In 2007 original co-creator of Six Thinking Haps with de Bono et al,
Dr. M. Hewitt-Gleeson proposed the Grey Hat for “Wisdom”.
In his words:
‘Grey Hat Thinking is the ability to see long term consequences. It is the ability to look back over history and to see forward into the future. To understand cycles, passages of time, the passing of fashions, eras, eons and the many possible futures including extinction, the possibility of no future at all.
‘Grey Hat Thinking also means the wisdom to see other points of view. It includes the sagacity of patience to see beyond one’s own immediate viewpoint and the wisdom to see the viewpoints of others involved in situations’
THINKING CAPS
Put on your thinking cap. Which one? If you play-act being a thinker then you will become a thinker. There are many different sorts of thinking.
At each moment you should know what sort of thinking you are using. So you put on the thinking cap that fits the occasion.
(The caps are sold in sets of six. Each is of a different colour and each bears the logo of the School of Thinking. Instead of caps elasticised head bands could be used.)
WHITE CAP
Information. Facts and figures. When you are wearing the white cap you just give neutral information. You are a sort of library. Just get the facts out. Give all the information you can on the matter.
BLACK CAP
Negative. Why it is wrong. What is wrong with it. Why it won’t work. Why it is not true. Why you do not believe it or do not agree with it. Note that if you simply do not like something then that comes under another hat.
YELLOW CAP
Being positive.
Plus. Yellow for sunshine. Build on the idea. Be constructive. Use the idea.
Show its good points. Be enthusiastic.
RED CAP
This is the
emotional hat. Feelings. Just say what you feel about the idea without bothering
to explain. You hate the idea. You love the idea. Feelings and values. What
your instinctive reaction happens to be. Be emotional.
GREEN CAP
This is cool and
laid back. This is detached and objective. Here you are organising your
thinking about the matter. Green is for focusing your thinking.
For giving
instructions to yourself and others. Green is neutral. You can be exploring the
subject through the use of deliberate thinking tools.
BLUE CAP
This is for
‘blue-sky’ or creative ideas. The ideas do not have to be sensible or logical.
You can use provocations. You can try things out.
Wild and crazy
ideas are allowed. The purpose is to have new ideas. Blue also allows
‘interesting’ comments about the idea. Observations of interest even if they do
not follow the main track of the thinking.
–
So put on your
thinking cap. Ask someone else to put on their thinking cap. When you have
chosen your cap then think only according to that cap’s colour. In thisway you
come to use your thinking as a skill: using whatever type of thinking you want.
On whatever occasion. So you become a thinker.
Copyright © 1983
New York.
Edward de Bono
School of Thinking, Inc.
All rights
reserved.
2007
GREY CAP for Wisdom
Now, the School of Thinking is launching the
Seventh Thinking Cap for Wisdom.
See: The 7th Cap – The Grey Cap for Wisdom
(http://www.schoolofthinking.org/what-is-yourdangerous-idea/the-seventh-hat-for-wisdom/)
E-mail from Gleeson giving rights to Training
From: michael@schoolofthinking.org
Subject: Re: G’day
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:31:52 +1000
To: carter_ian@hotmail.com
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your message and i wish you well with your 7 Caps courses.
Best regards,
Michael
On 28/07/2014, at 3:15 PM, Ian Charles Carter wrote:
G’day Michael, I hope you are fit and well.
Just to advise I have restarted training in 7 Caps and have done my first course and it went very well.
I credit you and include the link to your website truth and Grey cap pages.
If you would like to see the manual I can send to you.
Also see my facebook pages
Thanks and regards
Ian Charles Carter
