Decisions we make profoundly influence the course of our lives, affecting our careers, personal relationships, finances, and overall well-being.
How do we make decisions? Do we consider all perspectives? Are these decisions truly our own, or are they influenced by others?
When making decisions, we rely on many things factual data, intuition, emotions, positive and negative aspects etc. Relying too much on one aspect can hide important insights. To make effective decisions, we need to consider a range of perspectives. How can we ensure that our decisions are well thought through?
During my tenure at TCS, I was introduced to a decision-making framework called ‘Six Thinking Hats’ (by Edward de Bono). This framework provides an structured way to view a scenario through multiple angles, each represented by a distinctively colored hat. Each of the six colored hats represents a unique perspective—Information, Emotions, Caution, Optimism, Creativity, and Process. Each hat symbolizes a unique way of thinking, promoting a more comprehensive and effective approach to problem-solving. Refer the diagram below:
Example: Buying a Home
I will start with wearing a white hat and gather all the facts like Price, size, location etc. Then, I’ll switch to another color hat and repeat the process for each perspective. This comprehensive approach ensures that all important aspects of the decision are considered.
This covers almost all the points that one will consider while buying a house.
How to Use the ‘Six Hats Framework’ in Teams?
Example: Should we take on a new project?
Scenario:
Next week, we have an important meeting with a major client to discuss a project that could bring in high revenue. The project is large and complex, and the client is known for being a tough negotiator. We need to decide whether to take on this project.
Call for a team meeting and provide them the context. Ask the team to wear a white hat for 5 minutes and provide all the facts. Spend the next 5 minutes on the red hat, gathering all emotional facts. Repeat the process with each hat.
Here are the possible insights the team might gather:
White Hat (Facts)
- Revenue: Potential earnings from the project.
- Resources: Availability of skills and team size.
- Scope: Key requirements and project scope.
Red Hat (Emotions)
- Team Impact: Effects on morale and work-life balance.
- Stress: Potential increase in stress levels.
Black Hat (Cautions)
- Resource Shift: Impact on other projects.
- Risks: Financial and operational risks of failure.
Yellow Hat (Benefits)
- Growth: Opportunity for skill development and reputation enhancement.
- Strategic Value: Long-term strategic benefits.
Green Hat (Creative Solutions)
- Risk Management: Options for project insurance.
- Collaboration: Forming a joint team with the client.
- Automation: Ideas to automate complex processes.
Blue Hat (Process)
- Review: Ensuring all angles have been considered.
- Consultation: Involvement of board members or stakeholders.
- Governance: Planning the management of the project.
- Negotiation: How do we prepare for negotiation.
This way you will have all the key criteria identified that will help us decision making
Conclusion: There are many decision-making frameworks, but the Six Thinking Hats is particularly straightforward and effective, especially for team-based decisions.
Dear Readers, What decision-making frameworks do you prefer, and how have they shaped your decision-making strategies? Share your stories, and let’s explore the diverse advantages these frameworks can offer.
Personal setup: Sending your child to a hostel
Here you can wear each hat one by one. Wear a white hat and consider all the facts; wear a red hat and reflect on emotions, and so on. You might end up with the following outcomes.
White: The hostel is very far and expensive; it will impact the family budget.
Red: The kid needs to be with family. This is not the age to go to a hostel.
Black: Kid might get a bad influence.
Yellow: The kid will have a bright future ahead and will become an all-round personality.
Green: Kids will cultivate diverse interests.
Blue: Have I thought of all angles and consulted other family members?
The Six Thinking Hats method structures decision-making by encouraging diverse perspectives, but overreliance on one style can be limiting. Overemphasis on the White Hat leads to data obsession, while the Red Hat biases decisions towards emotions. An excessive focus on the Black Hat makes you overly cautious, stifling progress, whereas the Yellow Hat’s optimism might blind you to real risks. Relying too much on the Green Hat can result in imaginative yet impractical ideas without grounding in facts or risk considerations. Lastly, the Blue Hat’s process orientation may suppress spontaneity and creativity.
Another way is to ask friends and family about one color, or to speak to the person who is wearing one color hat.
