Balance and Integration are More Valuable than Expertise.

Many years ago, I was contracted into a large aircraft manufacturer in the Northwest. During an after-hours process improvement study group, I got talking with the manager bringing GE’s Six Sigma program into the company. I shared some insights with him that I thought might be helpful.

Six Sigma programs had two flavors. One was tool based, the other was team-based. In my experience, both are needed for successful projects. However, if focusing too heavily on one approach the projects would suffer or fail because of the lack of the other. My impression was that the GE model he was using focused heavily on the tool approach, and his efforts might benefit from training Black-Belts in how to lead a team.

The manager said the contract to use the GE material stated that no deviation was allowed. He was not allowed to add to the material.

One and a half years later the manager tracked me down. He did an analysis of last year’s projects. Found that a clear one-quarter of the Six Sigma projects failed because the Black Belt’s heading the projects did not know how to lead a team.

My advice continues to this day. Success is a combination of people and tools (physical or mental) and how they work together.