Six Thinking Hats: Summary Review
This is a summary review of Six Thinking Hats containing key details about the book.
What is Six Thinking Hats About?
"Six Thinking Hats" by Edward de Bono is a book that introduces a practical tool for creative and effective thinking. The main idea behind the Six Thinking Hats is to separate emotions, intuition, and opinions from facts and information by using different thinking "hats."
Six Thinking Hats and the associated idea parallel thinking provide a means for groups to plan thinking processes in a detailed and cohesive way, and in doing so to think together more effectively. A compelling example presented is sensitivity to "mismatch" stimuli. This is presented as a valuable survival instinct, because, in the natural world: the thing that is out of the ordinary may well be dangerous. This mode is identified as the root of negative judgement and critical thinking.
Summary Points & Takeaways from Six Thinking Hats
Some key summary points and takeaways from the book include:
* The Six Thinking Hats: The six thinking hats are white, red, black, yellow, green, and blue. Each hat represents a different type of thinking and helps to focus on a specific aspect of a problem or issue.
* Emotional Thinking: The red hat represents emotional thinking and allows the individual to express feelings, intuition, and hunches.
* Negative Thinking: The black hat represents negative thinking and focuses on risks, limitations, and problems.
* Creative Thinking: The yellow hat represents creative thinking and focuses on the benefits, opportunities, and possibilities.
* Logical Thinking: The white hat represents logical thinking and focuses on the facts and information.
* Strategic Thinking: The green hat represents strategic thinking and focuses on the future, growth, and innovation.
* Reflective Thinking: The blue hat represents reflective thinking and focuses on the overview and the big picture.
* Improved Group Decision-Making: By using the Six Thinking Hats, individuals and groups can improve their decision-making process by exploring different perspectives and avoiding cognitive biases.
* Effective Communication: The Six Thinking Hats can also improve communication by promoting a common understanding and a shared language.
Who is the author of Six Thinking Hats?
Edward Charles Francis Publius de Bono was a Maltese physician, psychologist, author, inventor and philosopher. He originated the term lateral thinking, wrote the book Six Thinking Hats, and was a proponent of the teaching of thinking as a subject in schools.
Six Thinking Hats Summary Notes
Summary Note: The Six Hats Method: A Tool for Clearer Thinking
The Six Hats method is a tool for clearer thinking that helps individuals and groups process information by compartmentalizing various types of thinking. The different colored hats represent emotional, informational, logical, creative, and future-oriented thoughts. By using this method, the entire group is able to think the same way and engage in parallel thinking.
The Six Hats method also allows individuals to share their emotional thoughts without fear of judgment or embarrassment. Instead of asking someone how they feel, the manager can ask the team to put on the red hat, which represents emotional thoughts. Additionally, the hats allow groups to move through a problem more efficiently by breaking down different aspects of the issue and looking at it from different perspectives.
The Six Hats method is particularly useful for group brainstorming sessions and meetings, as it encourages everyone to think constructively and creatively. It can also help avoid conflicts, as everyone is encouraged to think in a positive and constructive manner. Ultimately, this tool helps individuals and groups conceive new ideas and improve their thinking, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Summary Note: The Six Thinking Hats: A Method for Effective and Productive Group Thinking
One of the main themes in the book is the introduction and explanation of the Six Thinking Hats method, which is a tool that helps individuals and groups to think more clearly and effectively. The method involves wearing different hats, each representing a different type of thinking, in order to focus on a particular perspective and generate new ideas. The hats are color-coded for easy recognition and include white for information, red for emotions, black for critical thinking, yellow for positive thinking, green for creativity, and blue for managing the thinking process. The book emphasizes the importance of following some basic rules when using the hats, including discipline and timing, and the two different ways of using them: single use and sequential use. Additionally, The book stresses the significance of parallel thinking, in which everyone views the problem from the same perspective, and how the method can help to achieve this. With practice, individuals and groups can develop the discipline necessary to effectively use the hats, leading to improved communication, creativity, and decision-making.
Summary Note: Mastering Neutral and Objective Thinking with the White Hat
The book is centered on the white hat, which involves thinking like a computer by processing and regurgitating facts in a neutral, objective manner. This hat focuses on discussing the available information and identifying any missing pieces to lay the foundation for a thinking session. The white hat is used at the beginning of a thinking session to provide background information and can also be used at the end to confirm that proposals align with existing information.
When wearing the white hat, it's essential to remain neutral and objective. There are no arguments, and if facts contradict one another, they are treated equally. Using the white hat, you contemplate what information you have, what information is missing, and how to acquire it best. Therefore, it is critical to start white-hat thinking by stating only hard facts, like statistical data, rather than what you believe to be true.
Using the white hat, you can find alternatives when proposals contradict existing information. For example, if the head of marketing wants to overhaul the current strategy, she can request white-hat thinking to lay out the current strategy's hard numbers, like its scope and budget. Similarly, if a new strategy exceeds the budget, requesting additional information, such as available employee hours, can help find alternatives.
The white hat is an excellent tool to maintain objectivity, especially when discussing sensitive topics. In a group discussion, individuals can switch to the white hat to prevent opinions from taking over. This allows everyone to focus on the facts and maintain neutrality, enabling them to make more informed decisions.
In summary, the white hat's objective is to lay down the foundation of a thinking session by providing background information, confirming proposals agree with existing information, and finding alternatives when proposals contradict existing information. By remaining neutral and objective, individuals can make more informed decisions and prevent opinions from taking over, making it an essential tool for any discussion.
Summary Note: The Importance of Emotions in the Thinking Process
In this main idea of Six Thinking Hats, the focus is on the red hat, which represents emotions, feelings, and intuition. Wearing the red hat allows team members to express their emotions and intuition without needing to explain or justify them. This is a valuable opportunity for individuals to share their perspectives and experiences, which can lead to creative solutions and insights that might not have been discovered otherwise.
However, it's essential to note that intuition isn't always correct and should be treated with caution. While expressing feelings and emotions, it's crucial to maintain a respectful and open-minded environment, where everyone is heard, and no one feels judged or dismissed. The leader should never ask anyone to explain or justify their feelings. Instead, they should listen carefully and ensure full participation, so that everyone's opinions and feelings are considered.
It's also worth noting that expressing emotions and feelings can be challenging, especially in a group setting. Cultural differences and personal biases can influence how individuals express themselves, and it's essential to be aware of these differences to ensure that everyone feels comfortable participating.
Summary Note: Wearing the Black Hat to Balance Cautiousness with Action
The black hat in the Six Thinking Hats method represents caution, pointing out problems, and holding tight to values and ethics. By wearing the black hat, individuals can weigh evidence with scrutiny, prevent mistakes, and find contradictions within policies and strategies. However, it’s important not to let the black hat make you overly cautious, as this can lead to obsessing over finding faults and missing out on opportunities. The Six Hats method encourages individuals to balance the time spent under each hat to avoid overdoing it. While cautiousness is necessary for decision-making, it is important to find a balance between cautiousness and action. Just as an animal learns which berries are poisonous through experience, companies can learn from past experiences and mistakes to make better decisions. By using the mismatch mechanism, individuals can use past experiences to avoid making the same mistakes twice. The black hat is essential for critical judgment and decision-making, but it’s important to find a balance and not let it consume all decision-making processes.
Summary Note: The Power of Positive Thinking
The yellow hat is an essential tool in the Six Hats method that allows individuals to focus on the potential benefits of an idea. It is a challenging hat to wear as our natural inclination is to be cautious and to warn ourselves against possible danger. To be effective in thinking with the yellow hat, we need to develop value sensitivity, which means recognizing that even the most unattractive ideas have value. By being optimistic and focusing on the positive impacts of an idea, we can avoid wasting time on ideas that have no benefits.
When thinking with the yellow hat, we should consider how an idea could change our brand's image and reach new customers. It is essential to base our positivity on logic and realism, ensuring that we do not deceive ourselves. Rather than fantasizing about unrealistic goals, we should think about the realistic outcomes that an idea could achieve for our company. The yellow hat poses questions that help identify potential values, beneficiaries, circumstances, delivery methods, and other values.
If an idea is promising and logical, the yellow hat can motivate and encourage a team to take the necessary steps to make it happen. By balancing cautious thinking with optimistic thinking, we can develop creative ideas and make sound decisions that benefit our company.
Summary Note: The Green Hat: Unleashing Creativity to Drive Progress
The green hat is all about creativity, innovation, and coming up with new and exciting ideas. It's about breaking free from traditional ways of thinking and exploring new possibilities to drive progress. The green hat encourages individuals to look beyond the obvious and consider all possible alternatives, even the zaniest ones.
Creativity is often seen as the domain of a select few people who are labeled as “creative”. However, the green hat is a reminder that everyone can be creative if they are given the opportunity to do so. When individuals are encouraged to put on the green hat and explore new ideas, it can lead to an increase in confidence and a greater number of creative solutions.
The green hat also plays a critical role in overcoming the challenges identified during black-hat thinking. While the black hat may identify potential problems and dangers, the green hat helps individuals come up with creative solutions and alternatives that can mitigate these risks.
To successfully leverage the power of the green hat, it is important to manage group expectations and create a culture that encourages creative thinking. When individuals are given the freedom to be creative and are expected to do so, they are more likely to come up with fresh, innovative ideas that can drive progress.
Summary Note: The Blue Hat: The Hat for Thinking About Thinking
One of the main themes in the book is the importance of process control and overview in productive thinking sessions. The blue hat represents the perspective of the hawk soaring over the fields, providing an overview of the other hats and the thinking process as a whole.
The blue hat is worn by the facilitator or leader of a thinking session and is responsible for defining the purpose and aim of the session, as well as determining which hats will be needed to address the problem at hand. The blue hat also helps maintain discipline within the group, announces when it's time to change hats, and ensures everyone is wearing the right hat.
At the end of the session, the blue hat asks for the outcome, such as a summary, conclusion, decision, or solution, and lays out any necessary next steps. The blue hat helps to ensure that the thinking process remains productive and focused on the problem at hand.
Summary Note: The Six Hats Method - Saving Time, Money, and Headaches
The Six Hats method is a useful technique for organizing group thinking and decision-making processes. It is effective in saving time, money, and reducing irritations in various settings. The method involves wearing different hats, each representing a different perspective, during a thinking session. The blue hat represents the facilitator, who aims to get an overview of the other hats and considers which other hats will be needed during a thinking session in order to tackle a given problem.
One major advantage of the Six Hats method is its ability to save time. By compartmentalizing different elements of a conversation, a decision can be made in as little as ten minutes, as seen in the real-life example of a couple deciding whether or not to buy a large house in the country. Additionally, major corporations such as ABB have seen their multinational project team discussions reduced from 20 days to as little as two days using the method.
Another advantage of the Six Hats method is its ability to save money. Norwegian multinational oil and gas company Statoil had a problem with an oil rig that was costing them about $100,000 per day. With the help of a certified Six Hats trainer, they were able to solve the problem in just 12 minutes, saving them a significant amount of money.
Lastly, the Six Hats method reduces irritation and provides an end in sight. The method provides a clear roadmap for decision-making, making it easier for individuals and groups to choose the best possible solution. This helps reduce the number of heated arguments that may arise in the absence of a clear decision-making process, such as in the example of a group of people driving with no clear directions.
Book details
- Print length: 177 pages
- Genre: Business, Nonfiction, Psychology
What is a good quote from Six Thinking Hats?
Top Quote: “We may have a perfectly adequate way of doing something, but that does not mean there cannot be a better way." (Meaning) - Six Thinking Hats Quotes, Edward de Bono
* The editor of this summary review made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any published quotes, chapters, or takeaways. If you're interested in furthering your personal growth, you may want to explore my list of favorite self-improvement books. These books, which have had a significant impact on my life, are carefully curated and come with summaries and key lessons.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
