Edward de Bono 'How to have a beautiful mind' at Mind & Its Potential 2011
Summary
TLDRDr. Edward de Bono, a leading authority on creative thinking, presents the importance of exploring possibilities in thinking, rather than just focusing on finding the 'right answer.' He introduces the concept of lateral thinking and his famous 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, which encourages different modes of thinking. De Bono emphasizes the need for creativity, open-mindedness, and exploring multiple perspectives to unlock human potential. Using examples from science and practical exercises, he demonstrates how these methods can transform decision-making, foster innovation, and cultivate a 'beautiful mind.'
Takeaways
- đ Dr. Edward de Bono is a leading authority on creative thinking and developed the Six Thinking Hats technique.
- đ§ De Bono emphasizes the importance of exploring possibilities beyond simply finding the 'right' answer.
- đ ïž He highlights that traditional education often focuses on finding the truth, which limits creativity and value creation.
- đ© The Six Thinking Hats represent different modes of thinking, including information, emotions, critical thinking, values, creativity, and organization.
- đ De Bono's thinking tools, including lateral thinking, have been widely adopted in schools, corporations, and even courts of law.
- đ De Bono has written over 70 books, which have been translated into 40 languages, showcasing his global influence on creative thinking.
- âïž He introduced the concept of 'excellent but not enough,' highlighting that excellence in thinking needs continuous improvement.
- đ De Bono believes humor plays a critical role in demonstrating the brainâs ability to shift perspectives and patterns.
- đ± Creativity, according to De Bono, is essential for innovation and developing new solutions by exploring unconventional possibilities.
- đ„ De Bono promotes the idea that a beautiful mind is open to understanding othersâ perspectives and exploring different viewpoints during disagreements.
Q & A
Who is Dr. Edward de Bono, and why is he significant?
-Dr. Edward de Bono is a leading authority in the field of creative thinking, known for developing the Six Thinking Hats technique, the Direct Attention Thinking Tools framework, and formalizing the concept of lateral thinking. He has written over 70 books and lectured in 58 countries.
What is the Six Thinking Hats technique?
-The Six Thinking Hats is a tool for group discussion and individual thinking, where each colored hat represents a different mode of thinking: white for facts, red for emotions, black for critical thinking, yellow for positive aspects, green for creativity, and blue for organizing. It helps people look at problems from various perspectives.
What story does Dr. de Bono tell to illustrate the importance of possibility thinking?
-Dr. de Bono shares the story of Dr. JB Marshall from Western Australia, who suggested that peptic ulcers might be caused by an infection. Despite initial skepticism, Dr. Marshall proved his hypothesis, leading to a breakthrough in medical treatment, where ulcers can now be treated with antibiotics.
How does Dr. de Bono contrast traditional thinking with the idea of exploring possibilities?
-Dr. de Bono explains that traditional thinking, influenced by Greek philosophy and education, focuses on finding the right answer and proving others wrong. In contrast, possibility thinking opens up new ideas and approaches, which is essential for creativity and innovation.
What does Dr. de Bono mean by the term 'Ebner'?
-âEbnerâ is a term coined by Dr. de Bono that means 'excellent but not enough.' It reflects the idea that something can be good but still needs improvement or further exploration, particularly in tasks and operations.
Why does Dr. de Bono emphasize the importance of creativity in thinking?
-Dr. de Bono believes creativity is crucial because it allows people to explore new ideas, escape rigid thinking patterns, and generate value beyond finding the 'right' answer. Creativity enables lateral thinking, which leads to new solutions and innovations.
How does humor relate to creative thinking according to Dr. de Bono?
-Dr. de Bono suggests that humor is significant because it demonstrates the brain's ability to recognize and switch between different patterns. Humor involves a sudden shift in perspective, similar to how lateral thinking helps move out of established thought channels into new ones.
What role does provocation play in lateral thinking?
-Provocation is a technique used in lateral thinking to challenge existing ideas by suggesting seemingly absurd or impossible concepts. These provocations help generate new ideas and solutions, as illustrated by Dr. de Bonoâs example of moving a factory's intake downstream from its own pollution output.
What is the relationship between intelligence and thinking, according to Dr. de Bono?
-Dr. de Bono compares intelligence to the horsepower of a car and thinking to the skill of the driver. Intelligence alone doesn't guarantee good thinking; skill in exploring different ideas and possibilities is equally important. High intelligence can also lead to arrogance, where a person defends their views rather than exploring alternatives.
What is Dr. de Bono's key message about developing a 'beautiful mind'?
-Dr. de Bono argues that a beautiful mind is one that opens up possibilities and explores various perspectives rather than sticking rigidly to finding the 'right' answer. It involves understanding other points of view, thinking creatively, and embracing new ideas.
Outlines
đ€ Introduction to Dr. Edward de Bono
The speaker enthusiastically introduces Dr. Edward de Bono, an influential figure in creative thinking, best known for his Six Thinking Hats technique and his contributions to lateral thinking. The introduction highlights his global influence, with over 70 books and lectures in 58 countries, showcasing his impact on creativity, innovation, and human potential.
đĄ The Importance of Possibility in Science and Thinking
Dr. de Bono begins with a story about Dr. JB Marshall, who discovered that stomach ulcers were caused by infections, emphasizing how he challenged the scientific status quo. This anecdote introduces the concept of 'possibility'âhow thinking beyond what is currently accepted can lead to breakthroughs, a mindset that applies not only in science but also in everyday life and creative thinking.
đ Expanding the Mind with Possibility
Dr. de Bono elaborates on the importance of considering possibilities in thinking. He critiques the historical focus on finding the 'right' answer, stating that while truth is important, it's not enough. Possibilities allow people to explore and understand more deeply, especially when dealing with human interactions, and it contributes to developing a 'beautiful mind' that goes beyond judgment and is open to different perspectives.
đ© The Six Thinking Hats Approach
Dr. de Bono explains the Six Thinking Hats method, where each colored hat represents a different mode of thinking, from gathering information (white) to emotions (red) to creativity (green). He describes how this method has been widely adopted in various sectors, including legal systems and corporate environments, for making decisions more efficiently. The hats encourage structured thinking and the exploration of ideas from multiple angles.
đ§ Creative Thinking and Humor in Problem Solving
Creativity and humor play vital roles in innovative thinking, as humor involves asymmetric patterningâa mental shift that leads to new insights. Dr. de Bono gives examples, including the concept of 'provocation' (intentionally stating something absurd to spark new ideas), which can lead to innovative solutions, such as environmental regulations for factories. He emphasizes that creativity is about moving laterally, beyond established ideas, to open new channels of thought.
đ Beyond Truth: Excellent but Not Enough
Dr. de Bono introduces the concept of 'Ebner'âsomething that is excellent but not enough. He explains that while finding the truth is essential, it's not the only purpose of thinking. Creating value through creativity is equally important. He connects this with humor, which he views as a key behavior that allows people to escape linear patterns of thinking and find new, logical perspectives after a lateral shift.
đ ïž Applying the Six Thinking Hats
Dr. de Bono demonstrates how to use the Six Thinking Hats in practice by leading a thought exercise on improving buses. Participants use the white hat (information gathering), red hat (emotions), green hat (creativity), yellow hat (benefits), black hat (criticism), and blue hat (organization) in sequence. This process shows how structured thinking can generate diverse ideas and lead to more well-rounded solutions.
đïž Intelligence vs. Thinking
Dr. de Bono concludes by distinguishing between intelligence and thinking, comparing intelligence to the horsepower of a car and thinking to the skill of the driver. He warns of the dangers of high intelligence, such as arrogance, which can limit one's ability to explore different viewpoints and possibilities. He encourages the use of thinking as a tool for exploration and creativity, not just defense of one's own beliefs.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄCreative Thinking
đĄSix Thinking Hats
đĄLateral Thinking
đĄPossibilities
đĄTruth vs. Value Creation
đĄPeptic Ulcer Story
đĄEBNE (Excellent But Not Enough)
đĄArgument System
đĄProvocation
đĄHumor and Asymmetric Patterning
Highlights
Dr. Edward de Bono is a leading authority on creative thinking, best known for developing the Six Thinking Hats and Lateral Thinking concepts.
The Six Thinking Hats technique provides a structured approach to thinking, involving different modes such as information gathering, creativity, critical thinking, and decision-making.
Dr. de Bono emphasizes the importance of considering possibilities, rather than just seeking the right answer, to cultivate a 'beautiful mind'.
Dr. de Bono shares a story about Dr. JB Marshall, who challenged conventional thinking by proving that peptic ulcers were caused by infection, changing medical treatment worldwide.
The Six Thinking Hats are: White (information), Red (emotions), Black (critical), Yellow (positive aspects), Green (creativity), and Blue (organizing).
Dr. de Bono criticizes traditional education for focusing solely on finding the right answer, advocating instead for a balance that includes exploring possibilities.
He introduces the term âEBNEâ (Excellent But Not Enough) to emphasize that good ideas can still be improved upon, especially in creative and operational contexts.
Dr. de Bono argues that culturally, we have developed thinking to find the truth, but not for creating value, which limits our creative potential.
He highlights the importance of humor as a key indicator of an asymmetric patterning system in the brain, essential for creativity.
Lateral Thinking techniques like challenge and provocation are formal tools to escape traditional thinking paths and generate innovative ideas.
The Six Hats method is used globally, from schools to corporate boardrooms, even in juries to facilitate better decision-making processes.
Dr. de Bono discusses how traditional argument systems, derived from ancient Greek philosophy, limit creative thinking by focusing on proving others wrong.
He stresses that creativity involves opening up thinking to explore and elaborate on possibilities rather than closing it down to find one right answer.
Dr. de Bono argues that intelligence is like horsepower in a car, while thinking skill is like the driver; intelligence alone doesnât guarantee good thinking.
He warns that high intelligence can lead to arrogance, where individuals defend their viewpoints rather than exploring alternative possibilities.
Transcripts
[Music]
okay we're um up to one of our major
guests and I know you're really looking
forward to and I'm thrilled to introduce
him to the stage and honored and a
little bit scared um I didn't know what
hat to wear because I will be
introducing Dr Edward debono um and who
better to open today's colle ction of
presentations on your creative potential
which is something that I think we're
all really interested in here creative
potential human potential and our
emotional potential now he needs no
introduction but it's really worth
listening to it again just to be
reminded of how astonishing this man
actually is Edward devono is one of the
world's leading authorities in the field
of creative thinking that's before
anybody even knew what creative thinking
was he basically I don't know whether he
inv Ed creative thinking but he made us
creative enough to think about creative
thinking now he's renowned for his uh
the development of the six thinking hats
technique and also the direct attention
Thinking Tools framework um he's the
originator of the concept um and the
formal tools of lateral thinking which
is now part of language enjoying an
entry in the Oxford dictionary I mean
talk about make a mark on your world um
he's written over 70 books with
translations into 40 languages and has
been invited to lecture in 58 countries
that is one hell of a passport um and I
was with him yesterday as many who who
was in the workshop yesterday wasn't it
fabulous um with him and look you've got
to love a guy who says it's not a
mistake it's a fully Justified Venture
that for reasons beyond control did not
succeed please give him a big warm Round
of Applause and welcome to the stage to
present how to have a beautiful mind the
beautiful man himself Dr Edward debono
good morning to
all I'm going to tell you an
extraordinary story it's an Australian
story and it's from the world of science
and
medicine and there's a condition
called peptic
ulcer and that means a stomach ulcer or
doal ulcer if you had this unfortunate
condition you might be on antd
medicines for 20 even 50 years
you might lose your stomach removed by
surgery you had a very restricted Dart
you couldn't have coffee you couldn't
have alcohol and so on it was pretty
miserable
life then a doctor in West Australia his
name was JB Marshall I
think he said maybe a peptic alcer is an
infection
inection everyone roared with laugh and
said don't be stupid the very strong
acid in the stomach could kill any bug
anyway eventually he proved his point
after having given himself an
ala and
today the treatment of an ulcer instead
of 20 to 50 years on antes are losing
your stomach and so on and so on
today all that you need is
antibiotics for one
week it's one of the most extraordinary
changes in medicine now the reason I'm
telling that story is that this doctor
JB Marshall thought of
possibility that's the key word
possibility now in science of course
scientists are trained not to think of
possibilities because if you think
possibilities people think you go back
to the days of
Witchcraft where everything is possible
and so on and so on so it's an are to no
stick only to what is likely hypothesis
facts and so on no possibilities now
it's the same with our thinking in
general
because at the Renaissance in the Middle
Ages schools universities thinking were
in the hands of the church
and when Greek thinking came into Europe
that's Greek thinking of the gang of
three Aristotle Plato
Socrates they wanted thinking to find
the
truth use of that being to prove
Heretics
wrong and to support the belief system
so we develop very good thinking for
finding the truth but culturally we have
never actually developed thinking for
for creating
value individuals have to be sure
entrepreneurs innovators and so on but
culturally never and that's very key and
that is also to do with
possibility in other words education is
all about the right
answer the whole of school is there to
say this is the right answer you must
get the right answer well that's useful
nothing wrong with that we need the
right answer you need how to drive on
the road you need how to add up the
groceries whatever the right answer is
very important but it's not sufficient
it's all like saying what is the purpose
of a house purpose of a house is
ultimately to protect you from the rain
and the wind but how many of you live in
houses that only protect you from the
rain and wind the answer is no one it's
what else is added to that which creates
value so certainly finding the truth is
very important but it's not enough we
need also to think of possibilities now
that's what gives you a beautiful mind
possibility let suppose you on a
situation and someone seems
very aggressive or something in your
mind you say yes possibly he's an
aggressive person possibly there he's
insecure possibly there's something
which has upset him you think of all the
possibilities and that is eventually
what gives you a beautiful mind to think
of possibilities not just this is the
right answer not just judgment but
elaborating around possibilities it
doesn't mean you're always going to be
right no perhaps not but in any
situation you see things more fully
instead of having a mind which just goes
like that you've got a mind which goes
like that like
that in other words opening up
possibilities so that's a very key part
of thinking not just how do you get to
the right answer as quickly as possible
you need to get to the right answer and
you can do it as quickly as possible but
don't stop there think of
possibilities that's why for example and
I was talking about it
yesterday the argument system which was
developed by the ancient
Greeks a a orgies with b and each one is
trying to prove the other wrong not
trying to develop new ideas or anything
of the sort just trying to prove the
other person wrong which is a very very
limited form of uh uh thinking so
instead of that there's the six hats
which some of you know
about six hats means as you sit
thinking there are six different colored
hats which you can wear and each one
indicates the mode of
thinking so for the white hat
the mode is
information what is the information how
do we get it what do we need questions
want to ask the red hat you express your
intuition your
feelings emotions and so
on the black hat is the normal critical
hat what's wrong why won't work and so
on the yoh hat is Val
values benative positive
aspects then we have the green
hat which is
creativity and finally the blue hat is
the organizing hat you can use them in
any sequence you
like and that's very widely used it's
used by four old in school it's used by
board members of some of the largest
corporations in the world in New York
one of my trainers was teaching juries
and Law Courts to use it using the hats
they reach unanimous decisions very
quickly the judges were so impressed
that in at least three states now the
judge can order that the jury be trained
in six hats it's a big change in
thinking after 2,400 years now there's a
word I was mentioning yesterday as
well a word which is really needed the
word is Ebner EB NE
Amna means
excellent
but not
enough now the reason being that in our
traditional dialectic system a is AR
with B B has to say a is right and I
agree with him fine or a is wrong and
we've got to change or remove that
there's no way of saying yes that is
excellent but not enough now the reason
reason there has been no way for 2,400
years is that if you're dealing with the
truth you can't have excellent but not
enough you either have the truth or you
don't have the truth so that word could
never exist but if you're dealing with
operations doing things making things
making something happen carrying out
tasks then very often you can say that
is excellent but not enough doesn't mean
it's bad it means it's excellent but not
enough and that's why we have never
invented a word like that for 2,400
years because we have believed that the
purpose of thinking is simply to find
the truth I have no problem with that
purpose of thinking is to find the truth
but that is EV that is excellent but not
enough the purpose of thinking is also
to create value and of course that's
where creativity comes in as well that
purpose of creativity
is to change to make things better
and the most significant behavior of the
brain is
humor I doubt if any philosophers ever
said that but humor is the most
significant Behavior because humor
indicates an
asymmetric patterning
system now all pattering systems
asymmetric trick you go from A to B that
is the definition of a
pattern but you can also go from C to a
but not from a to c that's why it's
asymmetric all pattering systems are
like that what happens in humor is
you're taken down this strand then
you're suddenly moved here and in
hindsight yes that's obvious that's what
makes something amusing the example I
always used indeed I'd used yesterday
and I I apologize to those who were
there yesterday as well an old man of 90
Goes to Hell and uh he wanders around he
sees a friend of his also 89 sitting
there with a beautiful long blonde
sitting on his knee so he says to his
friend are sure this is hell because you
seem to be having rather a good time the
friend looks up and says no no he says
it's hell right he said I'm the
punishment for
her in other words once you're there
it's absolutely logical and that's what
happens with creativity with creativity
we make the effort to move
laterally that's where lateral comes
from laterally out of the existing
channel to new channels once we're there
in hindsight it makes sense and there
are various formal techniques and
processes for doing that things like
challenge which means we say yes the
existing idea is fine but for the moment
we put it aside and see if we can
develop Alternatives and then things
like um what is the concept cep here how
else can we deliver the concept and then
provocation provocation upsets a lot of
traditional philosophers and auditions
because in provocation you can say
something which sounds absolutely doed
and
impossible so one time in California I
was talking to the ecology group about
500 people they said we have a problem
with
rivers effect on the river puts out
pollution people down stream suffer what
can we do about that so as a provocation
I suggested po which is a word I
invented meaning provocative operation
po the factory is Downstream of
itself that sounds pretty impossible how
can the factor be there and there at the
same time from it comes a very very
simple idea which is now legislation in
a number of countries that if you build
a factor on the river your input must be
Downstream of your own output so you're
the first to get your
pollution very obvious very logical
could have been thought of 100 years ago
but wasn't
so provocation is a way of getting new
ideas getting escaping you from the main
channel so having a beautiful mind
involves opening up elaborating
possibilities creativity it's the
opposite of being dogmatic and arrogant
and sure and only looking for the right
answer I'm not against looking for the
right answer by all means find it but
don't limit your thinking just to say
this is the way it is this is the way it
has to be so opening things up and
opening
possibilities so if you're involved in
an argument with
someone you make an effort to say okay
let me get inside that person's mind
what is that person thinking why do they
take that point of view is there
anything interesting in what he or she
is saying uh what are the values behind
it you know there's an effort to
understand rather than an effort to
argue and attack and that makes for a
much more beautiful mind in other words
exploring exploration is a key
word
exploration
possibilities in general opening things
up rather than closing things down our
normal habits of thinking in education
is closing things down what is the right
answer here what is the is as opposed to
what are the possibilities possibilities
and that's should be much more the case
in science it's there are a lot of
things which could do with better
thinking in science and people looking
at possibilities but the reason they
don't is they say as I mentioned before
they say that's what happened with the
Witchcraft where everything was possible
and we never made any progress and
that's true that's true you need to keep
a balance it's rather like if you've got
tomato ketchup and you want to put it on
your French fries you put on a certain
amount you don't smother it in it so you
got to keep a balance with possibilities
and certainty by all means but don't
feel embarrassed about possibilities
because possibilities are important so
let's give you a very simple
exercise and imagine we were using this
six hats and we'll start with the white
hat
white hats for
information and let's take a subject
let's take a subject about um
buses and we want some new ideas about
buses and we'll start with a white hat
and for the white hat just for one
minute with your neighbor just discuss
some of the your experience of
buses so your experience of buses just
for one
minute e
okay
okay we move on to the next hat the red
hat just your feelings your feelings
your experience of buses what you feel
about buses you have 30 seconds for that
CU all you need to do is express your
feeling
okay we'll have a green hat now
creativity and we put in a provocation
po all buses should be half size half
the size they are at the moment now from
that you want to move on to develop some
new idea so you have one minute on
that e
okay now the Yellow Hat on any idea
you've thought of the benefits the
values of that idea one minute yellow
hat on any idea you've thought
of e
[Music]
okay now the black hat in general it
always makes sense to use the yellow
before the black because if the black
hat the negatives are very strong you
don't make much effort to find the Valu
so usually yellow and four black one
minute black hat the bad points the
negatives on the idea you've
thought e
okay and finally the blue hat to put
together the outcome the summary of your
thinking and again one minute put
together the outcome of your
thinking e
okay now the key thing of course about
the hats is when it's used in a meeting
everyone at any moment is wearing the
same hat and there's a physiological
reason for it because the hypothalamus
in the brain releases certain chemical
depending on your mood which sensitize
different areas of the brain and so uh
if you don't have a way of changing a
mood then you just usually have the
negative mode which isn't enough now
just a final point the relationship
between intelligence and
thinking and it's rather like the
relationship between a Motorcar and the
driver intelligence is like the
horsepower of a
car thinking is like the skill of the
driver
so you can have a highly intelligent
person who's not actually a good thinker
may be good at understanding things yes
but not very good at doing things or you
may have a less person intelligent
person who's a better driver the other
danger of high intelligence is the
arrogance which goes with it when
someone uses their intelligence simply
to defend their point of view never to
explore other points of view or open up
possibilities so I've got one minute to
go so so thank you all very much
[Applause]
[Music]
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