Donald Hiscock | Articles | Health Service Journal
Letting every idea from everyone have equal value and avoiding negativity is what Edward de Bono will be reinforcing at a conference for NHS managers in London next month.
I will be present as a trainer and not merely as a guest speaker. The aim of the day will be to introduce delegates to my Six Hats method of exploring an issue. Traditionally we approach issues based on argument and defending a case against someone else. But this is not the best way for an organisation to move forward its thinking. It is better to explore a subject when everyone is thinking about an issue in the same way. This, in essence, is what the Six Hats method promotes.
To explain: A decision can be looked at from six different perspectives. Using the symbol of a hat, each perspective can be put on and taken off easily. It forces you to move out of your habitual thinking style and see an issue from another viewpoint.
Some of us approach decisions in a rational way, while others are more emotional, intuitive, creative or negative. Each approach has value and should not be dismissed.
When those in a discussion all adopt the White Hat they focus on facts, figures and other objective issues. When the Red Hat is worn everyone uses gut reaction, emotion and intuition. Putting on the Black Hat means that all the worst possible scenarios of making a decision can be explored. The opposite way of thinking is produced when the Yellow Hat is used. Here, people are expected to look at the opportunities and benefits a decision might bring. Wearing the Green Hat encourages fresh, creative angles to be explored, no matter how fanciful. Lastly, the Blue Hat is used a master hat to control the meeting. The person in the chair will use it to get others to change thinking hats.
By using this method everyone is challenged to put forward their best idea. People work together and not against each other. All organisations that have adopted this approach report that meeting times are very much reduced. It also has the advantage of bringing people together from all levels and letting them have an equal say in making decisions.
At the conference delegates will spend time in table workshops exploring the Six Hats method. Everyone will go away with the training manual and software to enable them to take their new skills back to the workplace.
The NHS stands to benefit from Six Hats working in many ways. For example, adopting a creative approach often attracts positive coverage from the media. My method can be used in very small groups or on a one-to-one basis. The NHS, just like any large organisation, can benefit from moving away from the traditional adversarial style of decision-making. Even a brief encounter with Six Hats thinking can make a big difference to the way people approach issues in the future.
I look forward to providing delegates with a framework that once learned can be used forever.
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