Edward De Bono developed a tool called the 6 Thinking Hats to help you look at a problem from 6 different perspectives.
People are usually overwhelmed by information in decision-making
By the time you've tried out all six hats, you should have a rich collection of insights that will help you to decide your next steps.
Pick a problem or decision you need to make and apply the technique. Start by imagining you have 6 hats in front of you, putting on one hat at a time.
1. The white hat is the hat of logic
Ask yourself: what is the information available? What are the facts? How can I look at this objectively?
To remember the white hat as the logical one, imagine a scientist in a white coat.
2. The red hat is the hat of emotions
Ask yourself: how do I feel? What emotions come up? What is my intuition telling me?
To remember the red hat as the emotional one, imagine a fire.
3. The black hat is the critics
Ask yourself: what could go wrong? Why won’t this work? Why do I need to be cautious?
It's often overused, so make sure this mode of thinking doesn't dominate your decision making
To remember the black hat as the critic, imagine the robes of a judge.
4. The yellow hat is the hat of optimism
Ask yourself: what could go right? What are the benefits? What is the upside?
To remember the yellow hat as the optimist, imagine the sun.
5. The green hat is the hat of creativity
Ask yourself: how can I be creative? What are the possibilities? Is there a different alternative I’m not considering?
To remember the green hat as the creative one, imagine green grass.
6. The blue hat is the manager
Listen to the other hats, think about the big picture, and make your final decision.
To remember the blue hat as the manager, think about the sky.
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