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Lean Six Sigma is a global phenomenon with the potential to drive your company towards bigger and more tangible business success. Efficiency, profitability, product quality, Lean Six Sigma can improve them all. Success stories are in abundance as businesses all over the world have taken advantage of the many benefits Lean Six Sigma has to offer. Big-name companies like Cisco Systems have used Lean and Six Sigma problem-solving methods to examine the critical features of their production that were holding them back. They were able to create new Lean processes that had the effect of significantly reducing overall costs and time spans for customer services. Using Lean Six Sigma, they achieved a 50% total reduction for participants’ time-to-decision on critical issues for their company. Dell, Inc. achieved similar success through Six Sigma frameworks, which allowed them to improve their enterprise testing via effective measurement strategies.

For you to maximize your business’s success, Lean Six Sigma needs to be used appropriately. It isn’t a quick fix, cure-all, instantaneous solution. Lean Six Sigma takes time. It is a tool, to be used however it is needed. Six Sigma’s techniques are typically used to decrease process lag, eliminate process variation, and reduce waste (be it time, labor, costs, etc.) in the process.Reducing variation is one of the most powerful facets of Six Sigma methodology, but its effectiveness multiplies when integrated with Lean principles. Not only will this help increase process speed, but waste will be targeted too. Investing in Six Sigma Black Belt Training for one or more employees could mean the difference between success and failure. Certified Black Belts will have all the tools necessary to help your business succeed.

Lean Six Sigma must also support your business goals if it is to be used effectively. Ask yourself when deciding how best to use Lean Six Sigma, “Will this maximize or compromise our chances of success? Does this support or undermine our goals?” This is the best way to draw up a clear strategy for how to proceed. Whether to attract new clients and customers, to gain a competitive edge in the market, improve profits, or decrease waste, Lean Six Sigma is as diverse as it is potent.

It’s equally important to ensure everyone is on board with the Lean Six Sigma philosophy. Some staff, managers particularly, may not lend their full support if it is seen as a burden (something that takes up too much time while consuming large budgetary allowances) rather than something that’s going to help them succeed (bringing with it tangible profitability). There’s every reason to be skeptical, but you can put your concerns to rest, as Lean Six Sigma can help you avoid drawbacks that arise as part of common business proceedings. Project selection, prioritizing, continuous monitoring, and organization of assets are all areas where managers can be given the freedom to utilize Lean Six Sigma for the collective, committed improvement of the company.

Lean Six Sigma also provides some effective solutions to problems of project selection. Companies can be overloaded with suggestions for improvements and expansions, but using Lean Six Sigma can help evaluate the potential benefits of any given idea by comparing the value of the end-result with the amount of effort expended to achieve it. Team leadership skills are essential to managing good Lean Six Sigma practices. Technical skills like data analysis allow Black Belts to yield rapid results while directing the rest of the team. This team effort is the crux of making Lean Six Sigma work for you. Having these useful tools available to you can make all the difference, and ensure you maximize your company’s success, both now and in the future.

At 6Sigma.us we are committed to helping people find solutions! We provide hands-on implementations of Lean and Six Sigma at our locations, at your workplace or online. Visit our schedule of classes and find a solution that meets your needs, or contact us and we will surely help you find the right fit.