In today’s competitive business environment, there is much more emphasis on Lean management, high quality, zero waste and continuous improvement. These are the cornerstones of Six Sigma professionals, who use this proven, data-driven approach, its methodologies and tools to achieve near-perfection in processes—whether they’re related to manufacturing products or delivering services.
If you are considering earning a Six Sigma certification, then you’ve probably wondered what a typical day in the life of a Six Sigma pro looks like.
The short answer is that there is no “typical day.” Six Sigma practitioners come from every industry and from all levels of management. While there is no one right way to practice Six Sigma on a daily basis, there are general principles of the methodology that will shape the way that you see the people and processes that you work with.
First, Six Sigma is a hierarchical discipline and your responsibilities and assignments are given based on your level of experience and education. Second, both you and the members of your Six Sigma team are drawn from the ranks of the company, there’s no need for outside help.
What do Six Sigma Professionals Do?
Like the martial arts, Six Sigma has a belt system that assigns authority and responsibility based on their level of skill and training. The list below describes Six Sigma belts and their most common duties:
Master Black Belt (MBB) Duties – The MBB is the highest belt ranking and has the full-time job of leading the company’s Six Sigma efforts. The Master Black Belt acts as a link between the organization’s Six Sigma improvement program and executive leadership. The MBB promotes Six Sigma at the C-level to obtain critical support and resources and ensure that improvement projects are implemented and adequately funded.
MBBs use their extensive Six Sigma experience and their understanding of the company’s strategy to select Six Sigma projects, create project teams and cultivate talent with the potential of becoming Black Belts.
Black Belt Duties – Black Belts lead the Six Sigma improvement process. Their experience leading, motivating, and influencing project teams give them the leadership ability to implement the Six Sigma vision dictated by Master Black Belts.
Black Belts must be comfortable with managing and driving change. It requires finesse to be an enthusiastic change agent without upsetting or unsettling team members or other members of the company.
Black Belts must be clear and effective communicators to succeed in their roles as Six Sigma leaders, mentors, coaches and trainers. In the course of their day, Black Belts will communicate with employees at all levels of the company. They must be able to speak the language of the C-suite and the shop floor equally well.
Green Belt Duties – Green Belts are certified in Six Sigma, and they practice it part time. They will likely spend 25-to-50% of their time devoted to Six Sigma projects and the remainder working in their primary functional area.
Green Belts are the lifeblood of the Six Sigma team; they make projects work by contributing to data collection and analysis efforts. Green Belts are often called upon participate in Six Sigma projects that improve the process they work with every day.
Green Belts are potential team leaders, and they are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills by facilitating brainstorming sessions and taking the lead on parts of the project.
Understanding how the belt system works in general, and understanding the requirements of the particular belt that interests you helps you better prepare for certification.
Job Outlook for Six Sigma Professionals
Six Sigma professionals continue to be in demand, as companies worldwide seek to cut costs and improve processes and decrease waste. Countless employers see hiring Six Sigma practitioners as an investment that offers a high return—because they know how to achieve more using fewer resources.
Potential Salary
According to the 2016 QP Salary Survey, the median annual salary for Lean Six Sigma Black Belts in the United States was $104,974. Glassdoor.com lists the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professional salary at $100,991. Salary.com also published data on top Six Sigma executive salaries. The median annual salary for this group, with at least 15 years of experience in the field, was $187,011. The middle 50% earned between $151,261 and $237,838, as of September 2017.
Job seekers are encouraged to conduct independent research to determine actual earning potential, as Six Sigma salaries may vary widely, depending on actual position, location, education, employer and work experience.
Job Duties
Six Sigma professionals work in all types of companies, in nearly every industry. They are often employed by government agencies and contractors, telecommunications firms, manufacturing companies, healthcare companies and financial services providers, to name a few. Six Sigma professionals are typically responsible for providing expertise in deploying Lean and Six Sigma programs and initiatives, and directing teams to achieve desired results using Six Sigma methodologies.
Six Sigma professionals support the analysis, planning, design, implementation and evaluation of key projects to help companies achieve their goals. Using Six Sigma methodology and analytics, they accomplish measurable business process improvements.
Specific Six Sigma job duties might include instructing cross-functional teams in adapting to and understanding improvement processes, facilitating Kaizen and Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs), and overseeing process improvement projects. These professionals may also be required to interpret customer needs and requirements, translate concepts into practice, identify process improvement opportunities, and quantify results and trends.
Professionals who are leading Six Sigma projects are also often required to make recommendations, and develop and present formal presentations to senior management. Six Sigma Black Belts will typically share best practices methods and ideas, as well as coach and mentor others, particularly Six Sigma Green Belts.
Education and Training
Candidates who are successful at landing Six Sigma jobs have usually earned a bachelor’s degree in business or a field related to the industry in which they will be working. Important courses for Six Sigma professionals include statistics, business administration, and accounting. Employers often look for experience in or continuous improvement, as well, and will often prefer applicants with extensive Six Sigma training and certification. Professionals who strive to advance in their careers will often seek additional Six Sigma training.
Six Sigma Training Can Open Up Career Possibilities
Do you have the skills and knowledge that today’s top companies need to remain profitable and competitive? With Six Sigma training, you can become an expert in these fundamentals, save your firm money and become a valuable asset to companies, large and small, all over the world.
