How to implement the Six Sigma Breakthrough Strategy
You’ve done your homework, read the literature, thoroughly assessed the benefits of Six Sigma, and decided to implement the Breakthrough Strategy, wherever possible, using in-house resources. You have asked the essential questions; you’ve gained the necessary executive support for active, visible, top-down leadership; you’ve confirmed the considerable budget allocation; and you are now ready to proceed. These will be among the steps to consider...
1. Appoint a Deployment Champion.
A Deployment Champion will be a member of the key executive team whose principal responsibility will be to nurture Six Sigma throughout the organisation. He or she may be coached by a Six Sigma expert and may, in turn, appoint Project Champions. The Deployment Champion will be a major influence on choosing projects and implementing the strategies and tactics.
2. Assemble and train a Six Sigma team.
Ensure that you have the right people ready to lead the processes as part of overall projects. Before publicly announcing the introduction of Six Sigma, assemble a small team whose job it will be to coordinate the introduction with other organisational endeavours. Some employees, for example, may resist the change, seeing the introduction of Six Sigma as a further demand on their time. The coordinating team, led by the Deployment Champion and supported by Project Champions, is likely to continue to monitor the success of the Breakthrough Strategy and will:
- recommend candidates for Black Belts and Green Belts (other Project Champions and Master Black Belts are already likely to be part of the coordinating team)
- arrange and monitor candidate training
- identify particular areas of focus, potential projects, and the criteria for selection and, if necessary, termination of those projects
- consider how to measure the success of those projects
- compare all costs with the budgeted allocation.
Three essential features of the team’s training will involve:
- communicating with others involved in implementing Six Sigma
- developing the team’s understanding of measurement tools
- studying relevant material - for example, Harry and Schroeder’s Six Sigma and www.6-sigma.com
3. Communicate the decision to proceed.
Six Sigma is a major initiative, so proceed as you would for any major change initiative. When you are satisfied that your Six Sigma team is ready, conduct a meeting (or a series of meetings) with everyone in the organisation. The decision to proceed, communicated by the CEO and the Deployment Champion, should:
- outline the Six Sigma process: there are no Six Sigma companies, only Six Sigma processes
- introduce the Six Sigma team, who will provide the essential support - champions, master black belts, black belts, and green belts
- link Six Sigma commitment and competency to promotion and salary incentives
- allay any concerns about job security
- point out that another meeting of all concerned will be held (say, in ten days) to give people a chance to discuss the initiative with colleagues and return with any questions or suggestions for projects.
