Six Sigma Cynics: Convincing the Disbelievers

In any organization, the first deployment of a Six Sigma project is bound to encounter some level of resistance. Sometimes, opposition to the methodology is based on territory; department heads may be unwilling to cede control of their resources. Other times, the resistance may be due to a simple lack of belief in the approach. That is, employees, managers, and department heads may be unconvinced that the initiative will yield measurable benefits. In many cases, the staff may have been exposed to a series of faddish process improvement assignments only to watch them be dismantled and discarded. As such, it's hard to begrudge them their skepticism.

The challenge for Six Sigma teams is to identify the disbelievers and encourage their adoption of the methodology. Below, we'll explore the factors that separate the believers and disbelievers. I'll explain when senior management needs to get involved and their role in changing their organization's culture. I'll also describe how Kaizen can be used as an effective transformational tool.

What Separates The Believers And Disbelievers

Before building a road to conversion, it's important to first define why the cynics are skeptical of the Six Sigma methodology. As noted, one of the reasons is due to watching the adoption and subsequent abandonment of other process improvement disciplines. But, that obstacle is relatively simple to overcome. Far more problematic is that many skeptics have a cynical perception of the approach due to receiving training that was either insufficient or poorly presented.

Similarly, supporters usually comprise two distinct groups. The first group is made up of those who are naturally drawn to the precise analysis of metrics and the application of solutions based on statistics. These converts often hail from fields that are non-technical in nature. The second group of supporters come from backgrounds that rely heavily upon numbers, statistics, and analysis. While typically less enthusiastic than the first group, once they have bought into the Six Sigma approach, they become dependable and devoted resources.

When Executive Leadership Gets Involved

While the project team - including Black Belts and Champions - can be instrumental in converting skeptics, the conversion is usually slow. When time permits, it's performed individually due to a lack of resources. Eventually, senior management must get involved. The CEO and top-level executives can exert influence that Black Belts and Champions cannot.

Every initiative must have the full support of an organization's executive leadership for a successful implementation. If skepticism exists, that support is vital in order to remove roadblocks and convert cynics.

Changing The Culture Through Kaizen

Many managers who deal with a large population of skeptics look to Kaizen for popularizing the Six Sigma methodology. To be sure, it can help. Encouraging employees to pursue process-related efficiencies and making them accountable for smaller continuous improvements can slowly change the culture within an organization. The problem is making the transition from a Kaizen-based initiative to the rigorous quantitative analysis employed by a Six Sigma project. If that transition does not happen quickly enough, employees may come to focus too heavily upon Kaizen. When that happens, it becomes another obstacle to the project.

Every organization copes with some level of skepticism when introducing a new methodology for analyzing and improving business processes. If previous attempts have been made and abandoned, the level of skepticism is likely greater. Whether Six Sigma is being implemented as a first attempt at process improvement or a "last try" after a series of failures, the disbelievers can be converted. Once they are, a successful deployment is far more likely.