Challenging Plans or Ideas: The Ritual Dissent Approach




Six Thinking Hats
Knowledge Center

Translate

Best Practices
14
Gary Wong
Consultant, Canada

Challenging Plans or Ideas: The Ritual Dissent Approach

When facilitating strategic planning sessions, I often will use a Cognitive-Edge Inc. workshop method called: 'Ritual Dissent'.
It is designed to test and enhance proposals, ideas, plans through challenge - what is wrong, why it won't work, downsides, risk exposure, etc. It is a forced listening technique, not a dialogue or discourse.

The Ritual Dissent approach involves a spokesperson presenting to a table group who receives them in silence. The spokesperson then turns the chair around so that his/her back is to the audience and listens in silence while the group tears into it with full pessimism. Since the ritualization of not facing the audience removes eye contact, the feedback is not taken as an personal attack. It also helps with depersonalization when there are several table groups with spokespersons going the same process simultaneously. Spokespersons who are forced to listen in silence without eye contact find they can better focus on listening and precise note-taking instead of thinking about explanations to defend.

In Six Thinking Hats terms, the short hat sequence is: Green/Black. A longer sequence would have the spokesperson return to his/her group to remedy the negatives heard. Thus: Green/Black/Red/Green/Blue. The Red Hat is a quick feelings check with group members after they hear the negatives. The key concerns are then addressed wearing the Green Hat. With the Blue Hat on, the spokesperson or possibly another group member summarizes and prepares for the next round.
A second round would start with the spokesperson presenting the rework at a different table. The number of rounds conducted corresponds to the number of group tables. Typically 3 rounds can be done within 60 to 90 minutes.
If time permits, a final presentation can be made to the entire group so that everyone knows how their feedback has contributed.
 

Rating

 
2
Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
 

Approaches to (Temporarily) Focus on the Negative Side of a Plan or Idea

Thanks Gary for sharing these 2 interesting ways to focus on what is wrong with a plan or proposal, ... Sign up

 
0
Gregory Johnson
Coach, United States
 

The Ritual Dissent Concept

I'm trying to embrace the process as a tool. I think it's going to take awhile since I have been hoo... Sign up

 
6
Gary Wong
Consultant, Canada
 

How Appreciative Inquiry meshes with Six Thinking Hats and Ritual Dissent

@Greg Johnson: Hi, Greg. I'm an AI practitioner who had the fortune of being trained by David and Di... Sign up

 
0
Joseph Mohammed
Student (Other), Trinidad and Tobago
 

Ritual Dissent is Interesting Form of Feedback

Very interesting approach to feedback. Will have to see this in practical use to gauge viability, bu... Sign up

 
0
Elaine Brown
Teacher, United Kingdom
 

Six Thinking Hats - Used in Practice

I work in the early year’s education sector; I agree this approach can develop staffs confidence to ... Sign up

 
0
KATHRYN STEINER, MBA
Entrepreneur, United States
 

Interesting Approaches with Challenges Finding Acceptance

I like the Ritual Dissent approach and also find the Six Thinking hats interesting. I would think th... Sign up

   

More on Six Thinking Hats:
Summary
Discussion Topics
Resolving a Business Argument
Clarification: Team Process
Examples of Using Six Hats Thinking
Situational Thinking Hats?
Telecom Example of Six Thinking Hats
Techniques for Real Dialogue in Organisations
Wearing the Blue Hat
👀Challenging Plans or Ideas: The Ritual Dissent Approach
Six Thinking Hats is Parallel Thinking
6 Thinking Hats are Rubbish
Systematic, Deliberate Thinking is not Easy to Do
Instilling Constructive Participation: 15-minute Soliloquy
Everybody Should Wear More Than 1 Hat
Six Hats Great for Teaching at University
🔥View Response to COVID-19 Wearing Six Thinking Hats
Business Conflict Resolution
Six Hats is Universally Applicable
Switching Hats by Top Managers
Taking Advantage of Conflicts in Group Decision Making
Seventh Thinking Hat: Grey for Wisdom
Tools to Consider Multiple Perspectives
Avoiding Groupthink with 6 Thinking Hats Process
Distorted Western Adversarial Thinking
Six Hats really great
Can Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Improve Thinking?
Current Status of Six Thinking Hats? Hot News
Conditions for 6 Thinking Hats. Assumptions
Six Thinking Hats for Instructional Design
The Role of the Group Facilitator in Six Thinking Hats
Additional 7th Thinking Hat?
Edward de Bono Obituary
How to Facilitate Mutual Understanding and Conflict Resolution
Six Hats Certification
Six Thinking Hats for Software Testing at Google
Six Thinking Hats is Great for Exploring All Points of View
Special Interest Group
Gary Wong
Consultant

Six Thinking Hats
Knowledge Center



About 12manage | Advertising | Link to us / Cite us | Privacy | Suggestions | Terms of Service
© 2023 12manage - The Executive Fast Track. V16.1 - Last updated: 21-3-2023. All names ™ of their owners.