Six Thinking Hats

De Bono opens the book by stating that the Six Thinking Hats method may be the “most important change in human thinking for the past twenty-three hundred years” (ix). He points to major international groups that have used the method successfully in the 14 years since the book was first published. They include an IBM laboratory that reduced meeting times to one-quarter of their previous length, an oil company in Norway that quickly solved an expensive issue, and an aid worker who inspired villagers to participate in drilling for water.

De Bono asserts that people should not be satisfied with their way of thinking. Not only should people constantly strive for improvement, thinking can lead to confusion if one tries to do too much, by using emotions, information, logic, hope, and creativity as guides. In addition, some people tend to think in one way only, missing opportunities to think differently. De Bono says the “sheer convenience” of the Six Thinking Hats is its main value.

The author adds a special note on the black hat because some people have misinterpreted it as “bad.” In contrast, the black hat, which means using care and caution to avoid possible dangers, is the most valuable one of all.