I love hats! They are a regular feature in my wardrobe throughout the Winter season, less so in Summer although I do have a range of wool, cotton and straw hats, plus caps! I believe that there’s a hat for all occasions. They are versatile, adds a bit of style to an outfit and are great for disguising “bad hair” days!
Last National Hat Day, yes there is a day… I was looking through my bookshelf for information on another project and came across Edward de Bono’s bestselling book Six Thinking Hats which introduces the concept of colour-coded hats to enhance decision making and productivity. This made me think about the analogy with our lives! We all wear different hats at various times throughout our lives, according to the season of life we’re in, and our roles and responsibilities so I thought I’d share the concept here. I’ve found that this is a helpful concept to be aware of when making career-based decisions as this involves developing your approach to problem solving, critical thinking and productivity.
6 thinking hats:
WHITE – focused on facts and information.
RED – considers emotions and feelings.
BLACK – advises on caution, assessment of potential difficulties.
YELLOW – explores benefits and values.
GREEN – introduces new ideas.
BLUE – summarises and decides.
ref: Six Thinking Hats, Edward de Bono
As part of career decision making, using different hats could help with assessing job options, considering your fit with a role, accepting a job offer or contemplating career change. This leads to a richer, more informed decision. For many people, the difficult part of change is taking the plunge to move from an area they know or their ‘comfort zone’, no matter how unhappy they are, to an area that represents all the possibilities they are seeking. That transitioning ‘in-between’ stage can be frightening. At times, the thought of leaving an area of security for one of uncertainty and risk could paralyse many, so they remain stuck.
Using a concept like the Six Thinking Hats to evaluate the options available to you will help you to clarify your thoughts, manage the risks and see the path ahead to work out how that suits you. This could be your opportunity to achieve those elusive goals. Check out the ‘Six Hats’ and see if it works for you. If you need support, get in touch with me to discuss your plans!
Until next time, go make those Transitions,
Denise
