Thinking Hats and Action Shoes

Strategic Challenge of Polysensorial Knowledge: bringing the "elephant" into "focus" (Part #8)

---

[Parts: First | Prev | Next | Last | All] [Links: To-K | From-K | From-Kx | Refs ]

---

The presentation of the indicative "strategic compass" above is reminiscent, if only mnemonically through its use of colour, of the widely publicized strategic tools elaborated by Edward de Bono (Six Thinking Hats, 1985; Six Action Shoes, 1991; Six Value Medals, 2005; Six Frames: for thinking about information, 2008 ).

The first tool, combined with his idea of parallel thinking to whichit responds, provides a means for groups to think together more effectively, and a means to plan thinking processes in a detailed and cohesive way. It is in this sense that the toolset might be said to function like a geomantic compass through which strategic direction is dynamically determined through dialgue in concrete situations.

In practice the "hats", for example, are specified cognitive modalities acknowledged in a group process -- avoiding the dysfunctionality of parallel thinking in separate and unintegrated modalities. Particupants can then successively -- using each "hat" -- together consider the problems, or the benefits, or the facts, reducing distractions and supporting cross pollination of thought. This is achieved because everyone will put on the "white hat" together, then they will all put on the next "hat" together.

The six cognitive modalities identified are:

• Neutrality (white): considering purely what information is available, what are the facts?
• Feeling (Red): instinctive gut reaction or statements of emotional feeling (but not any justification)
• Negative judgement (Black): logic applied to identifying flaws or barriers, seeking mismatch
• Positive Judgement (Yellow): logic applied to identifying benefits, seeking harmony
• Creative thinking (Green): statements of provocation and investigation, seeing where a thought goes
• Process control (Blue): thinking about thinking

Different combinations of hats may be used for different strategic purposes. An analogous logic applies to his advocated use of "shoes" and "medals". It is appropriate to explore how the approach to challenges like climate change is framed through such methods. For example, the Carbon Challenge Academy held an interactive open forum (Malta, 2008) focusing on 'Creating an Innovative Product in view of Climate Change awareness' which encouraged participants to use the six thinking hats.

The question is how the cognitive methodology of "hats" or "shoes" might be extended to polysensorial approaches to strategic development. Alternatively, it might be asked whether, the "hats" are not individually associated, if only implicitly, with the range of modalities associated with the spectrum of senses.

Further to the argument for integrating Eastern and Western metaphors, it has been suggested elsewhere (Navigating Alternative Conceptual Realities: clues to the dynamics of enacting new paradigms through movement, 2000), that the sets of cognitive modalities recognized in certain spiritual traditions are indicative of ways of orienting in complex cognitive spaces. The strategic space in which humanity is endeavouring to navigate might be fruitfully explored in that light. Such considerations might be creatively "confronted" with those of the "hats", "shoes" and "medals". It is of course the case that a number of such traditions represent the challenge of integrating these various modalities through centro-symmetric diagrams of which mandalas and yantras are typical examples. They could indeed be understood as forms of geomantic compasses adapted to the navigation of cognitive landscapes.

---

[Parts: First | Prev | Next | Last | All] [Links: To-K | From-K | From-Kx | Refs ]