A Practical Guide to Transforming Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Ideas

During my business career, I’ve realized that sometimes I’m faced with difficult situations against to thinking from different perspectives for my tasks, problems and more…

So, I was looking for sources and books to solve this problem. I was lucky, because in the beginning of my search, I found book that name is 6 Hat Techniques. Book mentions about simple and applicable techniques to think and look from different perspectives. Here below I’ll explain techniques with my point of view.

“There has been enough knowledge in the WORLD. Now it is necessary to learn how to be creative using this information. You don’t have to be smart or clever to be creative. Knowing the method is enough.”

These words belong to Edward de Bono, who said that in the age of thought, producing software for the human brain will become important, not for computers anymore.

Edward de Bono, an international authority on creative thinking and the development of thinking as a skill, reveals the method of generating new ideas and being creative with the “6 Hats Technique”.

Here is Edward de Bono’s “Thinking in 6 Hats”technique used in a management or team meeting to generate hundreds of new ideas in a very short time.

How should you think?

WHITE HAT (Information):

Consider a computer that gives the necessary facts and figures when asked. The computer is neutral and objective.

Does not comment, do not generate ideas. When he wears a white thinking hat, he thinks, he should imitate a computer. People who wear this hat should only focus on knowledge.

RED HAT (Emotions, intuition):

Those who wear this hat should reveal premonitions and impressions that are the opposite of objective knowledge. This hat may not be worn in serious business meetings.

While instincts are not always right, they are a useful system of thought. The person wearing the red hat allows the thinker to say, “These are my feelings on the subject.”

BLACK HAT (Critical judgment, pessimistic view):

Like a judge’s hat, it predicts judgment, caution and risk assessment. Thanks to this hat, what could go wrong can be calculated in advance before starting a business.

In fact, this hat is worn easily, sometimes more than necessary, since the emphasis is placed on discussion and criticism in Western societies. Politicians also wear this hat a lot to attract attention and make them feel important. It can be dangerous if used too much.

YELLOW HAT (Optimism, being constructive):

The yellow hat, symbolized by the color of sunlight and light, requires being sensitive like a 400-wrap film. Actually, this hat is very difficult to put on. It requires constructive thinking and making things happen.

It focuses only on utility. Most people fail to see their values ​​in themselves and waste time. This hat serves to reveal these values.

GREEN HAT (Creativity, sideways thinking):

Green is the color of productivity and development. When this hat is put on, one must produce new ideas, new concepts, and new ways of perception. It must be creative. The alternative should offer more alternatives.

Finally, change and new approaches to problems must be reached. Wearing a green hat helps in generating new ideas. For example, based on the suggestion that “cars should have square wheels”, a new car model was found suitable for potholes and bumps. It will be released soon.

BLUE HAT (Control of thinking):

Requires reflection on thinking, management of thought, organization of thinking, and control of other hats. The person wearing the blue hat does not drive the car but watches all the movements of the driver.

He is both a choreographer who designed the steps and a critic who watches the play. With the blue hat, the person’s comments identify the issues to be considered.

How will the hats be used?

According to Edward de Bono’s method, during a meeting, each person at the same time puts on the blue hat first, revealing why they are meeting to hold meeting. Then they put on the red hat and express their feelings. Then they put on the white hat and present the information.

By putting on the yellow hat, they can make a brief assessment. The aim is to get all the people attending the meeting to think in the same direction. Instead of wasting time by clashing opposing ideas, all thoughts of people are focused on a certain subject. The next speaker does not criticize the ideas of the previous one. He says new things.