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Six Sigma & Lean Foundations
Maximizing Six Sigma ROI
Preparing Your Organization as well as your Black Belts
Part One -
From top to bottom, the first page of the file I maintain on leadership notes is filled with words of wisdom that I have heard or read throughout my career and wanted to implement. Many of these phrases have so often proven to be true (and useful) that they have become guiding principles.
As I considered possible outlines for this article, I found several of these guiding principles to be applicable when considering the ROI (return on investment) from Six Sigma initiatives. As you will see below, ten of these principles can be used to guide your Six Sigma implementation plans. The first principle to consider:
I. If I impose my decision on you, you will not like it.
One of the overriding misconceptions of the Six Sigma era is that all you have to do is certify a few Black Belts. You then give them a list of problems selected by your executive team and announce to the organization that you are implementing and supporting Six Sigma. The Black Belts are then sent into in your organization to solve those problems. We will impose Six Sigma on you!
Catching the next corporate wave?
Purdue University's Krannert Magazine
My first exposure to "corporate waves" began decades ago with the promises of "quality circles." Thereafter, year after year, wave after wave hit the corporate beachhead. Waves, not unlike tsunamis, come with inspiring and convincing titles: the Total Quality wave, the waves of W. Edwards Deming and his statistical approaches, Joseph Juran's measuring with a customer perspective, Tom Peters and the value of a continuous-improvement culture, then self-directed teams, reengineering, learning organizations, and lean approaches. Let's not forget APQP, TPS, 8D, black belts, fish, frogs, pickles, and, well, I'll let you fill in the rest - each industry had its own.
Without exception, each wave of programs left behind valuable flotsam and jetsam that corporate America used to achieve the quality and productivity improvements of the late 20th century. As we begin the 21st century, business consultants and executives everywhere are looking for the first tsunami of the century. I, too, look forward to its arrival. However, while waiting for the next tsunami and at the same time reinforcing the key concepts left over from past waves, let's not forget the foundation upon which all of these programs rest.
Students Learn ABC's of Job Success
The Monroe Evening News
Some high school students in Ida and Erie got an eye-opening lesson in their ABCs Thursday -an alphabet of skills designed to spell "career success."
Nick Synko, a corporate trainer and consultant, spoke to students in careers and work skills classes at Ida High School and Mason High School in Erie. A former Tenneco Inc. trainer, the Saline resident is the author of "Future@Work - An Employee Survival Guide for the 21st Century."
The 180-page soft cover book is meant for workers and students and was compiled from Mr. Synko's knowledge of the skills and traits employers seek when they hire workers.
It covers the alphabet from "Attitude" to "Zero Defects," and Mr. Synko used anecdotes, examples and cartoon panels contained in the book to get his message across to students Thursday.
"Attitude is absolutely a job skill that is more important than almost anything else," he said. "Employers hire positive attitudes just as much or more as they hire the skill."
"People can't hide attitudes, and (job) interviewers notice attitudes," he said.
He called attitude the great multiplier. "Whatever you do is always multiplied by your attitude," he said. As in any multiplication formula, those with a negative attitude will generate a negative result.
Knowledge Works at Washtenaw Community College
What will the 21st Century work world look like? What skills will be necessary to meet the fast-paced demands of new ideas and new expectations? Will you be ready to meet the challenge? Do you have the skills? Do you have the attitude?
