Ex 4-12 Adaptability

This 10-minute exercise, based on Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, is designed to teach adaptability by forcing participants to rapidly switch perspectives on a single problem, breaking them out of rigid “black-or-white” thinking.

The Exercise: “The 10-Minute Pivot”

Goal: Adapt to a sudden change in project scope.

Scenario: You are organizing an outdoor company team-building event. 24 hours before the event, the weather forecast changes from sunny to a severe thunderstorm.

Targeted Outcome: Move from panic/complaining to actionable solutions (adaptability).

Minute-by-Minute Breakdown

0-1 min: Blue Hat (Setup)

Goal: Define the problem.

Action: The facilitator states the problem: “The outdoor event is ruined. We have 10 minutes to adapt our plan to a completely indoor, last-minute alternative”.

1-2 min: White Hat (Facts)

Goal: What do we know?

Action: List facts only. “We have 50 people,” “The venue has a small conference room,” “We have budget already spent on food,” “The event is tomorrow”.

2-3 min: Red Hat (Feelings)

Goal: Vent and express emotions.

Action: “I feel stressed,” “I’m worried people will hate it,” “I’m frustrated”. Note: Only 1 minute, then move on.

3-4 min: Black Hat (Risks)

Goal: What are the pitfalls?

Action: “The conference room is too small,” “People might cancel,” “The activities are not tailored for indoors”.

4-5 min: Yellow Hat (Optimism)

Goal: What are the benefits/opportunities?

Action: “We save on tent rentals,” “It’s a chance to do more focused workshops,” “Team bonding might be more intimate”.

5-8 min: Green Hat (Creativity/Adaptability)

Goal: Brainstorm alternatives.

Action: “Virtual murder mystery?”, “Board game tournament in the lobby?”, “Hire an indoor cooking class instead?”.

8-10 min: Blue Hat (Decision & Action)

Goal: Select the best path.

Action: “Based on the ideas, we will move the food to the lobby, use the conference room for a trivia competition, and cancel the outdoor activities”.

Why this teaches Adaptability

Stops Ruts: It prevents participants from staying stuck in “Black Hat” (pessimism) or “Red Hat” (panic) mode.

Forced Perspective Shift: It forces individuals to think constructively even if they are naturally critical, or creatively if they are usually logical.

Encourages Teamwork: Everyone is “wearing” the same hat simultaneously, allowing for parallel thinking rather than arguing from different perspectives.

Six Thinking Hats Summary | deBono