Executives, experts and employees have been singing the praises of the Six Sigma continuous process improvement methodology for years. Organizations that implement this methodology have improved their products, services and processes. The ability to reduce defects has helped them to increase productivity, customer satisfaction and profitability.
What is mentioned less frequently are the obstacles that stand in the way of implementing Six Sigma. No discussion of Six Sigma execution is complete without addressing the hurdles that organizations face in implementing Six Sigma and how to overcome them.
Here are a few common roadblocks in successfully implementing Six Sigma in an organization, and how to eradicate them.
Lack of Leadership Commitment
A true test of a company’s commitment in deploying Six Sigma comes when management decides which employees will be dedicated to the project. Using whoever is available instead of dedicating top talent to Six Sigma project efforts puts the project on uncertain footing and reduces the odds of its success. A successful Six Sigma project requires leaders who are willing to dedicate resources of time, talent and money to the project.
Reassigning top performers from their current work to deploy Six Sigma projects is a short-term sacrifice, but can unlock the benefits of Six Sigma over the long term.
Incomplete Understanding of Six Sigma Methodologies
In their eagerness to reap the benefits of deploying the Six Sigma methodology, some organizations rush in before they have a firm grasp of what successful Six Sigma implementation requires. This can occur when companies implement Six Sigma simply to keep up with the competition, or to impress shareholders by being able to use continuous process improvement terminology in company documentation. Organizations that deploy Six Sigma as only a cosmetic change, or implement it without the resources it requires, are only inviting failure.
Companies can overcome this obstacle by committing fully to the process and employing and supporting Six Sigma experts to ensure that the company is deploying the methodology and not just using the terminology. These experts also keep the project focused on core operations where they can make the most difference, not just on the simple changes and the low hanging fruit.
Poor Execution
Even under the expert guidance of project Champions and Master Black Belts, Six Sigma quality improvement projects can go awry if they are not properly executed. Poor execution happens when process improvements are not aligned with the organization’s goals, when the project is based on reactively solving problems instead of meeting strategic objectives or when the quality improvement project focuses on the output of the process instead of the inputs.
When companies understand that Six Sigma methodologies are not intended to operate in a vacuum but that they work best when aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization, they are more likely to stay on target.
Organizations that find they are not getting the productivity gains or financial savings they anticipated from employing Six Sigma methodology are not disappointed because the methodology is ineffective. The most likely source of their disappointment is that the projects lack effective leadership and are managed inefficiently. When leadership is committed to applying the Six Sigma methodology, assigns top talent to project teams, puts the project through a formal selection and review process, and provides the required resources, the odds of Six Sigma success increase dramatically.
