The white hat: objectivity and neutrality sprinkled with facts and figures
The white hat deals with information stripped of any interpretation or opinion. While wearing this hat, we don’t use the information to prove a point or convince someone that we’re right. If some pieces of information contradict each other, we view them congruently. We choose one of them only if necessary. During the white hat stage, we also determine which information we lack and establish means of obtaining it.
⚡️White hat is about parallel thinking and accepting different perspectives.
We often accept a belief for a fact. It’s natural — we can’t check every statement in the world. Thus we can distinguish two types of information that we can share under the white hat: believed facts and checked facts. Pure facts are irreplaceable for our thinking processes, but so are hypothetical and provocative statements. How can we prevent the potential damage from unreasonable beliefs? It all comes down to how we use the information. If we use some believed facts as the basis for our decision-making, we must check them.
Edward de Bono uses the style of the Japanese meetings as an example of white hat usage. Unlike many Western meetings, where people come with ready-made ideas and aim to prove their plan is the best, Japanese-style meetings allow their attendees to create visions based on the information they share. This non-argument-based flow is more efficient because all participants work towards achieving one shared goal. There’s no need to prove whether you’re right or wrong.
⚡️It takes much less time to create a shared idea than to argue about whose idea is the best.
When wearing a white hat, accept the role of a computer. You must be direct and clear; you can’t let your opinion cloud your delivery. The goal is information. You can’t add either interpretation or extrapolation. The volume of facts can be overwhelming, so the person asking for information must be specific about what they need. The white hat gives us direction and makes us more disciplined, teaching us how to approach a subject with utmost objectivity.