Six Sigma Projects - Failure Signs

By Craig Calvin

For Six Sigma deployment to be successful in an organization, a sustained effort is required by all. The entire organization must be a part of the routine set forth during Six Sigma implementation. And the leadership has to be vigilant in patrolling the ongoing success of the project. Usually in the early stages of the project, a close eye is paid to the project areas to ensure everything is going forward correctly. At that stage, any failure is corrected right away.

A major indicator of reduction of support for the project may manifest itself in the form of leaders who no longer show commitment. When highly trained Black Belts have a hard time recruiting people for new responsibilities, the problem, by then, is usually apparent. Six Sigma success requires qualified employees in various roles, and when those roles are given to staff who lack appropriate skills, then the leaders should accept that erosion of the project has begun and support for the Six Sigma projects is lacking.

It is important for project leaders to stay on top of their projects. When the preset goals for a project lose their impact by becoming modest, and the achievement falls below what is expected, the project can be determined to be on a quick road to failure. Project deadlines must be met or leaders will be faced with dealing with the problems down the road.

When the Six Sigma team starts to show signs of exclusivity and calls for a separate group, it takes away the enthusiasm of others in their activity. Additionally, if the teams do not coordinate their activities and undertake local level projects without due consideration to the related factors concerning other teams, then the project is bound to fail. When the project is carried out in the old ways of doing things, then it becomes a setback for the project. When projects are selected based on cost-cutting criteria, and are not checked with their relevance to the customer, the Six Sigma initiative is bound to go haywire. If the Black Belts involve themselves in quick wins that do not require their skills, such initiatives may not succeed.

Black Belts should not involve themselves in quick wins which don't use their skills. That erosion their responsibilities should raise a red flag. They should set reasonable challenges for themselves and strive to achieve those goals. Their loss of interest, or the short cutting of measures for the sake of short term success is a sure sign that Six Sigma is on a road to failure. That is the time for the leaders to step in and elevate interest to ensure the project's goals are achieved. - 18099

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