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Hello, dear readers of Valery Kharlamov’s blog! The Six Hats Method helps us achieve more productive brain work so that we can find creative and unexpected solutions to even the most complex problems, especially when there is confusion and confusion about what to do next, as well as evaluate existing ones, looking at the situation from different angles. .
The essence of the method
It was created by psychologist Edward de Bono in order to overcome such difficulties in the process of thinking as:
- Feelings. Sometimes we can make a decision under the influence of emotions, regretting it later, and, unfortunately, it is not always possible to correct the situation. Edward’s method is aimed not so much at controlling these emotions as at carefully comprehending what is happening, which makes a person calm down and clarity of consciousness returns to him.
- In the event of unforeseen circumstances, a perfectly healthy reaction of the body will, of course, be confusion. Especially if a person does not have experience in a certain area, facing certain difficulties for the first time. Also, confusion often arises against the background of a person’s lack of confidence in his strengths and abilities, if he is used to shifting responsibility to others and usually expects help, not focusing on internal resources.
- A modern person is oversaturated with information, often unnecessary and meaningless, which only prevents one from concentrating, and not making constructive and creative decisions. And de Bono’s technique allows you to maintain the consistency and logic of conclusions, avoiding confusion and all that is superfluous.
Advantages
There is an opportunity not only to consider a problem or task from different angles, but also to play a certain role. The fact is that during ordinary reflections a person is within the framework, sometimes very rigid, and all in order to protect his ego. Tell me, are you familiar with situations when you refused some thought because you were afraid of condemnation and rejection by others?
And this method helps to go beyond and more freely look at the complexity, allowing yourself to be yourself, play someone and so on. For example, do you know that children often paint their faces in the form of different animals and cartoon characters during holidays? So, a child with cat makeup has the right to meow and caress, but this does not mean that he is a cat. So the leader has the right to play the clown while he is in character, and this also will not mean that he is one.
Allows you to concentrate as much as possible and direct all energy and resources directly to the solution of the selected task.
Versatility and convenience. You can apply this method both independently and in a group by distributing roles among the participants.
Ease in understanding and mastering the rules, the main thing is that a person allows himself to play a little, move away from his usual style of thinking.
Instructions
If the work is group work, then it is necessary to “select” a leading person who controls the process, which may well turn into a booth if there are a lot of people and they break the rules. And also at the end, the facilitator summarizes the results and forms the final conclusions.
- First, the moderator explains the essence of this technique, the basic rules, and, of course, the problem that needs to be solved. Example task: “A competitor has launched a new product on the market that is actively popular. What steps will we take to avoid losing our customers?
- This technique has such a name due to the fact that each hat has a color that is responsible for a specific role. There is a white, red, black, green, yellow and blue hat, and each of them has its own characteristic, which I will indicate below. So, all participants must “try on” a hat of the same color in order to generate ideas. Recommended sequence: blue, white, black, yellow, green, black again, green. Red is worn as needed, even after each fitting of a different color.
- If you practice this method often, you will work out the most suitable sequence for yourself, and at first you can consult with the team about which characteristic and when exactly will be most relevant. And now, depending on their choice and inner feelings, alternately look at the complexity from different angles, evaluating it and even criticizing it.
- Upon completion of the work, the moderator sums up the results and gives the final result.
There are two options for group work:
a. All participants wear hats of the same color at the same time.
b. Roles are distributed between them and fixed until the very end, until the optimal solution to the problem is found. Roles are recommended to be distributed in such a way that they are in opposition to the character of a person. Let’s say people who always think about a bad outcome should be given a role where they have to look for positive moments or resources and opportunities that the problem provided.
Hat Feature
white hat
These are «dry» data, objective and neutral. People at this moment do not argue with each other, because they do not have a clear position in relation to the situation, they simply operate on the facts that they own at the moment. Therefore, it is important in the comments to refrain from emotions, inner feelings, suspicions, previous experience, and so on.
Only data, dates, facts on which you can definitely rely and not be in doubt. If the moderator notices that someone is trying to argue his opinion in order to convince the others, then he should suspend the process and ask this participant not to overact, and, nevertheless, to look at the situation objectively.
An interesting fact is that in Japan this approach is practiced at business meetings. People meet to hear each other, not to convince of something. Maybe that’s why the Japanese are so successful and occupy a leading position in the creation of various technologies and business development in general?
So, just imagine that you are impartial, like a computer providing you with any requested information, without expressing your attitude towards its content.
Red
Now is the time to show your feelings and share what your intuition tells you. Only one’s feelings and premonitions should not be substantiated, each person has the right to experience feelings without understanding their nature of appearance and meaning. This is the complete opposite approach to the previous one, so it may take time for some to listen to themselves.
No one criticizes or devalues what the man in the red hat says. Edward de Bono believed that at this moment, the energy accumulated earlier and not realized by the participants, but blocking the very understanding of the problem, finds a legal outlet, therefore, allowing people to speak out about all the sensations experienced in this situation, people can get the so-called insight, that is insight.
It is worth putting it on every time when tension begins to soar in the air or there is a feeling that the group has reached a dead end.
Black
I think the title makes it clear that it will be about negativity, pitfalls, criticism, and so on. It is important to give constructive arguments and logically sound conclusions. During this period, you can not focus on the validity of your conclusions, do not care about the feelings of colleagues, and give free rein to all negative and devaluing thoughts.
The essence of this color is to warn and prevent possible difficulties, because it is important to be ready for any turn of events, so questions and doubts that arise at this moment have the right to be. The group should not just create a dispute or bring it to a conflict, but assess the situation, focusing on its past experience, which will help to identify dangers that warn in the future.
Yellow
Search for positive and favorable, profitable nuances. Here there is a threat to blindly believe in a successful outcome of the case, so it is important not to finish the work on this particular color. This means when people decide to rely on fate and a happy chance, if in reality there is nothing to rely on, for example, instead of earning money by honest work, lottery tickets are purchased.
Therefore, if it is difficult to find a benefit during this period, it is better to change the headgear to another one. In order to reduce the threat of meaningless dreaming about the good, each person must justify his opinion, even, perhaps, justify it.
Green
Encourages creative thinking. I told you about it in detail in the article “Methods for developing lateral thinking”. So, putting on a headdress of this color, a person goes beyond the usual, he is looking for a way to solve a problem, completely different from those that he is used to using or offered by others.
In this case, it is strictly forbidden to use criticism, even if the ideas seem absurd. It is usually used more often than others, although it is the most difficult, since not every person is able to give out thought thoughtlessly. After all, a stupid idea can “undermine” his authority in the team, or provoke a conflict.
Blue
It allows everyone to focus on the task, as well as pause and try to think alone, so that later they can give out all the thoughts that have arisen. You can allow the moderator to be permanently in this color so that he can process the information provided by the group members.
Conclusion
Since it is better to write down all the results of this method, I recommend that you read the article about the Cornell method. From it you will learn how to properly take notes.
This amazing technology allows you to unravel even the most complex lumps of problems, first try it on your own to feel the effect, and then, after practicing, offer it in a team. Good luck and accomplishments!