writing and my teaching.... I would not like the politics of the presidency, never knowing who your real friends are.... I would not like having to glad-hand people I do not respect simply because they have money.... I would not like—”
At that point, a friend gently yet firmly interrupted to remind him that was not the question at hand: What would you like about being president? Parker offered an answer that came from his deepest parts, one that appalled him even as he said it.
“ Well, I guess what I’ d like most is getting my picture in the paper with the word president under it.” His answer was laughable; his friends knew it, and so did he. But the group knew something of great significance was at stake, something greater than a job offer.
Problem solving. Leaders who seek to solve problems, or generate new ideas and solutions, ask two main questions: What is? and What if?
The Maltese physician Edward de Bono is most known for his work with lateral thinking, whereby he developed the concept of the six thinking hats. The process helps groups think by wearing different colored“ hats.” He found the mind thinks in several different modes and methods, which can be utilized through questions. When facing a problem, groups can engage in a deliberate process:
The white hat: What information are we missing, and how can we get it?( facts)
The red hat: What are our fears or concerns overall about this project?( gut feelings)
Parker later reflected,“ By then it was obvious, even to me, that my desire to be president had much more to do with my ego than with the ecology of my life— so obvious that when the clearness committee ended, I called the school and withdrew my name from consideration. Had I taken that job, it would have been very bad for me and a disaster for the school.” One seemingly simple question— and then a follow-up— changed the trajectory of Palmer’ s vocational life.
WHAT DO QUESTIONS DO?
Consider the power and potential of questions in various fields.
The black hat: What are the downsides and risks to this idea or project? Why wouldn’ t this work?( pessimistic thinking)
The yellow hat: What are the benefits we would gain from this?( optimistic thinking)
The green hat: What other options might exist? What else?( alternative and additional options)
The blue hat: Which hat do we need to wear and when in the process? What else should we consider that we’ ve not yet done?( a big picture focus on the process itself)
Over the years, I’ ve used de Bono’ s process
55