How to create a Six Sigma / Lean Six Sigma culture in your company

How to create a Six Sigma / Lean Six Sigma culture in your company

My previous blogs refer. Before I address the abovementioned topic, herewith some reminders:

• Definition of ‘Business Process’: It is ‘any number of sequential steps required to transform an input into an output’ (be it a product or a service, a production line or a service department).
• We make extensive use of Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma (suggest you read my previous blogs).

How to create a Six Sigma / Lean Six Sigma culture

Our aim, at all times, is to get the managements of companies to adopt Lean Six Sigma as a business philosophy, and thus to create a lean culture (amongst others, Jack Welsch did it at General Electric, and Toyota did the same, with great success). This is the only way in which companies will remain competitive in the long run, provided there is a market for your product(s), and that the company has a robust strategic plan in place.

The following are some guidelines:

• Engage a Six Sigma / Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (on a contract basis) to optimise a business process which is of strategic importance.
• Make sure that sound business cases can be made out for such a project.
• Appoint a young up-and-coming, bright, senior manager as a ‘sponsor’ (management representative) to the project. He / she will lead the project together with the Black Belt.
•  Establish the Six Sigma process baseline (i.e., how much variation there is at present from what the client view as ideal), as well as a financial baseline for the project.
• Ensure that the necessary metrics for measurement are put in place, and that it is reflected on the CEO / MD’s dashboard.
• Select subject matter experts (SME’s) to work on a part-time basis with the Black Belt.
• The sponsor need to sign off each element of Six Sigma (elements-DMAIC – see explanation in previous blog).
• Communicate progress and results to the company as a whole, on an ongoing basis.
• Management to focus on client needs, company culture, and process management throughout the project. These aspects to feature regularly in management communiques.
• Optimise at least one or two processes the Six Sigma way, and repeat points listed above.
• The CEO / MD should announce at this stage, that the company has decided to adopt a lean philosophy, and will make extensive use of Lean Six Sigma principles, throughout the company, from then on.

During the above processes, use the Black Belt to:

• Develop the typical set of values that should drive the Six Sigma culture change.
• Recommend the most appropriate books / literature on Lean Six Sigma for the management team to read / study.
• Recommend companies which have adopted a lean culture, for management to visit, and to gain insight.

Note: This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. For more information / advice, and / or a presentation, kindly contact the writer via his website:

http://www.businessprocessmanagement.co.za