The red hat: allows feelings and emotions to run free, with no justification or explanation required
Generally, we are discouraged from expressing feelings in a formal setting. During a business meeting, we must be reserved and keep our emotions under control. That’s why the red hat is so unique — it gives a rare opportunity to voice feelings and make them worthwhile. The range of sentiments expressed varies from excitement to doubt to anger. The red hat is an individual matter. During a meeting, each participant is encouraged to share their feelings. If we ignore our emotions, they won’t disappear but will lurk in the background and influence our decision-making.
Our emotions are intrinsic to our thinking; they give important context for our decisions… Emotions create our mental background, and it’s essential to understand it. For example, if we dislike someone, we might reject their ideas and think they have malicious intentions. Expressing these feelings might make us see the picture more clearly. It might also change our opinion or make us more ready to accept decisions even if we have bad feelings about them. Besides, our emotions can come in handy when choosing the final route in the idea-creation process. Feelings and values are connected, and we frequently make decisions based on what we hold precious.
⚡️Decisions based on feelings are not necessarily bad. But it’s important to understand the basis of our ideas.
Why is the red hat so effective? It creates an artificial environment where we address feelings directly and immediately.
Typically, feelings take some time to form. They take even longer to resolve. Because of the playful and conversational nature of the hat method, emotions expressed while wearing a hat feel less dramatic and personal.
When we acknowledge our emotions, we can explore them, which is a great exercise. Thinking can change emotions: it’s not a matter of logic but perception. When we observe the situation from different angles, our feelings can modify. Once we understand our emotional background, we can adopt a different one to see how its influence changes.