Articles

Image: Six Sigma Processes and Change Management Tools - The More Things Change

The More Things Change…

ā€œā€¦the more things remain the same.ā€ As they gathered around the salad bar, one employee said, ā€œthat must be the umpteenth announcement this month.ā€ One of the senior employees smiled. ā€œDon’t worry. It’s all talk. There’s never any follow-through. Trust me, I’ve been here long enough. Things will NEVER change around here.ā€ We remembered conversations […]

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ISO 9000

Process Change? Think ISO 9000!

In their haste to implement changes, a few companies fail to consider ISO 9000. They think that it is a technical standard to be reckoned with and that only certain industries must comply. But for the experienced, the Switzerland-based International Standards Organization (ISO) must occupy a prominent place in company policy and strategy, especially when […]

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gantt chart, lean six sigma, lean, six sigma, lean six sigma tools, leadership, tools, 6sigma.us

Gantt Chart: Charting a Path to Success

Understanding the value of Lean Six Sigma tools is crucial to a practitioner. With a busy practice, keeping up with and accurately tracking the exact location and status of projects is crucial. TheĀ Gantt Chart is traditionally display as a bar chart. It shows the tasks of a project, when each must take place and how […]

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Image: Leadership Failure in Lean Six Sigma

Leadership Failure: Are You Stumbling?

Understanding the Trap Leadership failure can happen more often than you think. According to a recent survey, over 40% of new Chief Executive Officers (CEO) fail within their first 18 months. That is a very powerful statement! Newly hired CEO’s enter the arena with confidence and attitude that is success focused. They wouldn’t have gotten […]

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leadership, business, project manager, six sigma, lean six sigma, 6sigma.us

Leadership: Developing the Essentials

Are You Preparing? Leadership is often misunderstood. Often times, people define leaders as those appointed to positions of authority above them. It is expected that if you hold a position of authority, then you are a leader. Those same people then follow those in positions above them, with sometimes reluctant obedience. They see that their […]

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Risk Assessment

FMEA: Failure Mode and Effect Analysis – Risk Assessment

Need for Failure Assessment Traditionally, a lot of emphasis was placed on designing a product. Those who planned ahead of time were given a pat on the back. Then, most of the effort was positioned towards manufacturing the product. Lastly, the product was checked for any defects or areas where quality was compromised. This cycle […]

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Barriers to Radical Change

Barriers to Radical Change – Six Sigma is Here to Help You

When considering the many barriers to change efforts, a leader can become overwhelmed and easily frustrated. However, most of these barriers can be categorized into three areas, making them seem, perhaps, more manageable. These three categories include cognition, motivation, and obligations. Cognition deals with the way people think. It is understandable that many people hold […]

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Product Branding

Product Branding: With a Little Help from Six Sigma

There is no dearth of advice and wisdom from marketers when it comes to product branding. Open the business section of your newspaper or surf to a marketing site and you’re bound to come across articles on the subject. We’re not sure though if anyone has discussed product branding within the framework of Six Sigma. […]

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Career Change Management Six Sigma Training

Six Sigma Training: The Evolution of Change

Embracing Change Six Sigma training can be an evolution of success. For most seeking change in their professional development, Six Sigma training can be an attractive opportunity for change and future success. Sometimes though, the conception of change can be a terrifying prospect. Recent studies tell us that the average person will be making a […]

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Six Sigma Solution

Six Sigma as a Solution

Years ago, a tennis coach told us that the follow-through was just as important as hitting the ball from the racket’s ā€œsweet spot.ā€ He described the follow-through as the swinging of the racket so that the racket ends upward, way above your shoulders. It was much better than hitting the ball and letting your elbows […]

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Image: Lean and Six Sigma, finding the perfect balance

Lean and Six Sigma: Finding the Perfect Balance

Finding the Balance Lean and Six Sigma concepts are well understood in many business situations. Each concept Ā has found its place and proven their value. Lean does its part, focusing on improving the process and eliminating waste. Six Sigma performs its role by eliminating variable in the process. Organizations implement each strategy differently, based on […]

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Image: Six Sigma CEU Credit

Understanding How Change Works

Change Management is an approach to helping people transition from an old state to a new state. Its goal is to help the organization and its employees cope with change in the most efficient and seamless manner so as not to disrupt operations. Coping with change means dealing with the need for new skills or […]

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knowing your customer, voice of the customer, customer service, 6sigma.us

Customers: How Well Do You Know Them?

Uncovering the Cover Up Customers. What do they really know? Fact is, my business is doing just fine and am pretty confident Ā there aren’t any issues. Oh, I have a few ‘difficult’ customers, but I really don’t worry about them. They cause us more problems than there are worth in sales, so it really doesn’t […]

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Benchmarking – The Acceptable Face Of Cheating

Benchmarking – The Acceptable Face Of Cheating

What is the ultimate route to business success? There are those who assert that hard work and dedication are the answer to this question. Business gurus though, might, deride such a simplistic view. It is almost unheard of, for a newly launched product to be immediately profitable. Instead, every aspect of the product from design, […]

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Force Field Analysis: The Power of Drivers & Restraints

May The Force Be With You Force Field Analysis is a powerful tool used to clearly understand the true position of a process. When trying to understand a process or a “why” there will always be proponents and detractors. Debates will ensue with lively argumentsĀ from both sides of the issue, clearly advocating their positions as […]

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force field analysis six sigma tools

Force Field Analysis: The Power of Drivers & Restraints

May The Force Be With You Force Field Analysis is a powerful tool used to clearly understand the true position of a process. When trying to understand a process or a “why” there will always be proponents and detractors. Debates will ensue with lively argumentsĀ from both sides of the issue, clearly advocating their positions as […]

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Six Sigma Remembers - Memorial Day

Memorial Day: Our Remembrance & Honor

What Are Your Plans? Memorial Day. It’s a four day weekend! Time to hang out by the water with friends, light the BBQ grill and cook some meat. Whatever you like, it typically evokes thoughts of fun in the sun, travel, friends and welcoming in summer! Before heading out on that road trip or stocking […]

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six sigma leadership

Leadership: Do You Have What It Takes?

The Qualities We Seek Leadership. What is it and how do we get it? The concept is one of the most debatable subjects in business today. As individuals, we lean toward what we like. Your personality gravitates towards like personalities and that is where you find your comfort zone. Fact is, no one find success […]

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busy professional, six sigma, lean, training, 6sigma.us

Specialized Training: Making the Time for Value

Overcoming the Obstacles Specialized training presents a prime opportunity to expand your knowledge base and critical skills. The obstacles most professionals face is the expense of the training and finding the time in a fast paced environment to attend the courses. In today’s work environment, between finding the time to manage meetings, burgeoning email streams […]

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manufacturer pricing, lean principles, lean, 6sigma.us

Manufacturer Pricing: Is There a Better Way?

Developing a Concept Can we change the old ways of manufacturer pricing? The impact of Lean manufacturing principles is well established. Manufacturers who follow Lean principles create significant profitability improvements over time, all while meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Can those same Lean principles and practices be applied to pricing and achieve the same type […]

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