SIX ACTION SHOES

A brilliant new way to take control of any business or life situation

EDWARD DE BONO

Main Idea
Six action shoes are a practical and useful framework for making decisions about the best course of action in any situation. Each
shoe type and colour represents a different style of action.
Most situations in life and business are ambiguous and confusing. Confusion is the enemy of action. The six action shoes
framework gives anyone the chance to identify the situations and the best course of action for every situation.
By mastering all six action modes, anyone can learn how to tailor action to the situation at hand.

Navy Formal Shoes Orange Gumboots

Navy - colour used for uniforms. Orange - out of the ordinary colour - danger!
Formal shoes - non-casual wear. Gumboots - worn by firemen or emergency workers.
Navy shoe action mode suggests following the established Orange gumboot action mode is emergency action where
procedures and routines. there are obvious, clear-cut dangers.
It means doing it by the book. Safety and minimising the danger are the only objectives in
this action mode.

Grey Sneakers Pink Slippers

Grey - unobtrusive colour that blends in. Pink - a warm, feminine colour.
Sneakers - active shoes. Slippers - casual, go softly type of footwear.
Grey sneaker action mode is about exploration, investigation Pink slipper action mode suggests care, compassion and
and getting the background facts. attention to feelings and sensitivities.
Collecting information for later decisions is the focus of grey This action mode focuses on the feelings.
sneaker action mode.

Brown Brogues Purple Riding Boots

Brown - muddy, messy and down to earth. Purple - unusual colour suggesting authority.
Brogues - practical, hardwearing everyday shoes. Riding boots - privileged class.
Brown brogue action mode is about practicality and Purple riding boot action mode is acting in an official role or
pragmatism. It means using initiative to do what is sensible capacity.
and what is practical. This action mode requires a person to put their official capacity
ahead of personal feelings.
 Six Action Shoes - Page 2 -

1. Introduction 2. Six Pairs of Action Shoes

Main Idea
1. Six Thinking Hats Six action shoes are a practical, useful framework for making
In 1983, the book Six Thinking Hats introduced a framework for decisions about the appropriate course of action in any situation.
creative thinking. The method involves visualising six imaginary Each shoe has a distinct colour and shoe type, which are
hats each representing a distinctive way of thinking or mental role consistent with the requirements of that action style. This is not a
playing. The hats are; framework for analysis but for action.
White hat - a neutral colour representing information. A person Supporting Ideas
wearing a white hat is taking an objective look at the information
Usually, thinking is only half the equation - the other half is action.
available before acting.
Therefore, the shoes metaphor is used to imply action. The
Red hat - a warm, passionate colour representing feelings. When different types and colours of shoes describe differing styles of
wearing the red hat, feelings, emotions or intuition are in control. action to be taken. Actions should be dictated by the
Black hat - a logical, negative colour associated with law and circumstances. Differing situations can require up to six distinct
justice. Wearing a black hat means taking a logical, stern and no and unique types of actions.
nonsense approach. The focus on six different action styles allows a two step approach
Yellow hat - associated with sunshine and optimism. Wearing a to actions;
yellow hat means you look positively at the benefits in a good 1. Ask, "What type of action is required in this situation?"
frame of mind.
2. Mentally put on the appropriate style of action shoes and act
Green hat - as in new growth. Wearing the green hat suggests that way.
creativity and new, untried ideas. New ideas spring up in this
In any situation, the critical factor is the feel. In other words, the
thinking mode.
flavour or outlook of all factors involved. This is usually developed
Blue hat - as in sky blue. A cool, detached look at the thought only through experience and perception. The mind generally sees
process is in action when the blue hat is being worn. That is, only what it is prepared to see, and notices only what it is
control over the thinking process. expecting to see. Experience tends to prepare the mind to see
There are numerous benefits to the six hat framework for creative events according to familiar patterns. The six shoe action system
thinking. For example, by separating these modes, people can enables people to recognise situations and act effectively.
avoid muddled thinking involving a mix of differing modes. It also The fact that shoes come in a pair enables mixing of the action
allows the ego to be separated from performance. Overall, the six types. A large number of combinations that can be tailor made to
hats encourage constructive thinking and collaborative thinking the situation can be put together to increase the flexibility of the
by groups of people. framework. In addition to the colours, each shoe comes in a
The hats are most effective when they are used one at a time to distinctive shape - another indicator of the nature of the action
examine a subject from a number of different perspectives. The involved.
benefit of the framework comes when people swap the hats. The The six style of action shoes are;
six pairs of action shoes follow on from the six hats for creative
1. Navy formal shoes.
thinking.
2. Grey Sneakers
3. Brown Brogues
4. Orange Gumboots
5. Pink Slippers
6. Purple Riding Boots
As for the six hats of thinking, each of these different types of
shoes represents a distinctive style of action that should be taken.
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