THE SIX THINKING HATS (1)
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Georgia State University *
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Course
1111
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
7
Uploaded by CorporalCrownCoyote25
Abstract
Edward De Bono discovered the six thinking hats in 1985. This method is utilized when a
group of individuals must decide together. Decisions made by the six thinking hats are often
logical and effective, and they avoid potential risks in the future. This concept incorporates
creative and innovative thinking into a rational approach, to use during decision-making. This
paper investigates how each hat influences decision-making that may involve many points of
view. The six thinking hats help to improve productivity and help generate more and better
ideas in a short period of time. Each hat represents unique styles of thinking that include
logic, feeling, caution, positivity, creativity, and leadership. To ensure that different ideas and
styles are reflected each person in the group must wear a hat during ideal analysis for
decision making in critical situations. Furthermore, each thinking hat creates plenty of
solutions to any problem beyond the obvious to discover effective alternate solutions.
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What are the six thinking hats?
Edward De Bono was the first to discover the six thinking hats, which
provides strategies for groups of people to utilize when making decisions to give clarity and
variety of thinking.
Thinking hats are divided into six various roles when it comes to this
strategy.
You can come up with the right solution to any situation using these hats. Six
different coloured hats are used in this strategy the blue hat, white hat, black hat, yellow hat,
red hat and the green hat.
Blue Hat
This hat is worn by the person who is conducting the meeting or taking the
lead this hat is used to regulate the thought process. It involves utilizing logic and positive
thinking while dealing with an issue. The blue hat also has the responsibility of authorizing
the use of the other hats when necessary to ensure that each hat is being used appropriately.
This hat also has the responsibility to start a discussion by establishing a brief overview for
an idea, as well as to summarise and draw conclusions in the end.
Blue hat thinkers are
always taking initiative, thus sitting down to engage other thought processes may be difficult
for them. (Maness, 2021). Hence by unifying ideas into clear steps will not only ease the
process but make it more efficient
.
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White Hat
When brainstorming, the white hat is typically used to gather as much
information as possible to solve a problem. "Do we have enough information?”, "What
information are we missing?"
"Do we have everything we need to address our problem?" are typical white hat questions.
By posing relevant questions like these, the group can uncover any potential gaps in their
understanding of the problem.
“The facts, just the facts.”
(debonogroup, 2008). This implies
that the white hat mainly focuses on information and relies on logical thinking. `
Red Hat
When coping with an issue, this hat is important since it allows individuals to
convey their actual feelings. The red hat is the opposite of the white hat, which is founded on
facts. The red hat plays a critical part when making decisions because it acknowledges
instincts, emotions, and intuition rather than facts and knowledge. If these feelings are based
on credible emotions red hat thinkers can reveal solutions that other hats would have missed.
“What is your initial reaction?”, ‘’What are your instincts telling you?”, ‘What exactly are
you feeling?’. Are typical red hat questions. However, at times people take a decision based
on how they are feeling without them having to justify them intellectually this could lead
them taking quick and impulsive decisions that they may regret later. Taking time to think
critically and objectively about a major decision will prevent them from take any irrational
decisions.
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Yellow Hat
The yellow hat represents "brightness" and "optimism," and its purpose is to
spread positivity. People can find mainly positive values and benefits of an outcome when
wearing this hat. A yellow hat thinker mainly focuses on the positive parts of a decision.
Having a team with a yellow hat thinker can also help keep individuals motivated during
difficult times. When it comes to decision making, with the yellow hat focusing on problems
in the positive scope imaginable and the black hat focusing on potential downsides, they form
an extraordinarily effective team. “What are the advantages of doing this?”, “What potential
values does this circumstance hold?” Yellow hat thinkers pose these questions to enhance
decision-making
.
Green Hat
This hat signifies "Creativity," which is defined as thinking outside the box,
and coming up with unique ideas, opportunities, answers, and fresh concepts. This hat allows
thinkers to take the initiative and evaluate absurd or impossible ideas as big steps to more
realistic ideas. If you're trying to solve a problem, think beyond the box and investigate the
problem from various angles. People often overuse the same exact ideas they’ve always used.
While the task may still be completed, it may be done in a more creative manner to help
generative new and innovative ideas."A creative idea can sometimes help you overcome a
challenge you may have been facing for a long time”.(Jenkins, 2022)
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Black Hat
The black hat is associated with caution and focuses on flaws, risks, failures, and
weaknesses. The black hat thinkers enjoy using critical judgments to imagine worst-case
scenarios. They focus on the negative consequences of a decision to pursue success. Although
this hat is frequently overused on purpose to draw attention to issues of risks and how to
solve them. The black hat is most useful for looking into the future and detecting an issue
sooner rather than later.
Negative thinkers are two steps ahead of everyone
.
They think of
solutions before the problem even appears
(Daskal, 2020).
This enables them to be well
prepared and the outcome is more likely to become a success.
Conclusion
This strategy, in my opinion, will be effective and productive to use when making a
major decision. This thinking method encourages clearer thought and is an extremely useful
for group collaboration and decision-making.
Conflicts can still emerge between people with
different perspectives, causing them to fall out because they can't agree to disagree, but this
problem can be avoided by listening to each other's point of view also without taking things
personally. Conclusively Six Thinking Hats is a creative and engaging way to solve
challenges and overcome difficulties.
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References
Maness, J. (2021, August 28).
The Six Thinking Hats and How to Use Them
. The Persimmon
Group. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from
https://thepersimmongroup.com/six-thinking-hats-use/
Debono group. (2008, August 20).
Six Thinking Hats – De Bono Group
. Six Thinking Hats.
Retrieved May 16, 2022, from
https://www.debonogroup.com/services/core-programs/six-thinking-hats/
Daskal, L. (2020, February 6).
The Surprising Power of Negative Thinking
. Inc.Com.
Retrieved May 17, 2022, from
https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/the-surprising-power-of-negative-thinking.html
Jenkins, P. (2022, March 25).
Why Creativity is Important
. Brilliantio.
https://brilliantio.com/why-creativity-is-important/
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