The Importance of Speaking the Same Language
Communication is a key factor in the success of any project. For Six Sigma leaders, maturity and experience can bring a balance between viewing individual “trees in the forest” and understanding how the whole forest full of trees can function together. When a leader starts adjusting processes in one area, changes can be felt in other areas, even if the perturbation was unintentional.
When a change results in employees or a branch of the company feeling like they are caught off guard or have been disregarded in some way, the end result can be as damaging as a forest fire. To an untrained eye, a small pile of leaves smoldering in the corner may seem harmless, but over time the problem can grow. Just like most forest fires, with proper education and communication they can be avoided all together.
Communication and Project Success
For a Six Sigma project to run smoothly, communication is essential. If everyone across the organization understands the basics of Six Sigma, then it is more likely there will be some understanding when improvements in one area bring about changes in others. Further, if teams across divisions understand how one small change can bring about a more effective organization, then there will be some ownership and responsibility in the process that may not possible when an employee feels “put upon” or “blind-sided.”
Having a basic level of Six Sigma training also empowers employees at varying levels to put their observations and unique insight into a language that management teams may respond to more effectively. The savings and ingenuity reaped from an organization that can share meaningful insights and communicate more effectively across divisions may translate into significant profits over time. Consider the case of Ford.
Ford Motor Company is Doing It Right
Since 1999, Ford has put Six Sigma strategies to good use. In 2005, Quality Digest reported that the company had begun providing green belt training to a larger amount of their employees. The training was perceived as offering an opportunity for a greater community of workers to understand the overall implications of Six Sigma strategies across traditional corporate divisions.
In areas such as sustainability, understanding the overlapping nature of project outcomes and change is essential for differing groups to be on board and invested in meeting overarching target goals. In Ford’s 2013-14 sustainability report, a number of key areas were addressed, especially those related to improving energy efficiency of manufacturing processes.
Considering that energy efficiency has been an ongoing area of effort for Ford, with consistent improvement over the years, it is noteworthy that in 2013 the company was able to “improve global energy efficiency of manufacturing facilities by 17.4 percent against a 2011 year baseline normalized for weather and production levels,” according to the report.
In addition, their current target goals include a:
- 30% reduction in greenhouse gas per vehicle in their manufacturing facilities from 2010 to 2025
- 25% reduction in average energy consumption per vehicle produced from 2011 to 2016
- 30% reduction in water use per vehicle between 2009 and 2015
- 40% reduction in landfill waste per vehicle produced 2011 and 2016
While huge manufacturing systems that span across several nations and involve multiple teams of individuals, who may not speak the same language, can significantly benefit from the insight that Six Sigma training offers, so can more modest organizations.
Six Sigma Helps Build Company Endurance
Six Sigma training is a powerful tool to increase the effectiveness of communication among teams, no matter their size. Each division has a unique perspective on how their part of the company contributes to the rest of the organization. For leaders considering expanding the offer of Six Sigma training, the benefits may not be immediately apparent. However, over time through industry ups and downs, the investment of training that supports meaningful communication, as Six Sigma training does, may help build the endurance and innovation that endures the test of time.
