Growing up in my neighborhood, if you were a black belt in karate, you were up for just about anything. They all knew about the training and discipline required to achieve that goal. And real tough guys gave you a certain look. You know, like saying “I better not mess with this guy, he’s a black belt.”
Unfortunately, the tough guys in my community never looked at me that way. Because the karate instructor told me, “You’re too young for the show; come back next year.” Needless to say, I never got my black belt in karate. However, I did become a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB). And I can tell you from experience that the training and discipline were just as rewarding. Also, the skills I developed were excellent!
I always get the same question from people, “What exactly is a Six Sigma black belt?” My eyes light up as a series of thoughts run through my head. It’s like I can hear the voice of my Six Sigma instructor (a master black belt) calling my attention. I would proudly say, “Six Sigma is a process that focuses on cost savings: it helps you identify critical customer issues that can affect your business bottom line.”
More specifically, it reduces defects or errors that are critical to your customer. There are many different variables that can affect the “Cost of Poor Quality” (COPQ). This is another name we give to chronic waste. COPQ is very important because it ultimately distracts you from effectively serving your customer. It often affects your company’s performance, overall customer service, revenue, products, and bottom line.
Simply put, Six Sigma can make a world of difference in your organization. I used my black belt training to save our company a lot of money. I applied Six Sigma principles to different projects and made recommendations for improvements and cost savings. I also conducted research that identified ways to reduce the expenses and wasted time associated with business travel. As a result, feedback from my project was included as part of our “Cost Containment Strategy.”
So what exactly is Six Sigma? It is a methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve performance. As a general rule, Six Sigma focuses on three main areas: improving customer satisfaction, decreasing the time it takes to do a job, and reducing product defects. Six sigma dates back to Carl Gauss, who introduced the “Normal Distribution Curve” (also known as the bell curve). There are several ways Six Sigma can be used: quality control, competitive advantage, return on investment (ROI), process improvement, customer satisfaction, and long-term sustainability.
Ok, so what is a black belt? A black belt is the highest level of training received in the Six Sigma program. This level is only passed by a master black belt (the instructor) who typically conducts the certification process. You may remember the movie “Karate Kid”, where the teacher instructs the student through a specific process. Basically, the teacher teaches the student how to focus on the components of the process. In Six Sigma, that process is known as the DMAIC process. The acronym stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.
When it comes to trouble, a certified black belt will always consider using the DMAIC process. To better understand chronic waste and cost containment, there are several questions you will ask:
• What are the critical elements of your business or industry?
• Do you know what is important to your customer?
• What inputs (X) are impacting your output?
• How do inputs drive the cost of production (Y)?
• Do you know the root causes?
The role of a black belt is to develop, train, and lead Six Sigma project teams. They are also mentors and advise others on lean methods and tools. Many certification programs require black belts to make an oral defense. He or she presents quantifiable evidence of a company project that shows significant cost savings. Most black belts must save at least $250,000. The oral defense is a two-hour presentation where the black belt explains the details of the project. A master black belt listens, asks questions, and approves the project based on the evidence. A review board then receives the final submission and determines if the candidate will be certified as a black belt.
Like almost everything else in business, the success of Six Sigma depends on the people who do the work. Team commitment is essential and top management support is critical. Going back to my previous comments about how having a black belt prepared you for just about anything; I think he did then, and he does now.
Becoming a Six Sigma black belt was a great learning experience for me. But I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not everyone’s “cup of tea.” In other words, some people are not interested in learning all the details. They may not be interested in getting a black belt, but I guarantee they are interested in learning new skills. Six Sigma is made up of several levels: white belt, yellow belt, green belt, and black belt.
Six Sigma is a process and can mean extra work (at first). However, the benefits are tremendous. Project management and Six Sigma work perfectly together. These combined abilities create a wonderful combination. I learned firsthand how this knowledge can help improve operations and improve performance.
The part I like the most is that it will increase the skills of your employees. Remember them – they are the people who help make your business a success. And they are the highest return on investment (ROI) you will ever have.
I owe a debt of gratitude to my former Executive Vice President. I’ll go one step further and say, “All employees should be grateful to have leaders who encourage them to learn new skills. Just as all leaders should appreciate having employees who are eager to develop new skills.”
As I said earlier, “The goal of Six Sigma is to focus on cost savings and help identify critical customer problems…” But in reality, Six Sigma is much more. It’s a skill that will help prepare your organization to compete in the global marketplace.
Bottom line: invest in your people and encourage them to learn. Have them stretch out of their comfort zone. Help develop their skills. If you don’t, they will put your lack of involvement into words. No matter how you look at it, the words are the same as my old karate instructor: “You’re too young for the show, come back next year.”