Companies and Organizations are looking for ways and methods to improve their overall efficiency and effectiveness. In order to achieve success, many methods have been tried out over the years. Some of them are Transactional Analysis, Quality Circles, Kaizen, Just in Time ,CPM,PERT, TQM, ISO, BPR, CRM, CBS ,6 Sigma to cite a few. The list goes on. Management experts are in the look out to improve the organizational productivity and in turn the profitability also. A perfect solution is yet to be found.

Edward de Bono, the thinking expert and author of the best seller Lateral Thinking has suggested a tool for improving organizational effectiveness through the Six Thinking Hats Method. This method according to the author "may well be the most important change in human thinking for the past 23 hundred years".

While ending his book, with the same title, the Author says -" It is obvious that the framework will be most useful if all the people in an organization are aware of the rules of the game. For instance, all those who are in the habit of meeting to discuss things should become aware of the meaning of the different hats. The concept works best when it has become a sort of common language. There are many organizations in which the symbolism of hats, indeed, becomes part of everyday language - as a means to direct thinking more effectively."

As the name indicates Six Thinking Hats refer to six different coloured hats worn (symbolically) by the speaker during a discussion. These hats represent the type of thinking/behaviour shown/ expected from the person/s involved. The usage of the term Hat helps to remove any type of bias and prejudice that may normally crop up while using words. The Six Thinking Hats and their characteristics are given below:-

The advantage of using this method is that all the participants will be given an equal opportunity to react from the same hat / position on an issue one after another before moving on to the next hat / position. (All will be wearing one and the same hat at a time of discussion .For eg. all will wear white hat and give their respective views based on facts and figures before moving on to say Red hat position) With this approach all would have got an opportunity to express their views on all the different dimensions-6 hats/positions- affecting a project / proposal. None will restrict to one or two positions/ hats leading to needless/endless discussions, as are the normal practice. Instead, all will express/register their respective views and move on. Result-no deadlocks and hard feelings.

This is in sharp contrast to the current level of thinking / inter-action where people often react from one or two hats / positions only. They will not shift the stand to other positions during the meeting. Naturally, conflict arises and the effectiveness of meetings is diminished.
Today most of the meetings do not end well / as expected and even when decisions are arrived at all are not emotionally involved for their final implementation often leading to under achievement/performance.

"There is nothing more sad and wasteful than a roomful of intelligent and highly paid people awaiting for a chance to attack something the speaker has said ". This is a common occurrence in almost all meetings and lectures. With the Six Thinking Hats method, the fullest opportunity is given to each and everyone to use one's intelligence, experience and information on the issue at hand. The STHs also remove all 'ego' from the discussion process. It is ego which leads to one-upmanship and needless/pointless/endless debates.

It is reported that many leading organizations in the West like NASA, IBM, Du Pont, Shell, AT&T, British Airways, Microsoft, and Federal Express have used this method successfully and were able to improve organizational effectiveness due to better inter-actions at meetings and time management.

Initially the whole process and names of hats will all look little odd and artificial. But once all get a hang of the method it will be very useful and smooth sailing. It will be easy to ask another-

These statements will be neutral and more acceptable than saying- give your emotional stand, your concerns, your fears, your creative inputs, you are too emotional, don't be childish etc.

It is worth reiterating that "the hats are not categories of people. They are directions in which to look." The six thinking hats identify six different streams of thought. A group is given defined times during which they are invited collectively to put on either a yellow hat (for optimistic thinking), red hat (emotional), black hat (critical), green hat (creative), white hat (facts and information) or blue hat (detached view).

This is the age of meetings. Even when two people discuss something it is referred to as a meeting. Hence, it is necessary that some useful, easy to follow and well-tried method is chosen to improve overall effectiveness of such meetings. Six thinking hats method is a good tool that will be useful in organizations, Co-operative Housing Society meetings, group discussions, debates and even at home.