Six Thinking Hats is a strategy developed by Edward De Bono.

By breaking the discussion process into its six constituent modes (represented by the six hats),
a company or a team can better deal with complex or controversial (or even emotional) topics.

Western cultures like to use adversarial arguments. Six Thinking Hats is non-adversarial.
It creates a more cooperative atmosphere, which tends to keep egos and politicking down significantly.
As a result, it has a lot in common with non-Western styles of discussion and negotiation. 

The rules are simple but must be followed. Patience, discipline and practice are required.
Nevertheless, it is not useful for every discussion. There must be a need for it.