5 Common Mistakes Of Six Sigma Deployment And Ways Of Avoiding Them

These Six Sigma deployment mistakes can pave the way for disappointing business results and erode an organization’s time and other valuable resources. Take a look at the most common Six Sigma deployment mistakes and ways of avoiding them.
More often than not, successful Six Sigma deployment is a result of well-organized process implementation and the effective management of time and resources. While proper planning of Six Sigma deployment leads to rewarding benefits for all stake holders of an organization, its flawed deployment is wasteful and causes major drawbacks for all projects in the reckoning. In the paragraphs that follow, we help you understand 5 mistakes of Six Sigma deployment that can derail your efforts. Keep your projects on track by recognizing these mistakes and knowing how to avoid them at all costs.
Mistake #1: Training and Certification Goals are enough
To build upon their overall competency, organizations strive to hire trained and certified Six Sigma professionals for aiding their deployment efforts. As much as this is an important aspect for achieving project goals, there is a lot more than what meets the eye. This is because, sometimes, when teams remain focused on attaining their certification and training goals, they fail to chalk out the right ways of Six Sigma deployment and execution. Post the period of initial training, the lack of adequate mentoring or support for coaching may also lead to inordinate delays for projects.
Solutions
Six Sigma deployment teams should always retain their focus on the business goals of an organization and incorporate the right infrastructural capabilities for handling Six Sigma projects.
Tangible benefits can be obtained with the help of proper mentoring and coaching of certified professionals, review of Six Sigma deployment and business results attributed to training and certification, and corrections in course selection if there is persistent lack of progress.
Mistake #2: Indifferent Attitude of Leadership
The absence of commitment and consistent support for Six Sigma deployment from the management and other leaders can have devastating results. Along with adhering to the cause of effective deployment, and emphasizing the importance of Six Sigma at all times, the senior leadership support has to be at its forthcoming best. This support should trickle down to each level in the organization. The mere presence of resources, good intentions, efforts or time is not enough.
Solutions
As strong leadership support is the primary key to Six Sigma deployment success, it is essential for the senior management to have regular communications with all members of the organization.
The role of all Six Sigma initiatives has to be emphasized and aligned with the overall business objectives.
The deployment progress has to be discussed at management review meetings; additionally, Six Sigma should become a part of the compulsory agenda for all general events within the organization.
Problem # 3: Faulty Strategies for Six Sigma Deployment
Regardless of the nature of operations, it is very important to sync organizational business goals to the expected Six Sigma deployment results. Faulty deployment strategies and ineffective alignment always results in confusion and poor definition of the value of ensuing efforts. In due course, key stakeholders and all relevant associates tend to question the impact of such Six Sigma deployment strategies, thereby leading to further delays.
Solutions
All Six Sigma deployment ideas and strategies should pay adequate attention to the different aspects of Six Sigma learning, deployment planning, and organizational development. They should also align with project execution, Six Sigma coaching, and operational excellence goals.
The progress of Six Sigma deployment should be tied to the changes in business results; the implementation of deployment strategies have to be monitored closely; regular information pertaining to business results should be shared across the organization; and all course corrections (if any) have to implemented quickly to aid the ensuing Six Sigma efforts.
Problem #4: Incorrect Six Sigma Project Selection
Improper project selection, or lack of focus on project prioritization, will result in processes that lie outside the control boundaries of Green Belt and Black Belt certified professionals. Along with bringing in quick disillusionment within the organization, such selections will invariably result in projects getting scrapped or delayed. Overall, it is very important to make the right project selection (that too in line with the available and accessible resources) to attain the best results. Any mistake in this regard will lead to poor project deliveries and outcomes.
Solutions
The Six Sigma deployment teams have to ensure that all process improvement projects are totally focused on financial gains, business and customer goals, and other data-based objectives.
Regular workshops should be conducted for proper project identification, prioritization and selection.
The Six Sigma projects that make it to the floor should be backed by sponsors who are responsible for signing off and tracking their business gains.
Problem #5: lack of Combined Efforts
Successful Six Sigma is impossible without roping in the efforts of each and every member of an organization. In most cases, deployment teams do not lay enough focus on communicating the advantages of Six Sigma deployment to key stakeholders, or fail to lay down formal rules for attaining the end goals. This in turn results in grave losses for the entire organization.
Solutions
The business and strategic objectives of an organization have to be carefully linked to the Six Sigma deployment / individual goals to garner complete support from all members and key stakeholders.
The importance and benefits of successful deployment should be communicated in no uncertain terms by the senior management to the organization’s associates.
Six Sigma roadmaps are to be charted by the deployment teams for the entire organization; this goes a long way in integrating Six Sigma into the company’s core values.
Way Forward
Avoiding these 5 common Six Sigma deployment mistakes brings forth long-term benefits for any organization. The key to success lies in identifying these challenges as soon as they arise and ensuring that all proper actions are taken to nip them in the bud.
All the best.