Look: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Observational Skills

by James H. Gilmore

Mastering the Way You See the World

Inspired by Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats method, Jim Gilmore has created a unique and useful tool to help our ability to perceive. In his latest book, Look: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Observational Skills, Gilmore introduces the metaphor of “six looking glasses.” Each looking glass represents a particular skill to master in order to enhance the way we look at the world. 

The six skills include binoculars, bifocals, magnifying glass, microscope, rose-colored glasses, and blindfold looking. Each looking glass provides an observational lens through which to see the world differently. This framework will help its users to:

• See the big picture
• Overcome personal bias
• Pinpoint significance
• Better scrutinize numerous details
• Uncover potential opportunities
• See what’s in the mind’s eye

These varying perspectives offer myriad practical applications: They can help any executive, manager, or designer more richly observe customer behavior, philanthropists and policy makers more keenly identify human needs, and anyone else interested in innovative thinking to first ground their ideation in practical observation.

Gilmore helps readers grasp the Six Looking Glasses by including helpful everyday examples and practice exercises throughout. Put into practice, this method of looking will help you see the world with new eyes. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Psychology, Personal Development

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2016

Reviews

[Phair · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received as Goodreads Giveaway. Not what I expected. I thought it would be about how to really see and recall what you have seen but instead it was about the various ways of looking- his six "glasses"- in order to take in and process the problem, scene, etc.. Much of it was common sense and would be most helpful for inventive, commercial use by business or entrepreneurial types rather than the average individual in everyday life. It all made me think back to the many "planning process" workshops I had to endure in my former job. May retain bits from this. It was difficult to absorb in a single read-through, but I wouldn't say the content was memorable.

[Mukesh Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach design thinking and consider myself to be a good observer of stuff. However, after reading this book by James Gilmore, I now have an arsenal of tools that I can use to significantly improve how I view things, or how I look..

The link to the six hats of thinking by de Bono made it even more easier to remember. The use of the different metaphors for each of the method of looking and clear examples make this book, not only a good read, but also a workbook, that I will come back to again and again, whenever I am struggling for insights.

[Jaakko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ended up being a bit boring compared to high expectations set up by the beginning. Anyhow, the book provides a working framework to looking or actually making any observations. It also makes you more aware of the action of looking and thus, most likely also a better observer.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh - didn’t give a lot of great, new information. The section I found most valuable was on rose-colored glasses.

[Beige Alert · Rating 2 out of 5]

When the boss recommends a book, I read it (I don't think anyone has done me that favor).

I thought the concept was interesting and applied as metaphor a good way to diagnose situations and group dynamics.

For me it was "ok" because the writing style left my brain wandering - I really struggled engaging.

Much of the concept seemed literal (like, literally literal!) which was surprising and perhaps threw me off.

I rarely found it a real guide and even rarer found it to be practical, but I got an insight or two. "Blindfolded looking" perhaps was the best part for me (because of peak/end? I guess I'll have to metacognate on that a bit with blindfold looking).

[Sabrina Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

** In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.**

So much sensory provoked not only by observation, but awaken them all. Much needed skills have opened up and the world seems a different place. A routine drive has become a game changer. But, the biggest moment of awakening was walking down the coffee aisle at the store. I saw the packages, how the were stacked, which were low on stock, which were full, but there were no smells until someone started actually grinding a whole bean bag, then bam the sound of the whirl then the intense coffee smell. Never had I paid much mind to something as routine as purchasing coffee. So slight and intense the change I wanted (at that moment) to grind every bag and smell the differences and see the different types of grinding. I have excepted that I can do one a week and pull the memory from the weeks prior to the experience, each has a fascinating ending .
Mr. James H. Gilmore thank you for collecting and creating this masterpiece "Look"

[Harish Namboothiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about improving observational skills and gets inspiration from Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats technique. The book proposes that anybody can considerably improve their observational power by proper practicing.

The author proposes six approaches to observe around us. These can be used singly or in combinations in different orders according to situations.

I'm not sure about the practical value of the techniques detailed in this book. But like every book of self help nature, I believe just knowing the technique alone can make a change in our outlook about seeing the world around us.

[William Steeter · Rating 1 out of 5]

My observational skills are apparently not good enough to find any value in this book. It is a generic mass-market publication that takes super-simple concepts, and artificially inflates them 5000% to make a marketable book. All the actual content could be condensed into a short essay.

[Mel Vil]

Different Directories: He recorded his everyday observations in different directories.
Next Big Thing: The next big thing might be found in a previous observation.
Worlds of Details: There are worlds and worlds of details existing in many different disciplines.
Opposing View: It takes the initiative to take a second opposing view of the object being examined.
Rose-Colored Glasses: Looking with rose-colored glasses requires a certain attitude.
Environment Entry: Use this approach whenever first entering a new environment, when circumstances have changed within that environment, or if time is limited.
Alternative Pairings: The key lies in experimenting with various alternative pairings.
Magnifying-Glass Looking: Requires refraining from vacillating activity in order to fix attention toward one point.
Recall-What and Recall-How: Blindfold looking that assesses observations and the observing.
Use Bifocals: Use bifocals looking whenever you catch yourself looking with an all-too-comfortable perspective in an all-too-automatic manner.
Thinking Hats: Different thinking hats represent different perspectives.
One Word Association: Identify one word beginning with a chosen letter that you can associate with where you would like to look.
Aha Observation: It is the kind of observation that registers an “aha.”
Time Usage: You’re only wasting time when taking your time.
Swiss Artist: Felice Varini.
Detailed Observations: Noticing technicalities, concerns, revelations, value opportunities, and extraneous items.
Better World: The world can be made a better place.
Grid Pattern Method: A method of observation.
Overcome Bias: Overcome the human tendency to only see that which confirms preexisting notions, or confirmation bias.
Pedtextrian: A term for a pedestrian texting while walking.
Variation in the World: There is so much variation in the world to be compared.
Process: Pick a paired set of views and look with one view and then the other to compare and contrast what you see.
Intrinsic Worth: The world is intrinsically worth looking at.
Surface-Level Understanding: A surface-level understanding of the world and a superficial approach to problem-solving will not suffice.
Everyday Life: Treating whatever unfolds in everyday life as a chance to look at anything you want.
Random Looking: Looking at something at random can often yield the most surprising benefits.
Narcithropy: A term mentioned in the book.

[J Crossley · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Ways of Looking

I found this book insightful. By using different ways of looking, you can gain more insights. This can help to solve problem, become more aware, and participate more in your life.

Each of the ways of looking focuses on a different aspect. From going close up, to zooming out, and even looking at looking itself, you can observe more of the world around you.

I have just finished the book, so i am still new at practicing the different types of looking. I have found that i am noticing more.

[Jamie Marquis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was assigned reading for my Experience Design study abroad that was canceled 😢. I’ve held onto it and gave it a full read. As an experience designer, I found the six looking glasses the author presents/explains/describes to be helpful additions to both my professional and personal lives. Did this book change my life? No. But it will help me be more mindful at how I am looking and observing and taking in the world around me. I can see enriching applications in my work life and in my personal life.

Also, it’s a quick read. Very short chapters.

[Zestie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea about paying closer attention to your surroundings and being a good observer is welcomed . But when it comes to the book content, you could literally squeeze the git and practical advice in an article and that would suffice. Turning it into a book about “creative” ways of looking at the world around you is just too much.

[Aanchal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read books that make you think or act differently (in a positive way). While the book felt more like a business class, the author’s six looking glasses have pushed me to think mindfully about my next work project, or a problem I’m stuck on. It’s a great reminder to bring back the curiosity we would possess as a child.

[Tiago Fonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Might have been useful for someone else. I didn't learn much from it. A good book, nevertheless.

[Saarah Niña · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled to the brink with eye-deas!

It was an informational, scholarly sort of book, so it took me a while to get through. As a research student, there's only so much 'schoolish' books you can take. Though, I certainly felt the nature of this book was compelling: James Gilmore looks into how we can maximise the use of our eyes, to make more useful observations, and to influence our thoughts.

It is clear that I am favourable towards this book, for example, Gilmore's insights are widely supported: early into the book, Gilmore writes of how 'what you look at informs what you think about, which influences what you act upon.' This is something researchers have found a number of times, tackling the issues which come with blank, and boring, office walls. In spite of this, I do have slight criticisms. I found that Gilmore solely focuses on ways of looking, and so I do understand why he didn't venture into outside territories (just as Dr. Bono didn't, in the case of his 'thinking' hats), but I feel that our imagination, our mind's eye comes into play considerably with both thinking and looking, the same can be said of colour. Certain colours stimulate our attention, influencing our behaviours, more than others. Gilmore could have made use of this.

I also felt that this book isolates people who are blind or partially sighted. While Gilmore does take this population into consideration, as he writes 'Looking can take place with more than your eyes. True, we normally associate looking with just the eyes, because we do most all looking through our sight. But a skilled observer also looks via each of the other senses,' I felt there was potential for him to have been able to integrate a pair of glasses to suit and explain the ways our senses could help, as some of us happen to rely on different senses to other people.

Though, the surprising, and most definitely the best thing about this book is that you can use it is various parts of your life: your personal and professional life. For example, as a historian, and someone with an interest in Psychology, looking at the nature of things is incredibly important. You are required to investigate by adapting a holistic approach (as unscientific as that may be, for Psychology). You have to see all things, see how they interact, how they fit a framework a 'mould', and how they influence events. You have to be quite scrupulous, constructing various motives, and putting everything into perspective, in order to evaluate significance. There is hardly any certainty, neither History nor Psychology is a Science: so you just explore, no limits. This is where the usefulness of this book comes in: Gilmore encourages readers to mindfully explore, looking this way and that, zooming into the picture and then looking backwards (something required of any historian). To explore what is there, and what is not. Some of the looking glasses weren't as useful for me, for example the rose- coloured glasses. As a historian, I am not required to see how things could work better. As I would mindlessly reach new heights, to the point my arguments and judgements would become unfocussed, and unfounded: you can hardly find cause for things that never happened! No evidence means no substantiated argument, which practically makes the argument empty and pointless. But even these rose coloured glasses, particularly in the discipline of Psychology, could help us evaluate better treatments, better methodology for a study, better techniques to reach a result. Allowing for conclusive, more reliable, and valid evidence.

I realise that some of these things are things we do anyway, as 'part of the job', just some skills we've unconsciously picked up, and learnt when to utilize...But, in spite of this I feel that Gilmore's 'Looking Glasses' help put a name to the skills, and so when our observations, findings or debates come up short, we can look down a different avenue, by changing how we look. We can count down the ways we've already looked, and look a different way. As someone who can get carried away with facts, and create new arguments that do not answer a key debate question, I rarely ask myself, "How could I miss that?" Instead, I ask myself: "Why in the world would I add that?" Stuff that doesn't answer the question, nor does it contribute to the debate; so by using these glasses I can ensure I only look at something that is significant, so as to avoid creating my own debate and spiralling out of control with my arguments. Needless to say, this book is brilliant, and incredibly handy: one, I will happily revisit and consult when writing essays.

These glasses have immense potential. They allow us to make some profound observations, I felt like I was Sherlock for a while. Speaking of, this book could be very valuable out in the exciting field of detective work! I also really liked the Dr. Suess style at the beginning of the book, he's quite possibly still my favourite children's author.

I received this book through NetGalley.

[Cassandra Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Observational Skills by James H. Gilmore focused on being more aware using a fresh outlook on observation. Gilmore was inspired by Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Method to create a metaphor known as the Six Looking Glasses. Binoculars, bifocals, magnifying glass, microscope, rose-colored glasses, and blindfold looking are the six skills that Gilmore provides intense instruction.

I enjoyed Gilmore’s ability to explain each skill thoroughly. Additionally, he provided examples and exercises to ensure mastery of each skill. The text lacks variety and becomes somewhat repetitive. Once, I reached the microscope skill the book became dull. Honestly, this book reads more like a textbook than a book for leisure.

The practicality of the book is immense. If you can trample through the dullness, it is jammed pack with information that can enhance your observational skills. I would suggest reading the book at a minimum of two times and not in one sitting.

Each skill must be read individually, digested, practiced, and implemented to grasp Gilmore's perspective on observation fully. I would recommend this book for people, who are looking for innovative methods to be more aware of their surroundings.

[Ogi Ogas · Rating 2 out of 5]

My ratings of books on Goodreads are solely a crude ranking of their utility to me, and not an evaluation of literary merit, entertainment value, social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, suspensefulness of plot, depth of characters, vitality of theme, excitement of climax, satisfaction of ending, or any other combination of dimensions of value which we are expected to boil down through some fabulous alchemy into a single digit.

[Mark Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and its link to de Bono. This challenged me to look at things from a different perspective, challenging my built in bias. Gilmore is an out-of-the-box thinker and I hope and wish some of this rubs off on me!

[Laura Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beginner's introduction to observational skills. The practical application was limited and rather shallow and the points the book was trying to make could have been summed up in a paper instead of an entire book.
Overall: repetitive with it's inspiring points, but only worth a skim at best.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads. A very practical and useful book. Lots of new and fresh ideas. I think it could be quite helpful.

[Cyril Danthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word that we frequently hear from our parents, teachers and boss is “ Observe” correctly. Attentive observation will help to grasp the topic in case of studies, provides clarity in case of work. Therefore the way we look and observe needs a varied approach based on the requirements. The book ““Look – A practice Guide for Improving your observation skills” provides narratives on application on the relevance of anything we do. Six Thinking Hat methods are widely used for driving creativity and solving problems in the organisations. However when a student writes answers in the examination describing in his own words, he never gets the top score. This is because the teacher needs answers as she has thought at the school. Without imbibing creative thinking and appreciating creativity at the schools, organisations have to invest to teach lean and unlearn.

Observation is key for any improvement and investigation. Observations influence on how we act and opt. Moreover observations in everyday lead us to the thoughts that possibly modify, reshape, reform and transform our behavior or overthrow aspects of the world. Creative thinking has four steps – Focus, Provocation, Movement and Harvesting. Focus involves identifying what one wants ideas about. Provocation requires setting up of mental stimuli on the chosen focus area. Movement responds to provocations and challenges by deliberation. Harvesting captures the value of creative output by recognizing the newness of thoughts.
These six methods of looking is critical and applicable across the life cycle of human and organisation. In today’s world, every day we use these six looking glass method. We scroll on the messages in our what sup application for a Binocular look. For certain messages we use Bifocals look to interpret two alternate views of any given situation. We use Magnifying glasses look to spot one thing to look closely to respond. We use Microscope looking for greater details involving scrutinizing and studying scene. We use Rose coloured glasses look to uncover the hidden opportunity. We use Blindfolds look to reflect and recall what was seen and how was scene