CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Six Thinking Hats and Other Tools by
Culture Transformation Resources, LLC
www.CTRConsultingServices.com
TRAINING OBJECTIVES
• Provide you with new Tools, Tips and Techniques to improve your Problem Solving Skills.
• Learn Six Thinking Hats Techniques. • Revolutionize Group Problem-Solving. • Bring Diverse Perspectives to Decision Making. • Depersonalize Team-Dynamic Feedback. • Save Time and Reach Decisions Quickly. • Expand Your Thinking as a Leader. • Facilitate Productive and Effective Meetings.
“ “ THERE ARE NO RULES HERE- WE ARE
TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING.
- Thomas A. Edison
CHALLENGES BRAINSTORM
• 5 Minute Think Tank
• Brainstorm as many team CHALLENGES as possible and list them on a flip chart or board.
• Vote on the Top 1 or 2 challenges you will focus on during this session.
CHALLENGES THINK TANK
• Mess-finding • Data-finding • Problem-finding • Idea-finding • Solution-finding • Acceptance-finding
TRADITIONAL CPS
• Brainstorming • Mind Maps • Free Association • Free-Writing • Incubation
COMMON IDEA-FINDING
BRAIN BASICS Left Right
Rational Pratical Logical
Linear Analytical
Mathematical
Emotional Creative
Immaginative
Intuitive Holistic
Expanded
CRITICAL VS. CREATIVE
Critical Thinking Creative Thinking
• Analytical • Judgmental • Selective
• Probability • Left brain
• Yes but…
• Generative • Non-judgmental • Expansive
• Possibility • Right brain
• Yes and…
The Thinking process is like a KAYAK with
Two Paddles: One is CREATIVE Thinking while
the other represents CRITICAL Thinking.
SIX THINKING HATS
www.CTRConsultingServices.com
An effective tool for decision making and problem solving that uses both
sides of your brain.
SIX THINKING HATS
• Edward de Bono has written 70 books in 37 languages.
• Rhodes Scholar to Oxford.
• Originator of the term 'lateral thinking.’
• Leading authority in the field of creative thinking, innovation and the direct teaching of thinking as a skill.
• International Bestselling Author of Six Thinking Hats.
EDWARD DE BONO
SixThinkingHatsisaverysimple,effec8veparallelthinkingprocessthathelpsindividualsbemorefocused,produc8ve,andmindfullyinvolved.Apowerfultooltoaddtoyourleadershiptoolkitthat,oncelearned,canbeappliedimmediately!Youandyourteammemberscanlearnhowtoseparatethinkingintosixclearfunc8onsandrolesusing“thinkinghats.”Eachthinkingroleisiden8fiedwithacoloredsymbolicthinkinghat.Bymentallywearingandswitching"hats,"youcaneasilyfocusorredirectthoughts,conversa8ons,ormee8ngs.
SIX THINKING HATS
• Six colors of hats for six types of thinking - Each hat identifies a type of thinking - Hats are directions of thinking
• Hats help a group use parallel thinking - You can “put on” and “take off” a hat
SIX THINKING HATS
• Critical, Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving • Strategic planning • Running meetings • Generating ideas • Public Speaking • Process Improvement • Project Management • Organizational Change • and much more!
USES FOR HATS
General Hat issues
• Direction, not description – Set out to think in a certain direction – Let’s have some black hat thinking…
• Not categories of people – Not:“He’s a black hat thinker.” – Everyone can and should use all the hats
• A constructive form of showing off – Show off by being a better thinker – Not destructive right vs. wrong argument
• Use in whole or in part
GENERAL HAT ISSUES
General Hat issues
• Provide a common language • Maximize productive collaboration • Diversity of thought while using more of our brains • Consider issues, challenges, decisions and opportunities
systematically • Remove ego (reduce confrontation) • Save time • Focus (one thing at a time) • Think clearly and objectively • Create, evaluate & implement action plans • Achieve significant and meaningful results • Make meetings more productive in less time
BENEFITS
SIX COLORS
White: neutral, objective
Red: emotional, angry
Black: serious, somber
Yellow: sunny, positive
Green: growth, fertility
Blue: cool, sky above
…AND SIX HATS
White: objective, facts & figures
Red: emotions & feelings
Black: cautious & careful
Yellow: benefits, positive & speculative
Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking
Blue: process, control & organization
Six Thinking Hats SIX THINKING HATS
FEELINGS
REFLECTIVE
INFORMATION
CREATIVE
BENEFITS
JUDGEMENT
Six Thinking Hats WHICH TWO HATS DO YOU USE?
FEELINGS
REFLECTIVE
INFORMATION
CREATIVE
BENEFITS
JUDGEMENT
TECHNIQUE: Choose the right hat or tool
TIME: Set limits and work within them
FOCUS: Decide on what you want to think about
:60 SECONDS
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Six Thinking Hats SIX HATS DEEP DIVE
The Blue Hat • The control hat, organizing thinking
itself.
• Sets the focus, calls for the use of other hats.
• Monitors and reflects on the thinking processes used.
• Blue is for planning.
“ “ PROBLEM SOLVING IS HUNTING.
IT IS A SAVAGE PLEASURE AND WE ARE BORN TO IT.
- Thomas Harris
THE BLUE HAT • FACILITATOR ROLE
• The role of the facilitator focuses and refocuses thinking
• Makes calls for the group to make decisions
“ “ WHAT IS THE POINT OF HIRING
SMART PEOPLE IF WE DON’T EMPOWER THEM TO FIX WHAT’S BROKEN?
- Creativity, Inc.
BLUE HAT CASE STUDY
• 3 Minutes
• Define Your Team Problem
BLUE HAT QUESTIONS
START: • What is the main idea? • What is the problem? • How do we sequence the events? • Explain? Summarize.
END: • What is your conclusion? • What next? Action plan? • How was it solved?
“ “ WE BELIEVE IDEAS ONLY BECOME
GREAT WHEN THEY ARE CHALLENGED AND TESTED.
- Creativity, Inc.
THE WHITE HAT • The information seeking hat.
• What are the facts?
• What information is available?
• What is relevant? • When wearing the white hat we are
neutral in our thinking.
“ “ IDENTIFY YOUR PROBLEMS BUT GIVE YOUR POWER AND ENERGY TO SOLUTIONS.
- Tony Robbins
THE WHITE HAT • FACTS AND LOGIC
• Separates fact from speculation
• Specifies action needed to fill gaps
• Assesses the relevance and accuracy of information
WHITE HAT CASE STUDY • 5 Minutes
• Record as many facts about your Team Problem
WHITE HAT QUESTIONS • Who, what, when, where? • What do you know about? • What are the facts about? • What do you need or want to
know about? • Where might you go to find out
about? • What OPVs should we consider?
THE GREEN HAT • This is the creative mode of
thinking.
• Green represents growth and movement.
• In green hat we look to new ideas and solutions.
• Lateral thinking wears a green hat.
“ “ ALMOST ALWAYS, THE CREATIVE
DEDICATED MINORITY MADE THE WORLD BETTER.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
THE GREEN HAT • CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION
• Encourages search for new ideas
• Seeks to modify and removes faults from existing ideas
• Makes time for creative effort
“ “ YOU CAN’T USE UP CREATIVITY. THE MORE YOU USE, THE MORE YOU HAVE.
- Maya Angelou
THE THREE P’s • Positive: every idea is potentially
valuable, record all
• Prolific: the more ideas the better; build on ideas
• Playful: it is easier to tame a wild idea than to make a boring idea interesting
OTHER USES FOR
• Balloon Golf Tee ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ • Toothbrush Paperclip ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________
OTHER USES FOR
Balloon Golf Tee Shower Cap Tooth Pick Traffic Sign Paper Holder Scarecrow Stake a Picnic Blanket Hot Air Balloon Center Piece Tile Spacers Decorative Lantern Replace a Lost Cap (Plug a Tube)
Toothbrush Paperclip
Brush Your Eyebrows Egg Dipper for Dying Eggs Silver Cleaner Popping Discs Paint Cleaner Jewelry Clasp Clean Fingernails Remove Hair from Brush Apply Hair Dye Unclog Bottle of Glue or Salt Shaker
Clean the Toilet Letter Opener
GREEN HAT CASE STUDY • 10 MINUTES
• List as many ideas and solutions to your team problem.
GREEN HAT QUESTIONS • What if? • What is good about? • What is the value of? • How can we make this work? • What are the alternatives? • What else can we do? • What is holding our team back?
“ “
CREATIVITY IS INVENTING, EXPERIMENTING, GROWING, TAKING RISKS, BREAKING RULES, MAKING MISTAKES AND HAVING FUN.
- Mary Lou Cook
THE RED HAT • EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS
• Gives permission to express feelings, hunches and intuitions
• Help to make a decision
• Does not require justification
• Best expressed in a word or two
THE RED HAT • What do you feel about the
suggestion?
• What are your gut reactions?
• What intuitions do you have?
• Don’t think too long or too hard.
“ “ TO LIVE A CREATIVE LIFE,
WE MUST LOSE OUR FEAR OF BEING WRONG.
- Joseph Chilton Pearce
RED HAT CASE STUDY • Quickly, < :30 Seconds
• Discuss how everyone feels? (1-2 words)
RED HAT QUESTIONS • What does your intuition tell you? • Did your feelings change? How? • What prejudices are present? • What are you feeling now? • What is your hunch about?
“ “ IF I HAD 60 MINUTES TO SOLVE A
PROBLEM, I’D SPEND 55 MINUTES DEFINING IT, AND 5 MINUTES SOLVING IT.
- Albert Einstein
THE YELLOW HAT • The sunshine hat.
• It is positive and constructive.
• It is about effectiveness and getting a job done.
• What are the benefits, the advantages?
“ “
MANAGERS OF CREATIVE COMPANIES MUST NEVER FORGET TO ASK THEMSELVES: ‘HOW DO WE TAP THE BRAINPOWER OF OUR PEOPLE?’
- Creativity, Inc.
THE YELLOW HAT • LOGICAL POSITIVES
• Explores Benefits of Ideas
• Must give reasons why an idea is valuable and might work
• Reinforces creative ideas and new directions
YELLOW HAT CASE STUDY • 5 MINUTES
• Discuss the Benefits of Your Team’s Ideas and Solutions
YELLOW HAT QUESTIONS
• What are the Benefits? • What is good about? • What are positive outcomes? • What is the value? • Can this be made to work? • What did you like about?
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THE BLACK HAT • The caution hat. Devil’s advocate.
• In black hat the thinker points out errors or pit-falls.
• What are the risks or dangers involved?
• Identifies difficulties and problems.
“ “ I HAVE NOT FAILED. I’VE JUST FOUND 10,000 WAYS THAT WON’T WORK.
- Thomas Edison
THE BLACK HAT • LOGICAL NEGATIVES
• Explores why an idea may not work
• Must give logical reasons for concerns
• Points out difficulties and weaknesses
BLACK HAT CASE STUDY • 5 MINUTES
• What are all of the negatives and pitfalls of your team’s ideas and solutions?
BLACK HAT QUESTIONS
• What should you be cautious about?
• What are the consequences? • What are the pitfalls? • Why won’t/didn’t this work? • What weaknesses exist? • What are the risks?
THE BLACK HAT • Is there someone you work with
who tends to overuse black hat thinking?
• What is the impact?
“ “
THE CREATIVE CULTURE IS THAT ITS PEOPLE FEEL FREE TO SHARE IDEAS, OPINIONS, AND CRITICISMS. LACK OF CANDOR, IF UNCHECKED, ULTIMATELY LEADS TO DYSFUNCTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS.
- Creativity, Inc.
THE RED HAT CHECK • How does everyone feel now?
(1-2 words)
BLUE HAT WRAP UP
• Conclusions • What next? • Action Plans
Blue Hat Managing The Thinking
Setting The Focus Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions Action Plans
Green Hat Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat Problems & Reinforce Yellow Hat Values
Black Hat Why It May Not Work Cautions • Dangers Problems • Faults Logical Reasons Must Be Given
Yellow Hat Why It May Work Values & Benefits
(Both Known & Potential) The Good In It
Logical Reasons Must Be Given
Red Hat Feelings & Intuition
Emotions Or Hunches “At This Point”
No Reasons or Justification Keep It Short
Information & Data Neutral & Objective
Checked & Believed Facts Missing Information & Where To Source It
FOCUS
General Hat issues SUMMARY OF SIX HATS
SIX HATS
General Hat issues HATS REMINDERS
• Use any hat, as often as needed • Sequence can be preset or evolving • Not necessary to use every hat • Allow specific time for each hat (generally, short) • Requires discipline from each person
– Stay in the idiom • Adds an element of play, play along • Can be used by individuals and groups
General Hat issues HAT QUIZ
1. “Retooling will take a minimum of six months.”
2. “I am unhappy with the merger.”
3. “Our product is the most expensive on market?”
4. “It will increase our profile in the community?”
5. “Low staff morale is causing high attrition.”
6. “The meeting seems to be drifting.”
General Hat issues HAT QUIZ (CONT’D)
7. “Joe told me he was worried about a staff issue.”
8. “We tried that and staff are not supportive.”
9. “It would be easy to implement a new logo.”
10. “We could offer two for the price of one.”
11. “I am concerned about staff morale.”
12. “Are we ready to commit to a decision?”
13. “What if we gave everyone an additional day off?”
TECHNIQUE: TRY ON EVERY HAT
PLANS
FACTS
CREATIVE
FEELINGS
BENEFITS
JUDGE
FEELINGS
DECISION
Process,Agenda
Informa8on,Data
Ideas,Solu8ons
GutIns8nct,Intui8on
Values,Posi8ves
PiZalls,Problems
GutIns8nct,Intui8on
NextSteps,Ac8onPlans
Whatdowewanttoaccomplish?
Whatisthecurrentinforma8onandfactsontheissueorproblem?
Whatarenewcrea8veideasoralterna8vesinsolvingtheproblem?
Howdoeseveryonefeelaboutthecurrentsitua8on,issueorproblem?
Whataretheposi8veaspectsofthecurrentsitua8on,issueorproblem?
Whatarethenega8veaspectsorpiZalls?
Howdoeseveryonefeelnowthatwehaveworkedontheissue?
Whatconclusions,decisionsorsummariescanwemakeinmovingforward?
MY LEADERSHIP ACTION ITEMS
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
IfyouareinterestedinaworkshoportrainingonCREATIVEPROBLEMSOLVINGorSIXTHINKINGHATSforyourcompany/department/team, contact us
@ www.CTRConsultingServices.com
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1-877-CTR-1236OR1-877-287-1236