considerate and very careful.” Thinking well is a rule worth following so you can live better. The idea is to use different “hats” to learn varied, agile and creative ways of thinking.

The method presents six thinking styles as six imaginative hats. When a problem arises or you try to make a decision, each hat becomes a basis, a vision, a certain kind of framework. Once you’ve put them all in your head proactively, you’ll feel more ready to make a decision.

Now let’s look at what each hat teaches us.

White hat

This hat shows how to see things in an objective, neutral and impartial way. The style of thinking you use will be based on analyzing the facts and comparing the information in your hands without making any worthwhile judgments.

• A white hat is looking for concrete facts.
• It does not make assumptions or give opinions.

Black hat

The black hat represents the logical, pessimistic side and it shows you why certain things might go wrong, don’t work, or happen the way you thought. The Six Thinking Hat method will also help you be critical and see the negative side of things. This will help you be more realistic.

• Sometimes you need to be aware of difficult or complex facts and deadlocks that you need to accept in order to find a better way out.

• The thinking style of the black hat feeds your past experiences. Those who remind you of yesterday’s mistakes, those who tell you it’s better to try new things and not fall into the same, old trap.

Green hat

• A green hat requires originality, creativity, crossing boundaries and making the impossible possible. 
• This is the hat that involves co-thinking. It asks you to be more provocative and less conservative.
• This kind of thinking reminds you that it’s not good to get satisfied too quickly. You need to find and maybe also create other driving paths, other options, other opportunities…

Red hat

• The red hat is passionate, emotional and experiences life with a heart.
• While the white hat helps you use a more neutral, cautious, and objective logic, the red hat throws you toward the unknown so you can embrace the world from a living, free subjectivity.
• So when you put a red hat on your head, you have the opportunity to say out loud what turns you on, which makes you feel uncomfortable. It is time for your intuition to say something based on what you have. And it will also help you understand other people’s feelings and needs.

Yellow hat

While a black hat gives you a logical, negative focus that is helpful in directing you to more realistic behavior in your daily life, a  yellow hat shows you how to use a logical, positive focus.

• A yellow hat opens your eyes to opportunities where other people can see closed doors.
• It helps you see things more structured and optimistic.
• But this positivity and openness is always driven by logic. If you don’t wear logical lenses and let your absurd passions take over, you have a red hat on your head, not a yellow one.

Blue hat

The color blue is all-encompassing. It is always present and it rules everything. It also conveys peace, balance and self-control. So when it comes to the six thinking hat method, this is the hat that controls the whole process. It is used twice in this method: at the beginning and at the end.

• First, you use it to decide which hats to put on your head and in what order. Then you use it at the end to make a decision.
• This means that the blue hat represents structured thinking. It’s the focal point and your guide , pointing out options, proposing new methods, and maintaining control over everything you come across along the way. It will prevent you from wandering or getting stuck.

Edward de Bono’s method of six thinking hats is a useful practice for better decision making. It can be used to work on different thinking styles to assess problems and facts from all possible perspectives. The answers you end up with are not only accurate, but also much more creative and original.