Tip of The Month

Think Better using Six Different Thinking Styles 

By Tiffany Dahlberg  

Every day we are faced with making decisions; some are easy and quick and others are difficult and time-consuming.  For those decisions that require deep thinking, it's helpful to use a simple systematic methodology that not only saves time, but also ensures you have thoroughly examined the situation.  I first learned Edward DeBono's powerfully simple tool the "Six Thinking Hats" in 2000 and share it with others as a critical thinking method.

The idea is that thinking can be conducted in a way that more fully explores topics employing formal techniques based on the brain's behavior.  What makes thinking difficult is the conflicting thoughts of our heart (emotions), our head (logic and information), and our soul (hope and creativity).  "Six Thinking Hats" provides a way for us to separate these thoughts and then focus on one thinking mode at a time.  These modes are represented by six different hats. 

Six Thinking Hats:   

1.  White Hat:  Understanding data, facts, and figures in a neutral and objective manner
2. Red Hat:  Listening to and expressing your intuition, feelings, and what your gut says
3. Black Hat:  Pointing out risks, cons, and concerns to apply cautious thinking
4. Yellow Hat.  Listing the benefits, pros, and good reasons to support ideas and actions
5. Green Hat:  Brainstorming ideas, creating alternatives, and thinking "outside the box"
6. Blue Hat:  Summarizing, organizing, and facilitating the thinking styles and outcome.

Many of us have "default" hats that we tend to wear most often; for example, I prefer the yellow, green, and white hats.  Because we may wear only a few hats automatically, this technique encourages us to examine all sides of an issue by trying on all six hats, one at a time.