Six Thinking Hats Paperback – August 18, 1999

If you want to find a way to make smart decisions without taking too much time, then this book is for you. “Six Thinking Hats” is written by Edward De Bono. He makes a comparison between critical and lateral thinking. As children, we are taught to do critical thinking. We have a problem, we find a solution, and then we spend time arguing why our solution is correct. This method of thinking creates arguments and that is what De Bono tries to eliminate. He came up with the concept of the six thinking hats in order to help people think better. With the six thinking hats, people are able to solve problems without causing arguments. Each hat is represented with different colors and each one has their own meaning. The book is, in a way, divided by the different hats. At the beginning of each section, he explains what the hat represents and he gives examples of how the hat is or can be used. At the end of the “section”, De Bono gives a good summary of the hat. This makes it easy for the reader to clear up misunderstandings that they may have had in the beginning. Also, the concept of the six thinking hats is explained well. Having different colors for each hat is easy to remember what each hat represents and the concept is easy to understand. It may take some time for people to get used to using the six thinking hats but once they get used to the method, their life will become easier. People are able to come up with solutions faster using this method compared to using critical thinking. Using the Six Thinking Hats may also provide better solutions to problems because they will go over different alternatives and the best one will be the final solution to be chosen. This method of thinking allows everyone to participate and they all see each others perspectives on an issue so it is easier to decrease arguments. De Bono explains that there are two purposes for the Six Thinking Hats. The first purpose is to simplify thinking. Focusing on one part of the problem at a time becomes less overwhelming for people. The second purpose is to allow a switch in thinking. Every person has the opportunity to switch their hats so they can see the different sides of their problem. This book can help a business or a group of people improve their communication, increase their creativity, and make better decisions. Overall, this is a book worth buying. The book is easy to read and it is also very educational.

When it comes to critical thinking, if we follow the same steps, are we truly thinking critically? Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats takes a new point of view on the way we think, and categorized his ideas into six easy to understand points of view.The first area that I want to address and compliment is the way that the book is written. The style is unique from many other similar texts in that it is able to provide very in depth technical concepts in a simple and casual styled language. De Bono does a solid job in providing explanations for his ideas in a simple and broken down manner that makes it easy for almost anyone to interpret. He avoids focusing on the methodological and specialized terminology that can easily confuse readers. Additionally he recognizes areas where readers may have trouble understanding, and goes into further explanation citing both applicable real world and relatable situations to better explain the idea.Six thinking hats is a very interesting concept in that it completely reinvents conventional thinking, particularly in a group or team setting. It really pointed out some flaws that occur in modern days concepts of thinking and aims to cover all aspects of forming new ideas in an efficient and effective manner. Under each hat, a particular mindset is taken, and every aspect of this single point of view is reviewed. White for example, would include only factual and informational points. The hats are to be used in sequential order, and the end result is an idea that encompasses several aspects of thinking from all ends of the spectrum. Such a concept cuts down on the chaos that can occur at a meeting as it intends on gearing people toward focusing on a single goal and not throwing out any idea that comes to mind. Seeing this method in practice would be interesting to me as I have experienced many meetings where there was a lack of focus and order. The book is organized in such a manner that each hat is built upon the next, and as you read you begin to see the whole picture of what the author is trying to convey through this method.One caveat or weakness to the model itself however is the necessity for all levels of members to be on board. In order for each of the hats to be successful, everyone must be on the same page, and there must be acceptance and equality among the ideas. Individuals participating in a discussion cannot or should not be afraid to voice their ideas, concerns (black hat), etc depending on the particular hat. De Bono does address the dangers of the six thinking hat methods in a workplace that is not committed or misinterprets the usage, however I find that it can easily occur. Another issue that I wanted to point out to potential readers is that this method of thinking cannot necessarily be used to boost individual thought. Switching between the hats and focusing on a single hat requires a moderator to carefully ensure that everyone is on task and not reverting to other hats or impeding on other’s ideas. As an individual you lack that balance and cannot self check whether the hats are being used correctly.Overall however I found this book to be insightful and allowed me to develop another dimension and approach of thinking. Sometimes we under estimate the power of trying something different especially such a simple action, which in this case is thinking. As a college student in particular, this book is a necessity, as team settings and group projects are a common occurrence. This book can also apply to almost any individual interested in developing a new thinking method. The book even contains an anecdote about a couple using the six hats to make a decision on buying a house. Highly recommend to those looking to try something new and develop a new method of thinking.

The book has very helpful ways to approach getting a team of people on the same page. It can work for a family or a corporation.Because the concepts are about aligning together with each hat color it brings harmony and creativity together. Each hat has a different way to look at a topic like black hat is all the negative things that could go wrong.Very helpful.