edward de bono was born in malta in 1933

8/13/2019 Edward de Bono Was Born in Malta in 1933

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situations the pieces are not given, we just assume they are there. We assumecertain perceptions, certain concepts and certain boundaries. Lateral thinking isconcerned not with playing with the existing pieces but with seeking to changethose very pieces. Lateral thinking is concerned with the perception part ofthinking. This is where we organise the external world into the pieces we canthen 'process'.

3. "The brain as a self-organising information system forms asymmetricpatterns. In such systems there is a mathematical need for moving acrosspatterns. The tools and processes of lateral thinking are designedto achieve such 'lateral' movement. The tools are based on anunderstanding of self-organising information systems."

This is a technical definition which depends on an understanding of self-organising information systems.

4. "In any self-organising system there is a need to escape from a localoptimum in order to move towards a more global optimum. Thetechniques of lateral thinking, such as provocation, are designed to helpthat change."

This is another technical definition. It is important because it also defines themathematical need for creativity.

PARALLEL THINKING TM

I introduced this term in my book 'PARALLEL THINKING' (publishedby Viking, London and Penguin Books, London).

Parallel thinking is best understood in contrast to traditional argument oradversarial thinking.

With the traditional argument or adversarial thinking each side takes a different position and then seeks to attack the other side. Each side seeks to prove that

the other side is wrong. This is the type of thinking established by the GreekGang of Three (Socrates, Plato and Aristotle) two thousand four hundred yearsago.

Adversarial thinking completely lacks a constructive, creative or designelement. It was intended only to discover the 'truth' not to build anything.


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With 'parallel thinking' both sides (or all parties0 are thinking in parallel in thesame direction. There is co-operative and co-ordinated thinking. The directionitself can be changed in order to give a full scan of the situation. But at everymoment each thinker is thinking in parallel with all the other thinkers. Theredoes not have to be agreement. Statements or thoughts which are indeedcontradictory are not argued out but laid down in parallel.In the final stage theway forward is 'designed' from the parallel thought that have been laid out.

A simple and practical way of carrying out 'parallel thinking' is the SixHats TM method which is now being used widely around the world both becauseit speeds up thinking and also because it is so much more constructive thentraditional argument thinking.

Information on Lateral Thinking and Six Hats TM methods are available on thiswebsite. Particulars of training courses are also given.


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Six Thinking HatsLooking at a decision from all points of view

Take different perspectives. iStockphoto/RoyalFive

'Six Thinking Hats' is an important and powerful technique. It is used to lookat decisions from a number of important perspectives. This forces you tomove outside your habitual thinking style, and helps you to get a morerounded view of a situation.This tool was created by Edward de Bono in his book '6 Thinking Hats '.Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint. Thisis part of the reason that they are successful. Often, though, they may fail tolook at a problem from an emotional, intuitive, creative or negativeviewpoint. This can mean that they underestimate resistance to plans, fail tomake creative leaps and do not make essential contingency plans.Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and more emotional

people may fail to look at decisions calmly and rationally.If you look at a problem with the 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, then youwill solve it using all approaches. Your decisions and plans will mixambition, skill in execution, public sensitivity, creativity and good

contingency planning.How to Use the Tool:You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings ithas the benefit of blocking the confrontations that happen when people withdifferent thinking styles discuss the same problem.
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Each 'Thinking Hat' is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

White Hat: With this thinking hat you focus on the data available. Look at theinformation you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look forgaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account ofthem.

This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate fromhistorical data.

Red Hat: 'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems using intuition, gutreaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will reactemotionally. Try to understand the responses of people who do notfully know your reasoning.

Black Hat: Using black hat thinking, look at all the bad points of the decision.Look at it cautiously and defensively. Try to see why it might notwork. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a

plan. It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or preparecontingency plans to counter them.

Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans 'tougher' and moreresilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before youembark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the real

benefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used tothinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance.This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.

Yellow Hat: The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimisticviewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and thevalue in it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going wheneverything looks gloomy and difficult.

Green Hat: The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can developcreative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking,in which there is little criticism of ideas. A whole range of creativitytools can help you here.

Blue Hat: The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by

people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because
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ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hatthinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for BlackHat thinking, etc.

A variant of this technique is to look at problems from the point of view ofdifferent professionals (e.g. doctors, architects, sales directors, etc.) ordifferent customers.

Example:The directors of a property company are looking at whether they shouldconstruct a new office building. The economy is doing well, and the amountof vacant office space is reducing sharply. As part of their decision theydecide to use the 6 Thinking Hats technique during a planning meeting.Looking at the problem with the White Hat, they analyze the data they have.They examine the trend in vacant office space, which shows a sharp

reduction. They anticipate that by the time the office block would becompleted, that there will be a severe shortage of office space. Currentgovernment projections show steady economic growth for at least theconstruction period.With Red Hat thinking, some of the directors think the proposed buildinglooks quite ugly. While it would be highly cost-effective, they worry that

people would not like to work in it.When they think with the Black Hat, they worry that government projectionsmay be wrong. The economy may be about to enter a 'cyclical downturn', inwhich case the office building may be empty for a long time. If the buildingis not attractive, then companies will choose to work in another better-looking building at the same rent.With the Yellow Hat, however, if the economy holds up and their

projections are correct, the company stands to make a great deal of money. Ifthey are lucky, maybe they could sell the building before the next downturn,or rent to tenants on long-term leases that will last through any recession.With Green Hat thinking they consider whether they should change thedesign to make the building more pleasant. Perhaps they could build prestigeoffices that people would want to rent in any economic climate.

Alternatively, maybe they should invest the money in the short term to buyup property at a low cost when a recession comes.The Blue Hat has been used by the meeting's Chair to move between thedifferent thinking styles. He or she may have needed to keep other membersof the team from switching styles, or from criticizing other peoples' points.It is well worth reading Edward de Bono's book


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edward de bono was born in malta in 1933

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