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		<title>Six Sigma Blogs at the iSixSigma Blogosphere</title>
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		<description>Six Sigma Blogs at the iSixSigma Blogosphere</description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: 100 Reasons to Embrace Six Sigma]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/100_reasons_to_embrace_six_sigma.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Having recently posted my 100th  blog, I thought it would be worth-while to share my list of 100 reasons why companies should embrace Six Sigma  . . .
Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . .   Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . .   Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers . . . Customers 
Any questions?]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:09:58 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Waiting for W.O.W.?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/waiting_for_wow.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Today’s world seems to have us all going 90 miles an hour, multi-tasking and stretching ourselves to the limit to get things done.  Finding time for home, work, school, kids, parents, church, volunteering etc. has become one of our biggest challenges.  Time has become a precious commodity for everyone.  No one has it to waste and no one wants to wait.    So what does all this have to do with W.O.W.?  Everything.  
What’s Needed – On Time – With Value . . . Save time for your customers by enabling efficient transactions and watch your WOW-O-Meter go off scale.   How?  Reduce the time waiting in line, reduce the time holding on the phone, reduce the time a customer has to wait for a delivery, and enable transactions when your customer has time.   It’s all about the process.  Cut out bottlenecks and things will keep moving.  Eliminate defects and you won’t have to stop to fix them.  Remove unneeded steps or hand-offs and you’ll be one step closer to ‘lean time’.  Best of all, enable efficient transactions at a time that’s convenient to your customer and increase customer delight.
So, don’t keep your customers waiting for W.O.W.   Act now!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:48:11 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Customer W.O.W.  - The Time is Now!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/customer_wow_the_time_is_now.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What’s Needed - On Time - With Value  (W.O.W.)  It’s even more relevant in today’s economy.  As families struggle to make ends meet, the value provided for the dollar spent is more important than ever.  What does this mean?  Higher expectations from customers at a time when businesses themselves are tightening up the spending reins.  What should we do?   Panic?  No - we don’t need to stinkin’ panic  . . . we got Six Sigma!
For decades, the "excellence minded" have used Six Sigma to balance the Quality - Delivery - Cost equation.   And it’s times like these that will separate the "excellence minded" from the "naysayers".   For excellence is not a linear function of money rather it is a combination of passion, planning, process and people.   It’s not about squeezing the last dollar out of your process; it’s about finding new and innovative ways to deliver value at a lower cost.  So what are you waiting for?  Get out your six sigma toolbox, get engaged and take the lead in creating customer W.O.W.   It’s time!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:56:51 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Mapping a Path to the  W.O.W. Side]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/mapping_a_path_to_the_wow_side.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Consistently delighting customers and providing exceptional handling of issues and errors using the R.A.P.I.D. methodology are two ways to create customer W.O.W.  (What’s Needed - On Time - With Value)  But just figuring out how it’s done is of little value if you cannot consistently deliver.    Process maps, which are an integral part of the Six Sigma methodology, enable this consistency.  
Process maps identify inputs and outputs of the process.  Targeting specific inputs where best practices can be applied will help assure actions that create customer W.O.W. (delighters) are integrated into the process.   Customer feedback on past performance as well as trends related to customer issues can also be linked back to specific steps in the process map where the process can be modified to prevent problems or add delighters. 
Once finalized, a process map serves as a learning tool to help train all stakeholders on the consistent approach that has been developed.   The process map provides a broad view of how specific actions, consistently applied, help create the type of overall experience needed to achieve Customer W.O.W.   And, if needed, the map can also serve as a basis for creating a Standard Operating Procedure or Job Aid that provides steps that will facilitate this consistent approach. 
Finding your way to the W.O.W. Side is not an easy task.  But once there, helping others consistently find the way is much easier if you build them a map.
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2009 08:05:14 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: From OW to WOW]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/from_ow_to_wow.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The best way to create customer W.O.W. is to consistently provide customers with What’s Needed - On Time - With Value.  In a perfect world it is always W.O.W. time.  But in the real world sometimes things go wrong.  The clothes don’t fit, the food is cold, the hostess is rude, the cable goes out, the list goes on.  What next?   
Customer concerns and/or complaints are not a basic ingredient for W.O.W. but in themselves create an opportunity to turn OW into WOW.  All it takes is RAPID response.  RAPID response considers two elements in fixing a customer’s concern - the operational action and the emotional factor.   Maintaining a positive interaction while fixing a problem or concern can sometimes turn a customer OW to WOW.   But you need both parts - fixing the problem but snubbing the emotional side can leave your customer feeling bruised.   Being empathetic and caring but not getting the problem fixed doesn’t hit the mark either.  It is the right combination of what you do and how you do it that will establish your service level one notch above the rest.  
So next time your customer experiences an OW moment, put RAPID response to work and see if you can turn OW to WOW.
]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:35:08 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: The Grapes of W.O.W.]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/the_grapes_of_wow.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In my December blog I touched on customer feedback and understanding how to translate this feedback into action.  It is important to analyze variation in customer feedback to fully understand how customers feel.  For example, if your customers rate you a "7" on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), do your customer ratings range from 6 to 8 or do they range from 4 to 10? What would you do with this information?
First, segmentation of customer feedback is critical.   But before you can slice and dice all the data, you need to figure out what information needs to be gathered to allow for meaningful ’slicing and dicing’.   Age, demographic, location, product usage, the list can become quite unwieldy if no prework has been done.   In most cases, one size does not fit all.  Before you launch into a huge customer survey, defining  your ’slice and dice’ variables is critical or all you will end up with is a bunch of data.  Sort of like a bunch of grapes.  As we learned from Kaj Ahlmann at the iSixSigma Live Summit, you’ve got to have better sorting than "green" and "purple" to make a fine glass of Six Sigma wine.  
Once you’ve been able to appropriately segment your feedback, you can start looking at the satisfaction level of various groups and identify if ratings "within and between" various segments are the same or statistically different.  Once you have great segmentation and analysis, then the hard part begins - answering the following questions . . . 

Which process drives the customer satisfaction metric that you are evaluating?
What is the variation in the process?
Is the variation in the process correlated to the variation in customer satisfaction? 
If the process is stable but the customer feedback has lots of variation, there is most likely another variable that may be driving satisfaction or dissatisfaction.  If the process has a lot of variation, it is worth exploring to see if the process variation is indeed driving variation in customer satisfaction.  
Soon it may become clear that there are two types of  process issues that are reflected in the satisfaction levels.   Some may involve processes that have little variation but clearly need to move up a notch to improve satisfaction.  On the other hand, feedback may show a large process variation  (resulting in scores of 4 to 10).  This feedback is interesting because it identifies a small group of customers that are highly satisfied (those providing a 10 rating).  All else being equal, should you first focus on the process that requires reduction in variation  or take a good process (little variation) and try to move it up a couple of notches?   
In this particular example, I’d pick the process that has the most variation and set an objective to reduce the variation using best process performance as the target mean.  The reason I picked this approach is that the process has already proven its ability to satisfy at a ’10’ level so I already have data related to what a ’10’ performance looks (and feels) like to the customer.  If the process has little variation and customer ratings range from 6 to 8, trying to define what a ’10’ may feel like to the customer will require further research and customer feedback to determine the process improvement target (worth pursuing at a later time). 
Some of you out there may agree or disagree with this approach.  It would be interesting to hear your thoughts. 
The one thing that I think we can all agree on is that when faced with a ’bunch’ of stuff to improve, we should try to ’pick’ the types of things that can make the biggest difference to our customer and go for it.  The only bad choice is to not make a choice and do nothing.  And when you do nothing your Grapes of W.O.W. will surely turn into Sour Grapes.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:45:17 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Got Courage?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/got_courage.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Just got back from 2 awesome days at the 2009 iSixSigma "Back to Breakthrough" summit in Miami where I was surrounded by a gaziilion leaders and professionals who are passionate about excellence.   The summit was packed full of speakers, panels, and workshops all geared at helping companies get ’back to breakthrough’.  Thank you iSixSigma for leading the way.
Besides meeting some really cool people, the best thing for me was that that the experience helped me re-energize my personal commitment to excellence.   After all was said and done, I walked away with this . . . "Have the Courage to Lead".   Whether it’s a deployment, a business or a department, the one thing that each of us can personally contribute to achieving excellence in our company is to have the courage to lead.
The global economic situation has created a burning platform for all of us to reach beyond incremental improvement and focus on breakthrough.  Six Sigma provides a methodology to get you there.  The only question that remains is "Do you have the courage to lead?"  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Conferences]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:19:46 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: How W.O.W.?    Ask Now.]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/how_wow_ask_now.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[So you’ve decided that you are ready to embark on the journey to the W.O.W. Side.  Now what?  What does it look like - feel like?  Who’s got the directions?  And how do you know when you’ve arrived?   Simple . . .  Just Ask.
If you are providing your Customers with a W.O.W. experience, you will know it.  If you are not, you will know it as well.  Defining What’s needed, On time, With value goes beyond having great customer service.  It is using customer input to help you design and define products, services and channels to deliver them in a way that creates customer delight.  
Being right on the heels of the shopping season for many across the globe, now is a perfect time to ask customers about W.O.W.    Most have spent the last month either shopping in stores or on-line and many have already experienced the joy of returning or exchanging items.  Both of these transactions, either buying or returning are opportunities to W.O.W. your customer.  How do you know if you passed the W.O.W. test?   Ask them.  It is the most direct form of customer feedback that you can get.
Customer feedback, of all types, is the backbone of W.O.W.   It comes in many forms.  Market research is a form of feedback that helps define what customers want.  Analyzing buying patterns and market data and developing surveys that ask questions related to your product or service is key.  Once a product or service is developed or provided, again asking customers what they think is important.  And, when your customers have a question or problem that needs to be resolved, asking them if you are providing a delightful experience is again an opportunity to learn more.   Surveys, whether on the spot, or after a time-lapse can capture valuable insights as to how customers feel about the service or product and are a true gage of W.O.W.    
Here’s an example of how immediate feedback works.  Yesterday I had a lengthy transaction at a bank and next to each teller was a sign that said, "Ring the bell if you got exceptional service."  I was in the bank for at least twenty minutes and never heard the bell ring.  I was wondering if my teller was going to W.O.W. me and yes she did.  Awesome service.   I finished my transaction in the back and as I walked out went past her workspace, said thank you and rang the bell.  Everyone looked up and across the counter I saw a big smile.  It made me feel good - looks like my W.O.W. experience turned into hers.  (Double W.O.W)
I can’t leave the customer feedback discussion without touching on customer complaints.  Customer complaints provide valuable input as well.   Reviewing, categorizing and analyzing complaints to identify trends and any recurring issues is a great way to capture customer feedback (even if it is not the preferred method.)    All of this analysis begs for application of Six Sigma tools.
So you have feedback, analysis and some possible recommendations.  What next?   Translating this feedback into a business plan is the next step.  Without this, all you have is feedback.  This is the tough part but operationalizing customer feedback and using it to drive your Business Plan is not an option - it’s a requirement.  Linking your business plan to process improvements closes the loop (sounds like Hoshin to me). And after improvements are implemented, it is time to ask the customer for feedback to see if your improvements made a difference.  
As you can see,  the whole process of W.O.W. starts with the customer and ends with the customer.  And throughout the journey Six Sigma serves as an integral part of how to make it so.  Join me next time as we explore some of these Six Sigma linkages or better yet, join me at iSixSigma Live in January where I’ll be sharing some insights in person on how to Take a Walk on the W.O.W. SideTM  
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:25:49 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Customer W.O.W. - The Basics]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/customer_wow_the_basics.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What’s Needed . . . On Time . . . With Value . . .   That’s what you’ll find on the W.O.W. Side.  More simply put, it is about customer delight.   I like the words "customer delight".  Webster’s defines delight as ’extreme satisfaction’ . . .  It is what gets your customers to say WOW!   Professor Noriaki Kano described the look and feel of WOW with the Kano Model.  It’s going past satisfying customer basic needs and performance needs and finding those things that excite or delight the customer thus creating customer WOW.    Sounds simple but you will find that many companies, although striving for WOW, have not figured out how to consistently meet basic needs and therefore wallow in the halls of "can’t get there from here".   Basic needs are those things that if done correctly do not add to customer satisfaction but if done incorrectly will result in dissatisfaction.  For example, if you are checking out of a hotel and your bill is correct it’s a non-event.  No one is running around saying WOW, they got my bill right.  But having an error on the bill results in customer dissatisfaction.  
The first step in mapping your path to the W.O.W. Side is getting the basics right.  Sounds simple but it is not.  How many times in the past month have you experienced poor service or poor quality?  Maybe it was getting home and finding out that the drive-through restaurant left a sandwich out of your order or maybe you had to stand in line for 15 minutes to get through a checkout line.  The fact that basic needs are constantly changing makes this step even more complicated.  What was a delighter last week will, over time, work its way to a basic need.  For example, years ago having internet service in a hotel was a delighter.  Today, if a hotel doesn’t provide free wireless service they are teetering on the edge of creating customer dissatisfaction.  Customer basic needs and expectations are changing so fast that in the blink of an eye you can find yourself quickly moving from Customer WOW to  Customer OW proving once more that meeting basic needs is an ongoing journey -  not a one time accomplishment.
So where do you start?  Get the basics right.  Define your core business and products, review metrics that describe your performance level, identify any defects that keep you from getting the basics right and apply continuous improvement methods such as lean, six sigma, kaizen, etc. to eliminate dissatisfiers.  You will also need to constantly draw on customer input to gage your success and keep your ’basics’ up-to-date.  
Getting the basics right is a prerequisite to being able to "Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side".  Bypass this step and you may find that the old saying "You can’t get there from here" may be old but still stands true.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:56:49 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/take_a_walk_on_the_wow_side.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[                TM                     
Good enough is just not good enough anymore and has not been for a long time.  We have become a society of "I want it all" and "I want it now".  Today, in particular, as prices continue to rise and people are feeling the pinch, customers are becoming less tolerant of errors, delays and poor service and instead are demanding excellence.  The time is right for a resurgence of customer delight.  How?  By providing Customer W.O.W.        
What’s Needed   -     On Time   -    With Value 
Sounds simple, but if it was, anyone could do it.  What makes creating W.O.W. so tricky is that the components are constantly changing.  "What’s Needed" today will be old news tomorrow.  If you don’t believe that ask anyone with a teenager.  It would seem that as soon as you buy the latest cell phone with all the bells and whistles, another phone hits the market that does twice as much.  
The definition of "On Time" has also taken on new meaning.  The "I want it now" mentality requires that products and services be delivered exactly when the customer wants them and technology has made this expectation a reality.  Need a book - download it.  Want some shoes - order from Zappos and get them delivered the next day.   Wait two weeks for anything - are you kidding?
But the most volatile component of the W.O.W. equation is "With Value".   Value is defined as relative worth, merit or importance.  And yes - it is the customer that will define this for your product or service.  And yes, they can change their definition as often as they want.
Like it or not, the road to Customer W.O.W. is constantly changing.  If you want to "Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side"™ you’ll need to figure out how to quickly adapt to these changing needs.   Join me over the next several weeks as we step our way through a framework for creating customer W.O.W.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:57:40 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Back to Basics]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/back_to_basics.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I recently spent the night in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.  When I arrived, I could tell by the friendly faces and fast moving check-in lines that they have been listening to the Voice of the Customer.  But the big surprise came at 5 a.m. the next day.   I like having a back-up to my alarm and always ask for a wake-up call.  When the phone rang the next morning I lifted the receiver anticipating the yip-yak of some computer generated voice alerting me that it’s time to get moving.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by a real person.  "Hello Mrs. Clark, This is your 5 a.m. wake-up call."  I immediately responded "Thank you" and received a "Your Welcome, I hope you enjoy your day in Chicago".  I smiled.  How very nice, I thought.  They even reminded me which city I woke up in. (Those of you who travel a lot can appreciate this)  
It is funny how such a small gesture can make a big difference.  Just the fact that I am talking about it four days later lets you know what an impression it made (Net promoter score will be high on this one).   I wonder if somewhere along the way in our zeal to cut cost and automate everything that we’ve lost the personal touch that makes us human.  Maybe it’s time we revisit the Voice of the Customer and get "Back to Basics."]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:53:21 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: The Rest of the Story  . . .]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/the_rest_of_the_story___.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Customer Complaints, appropriately captured and analyzed, can provide useful insight about process defects.  Although complaints are not the preferred method of obtaining the Voice of the Customer (VOC), you should not miss the opportunity to learn from them.   But to do this, proper reporting and segmentation of customer complaints is needed.   This requires that good operational definitions be established.  Often times, this first step is where we fail to capture the granularity of information needed to provide future meaningful analysis.  For example, once a complaint is received and recorded, obtaining more specific information for further analysis will be difficult if not impossible. Categorizing complaints about a product or service as "doesn’t work" or "too hard to use" won’t be much help in identifying the root cause of the problem.
Identifying a good list of complaint "cause codes" for your particular business will take some work but will be worth while in providing information that drives a solution that not only fixes this customer’s complaint but can be used to prevent other customers from experiencing the same type of problem.  It is all too easy to put a band-aid on the customer’s boo-boo and walk away.  After all - this solves the immediate customer’s problem.  But without capturing detailed aspects about the customer complaint, even the best six sigma black belt will be hard pressed to help you understand the rest of the story.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:09:48 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Dirty Socks]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/dirty_socks.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I have heard people say that once you have experienced the power of Lean Six Sigma that you will never be the same.  I can vouch for that.  Process thinking and waste elimination will begin to infiltrate every part of your life - including how you do laundry.  I never thought of laundry as a ’process’ but after watching my husband do laundry, I realized that batch processing was prevalent in our house.  Some of it I can deal with - at least the part where you collect laundry, put it through a wash cycle and load it in the dryer.  It’s the batch processing of laundry after it has dried that needed to be addressed. 
 
Here’s how my husband does it.  Once the laundry is dry, he first hangs up the shirts.  Next he unloads the remaining clean laundry in a basket and takes it upstairs where he places the basket on the floor next to the bed.  It can sit here for hours or sometimes days.  Next he picks things out of the basket and sorts them into piles on the bed (kid’s clothes, towels, etc).   Next he goes to each pile and folds the pile and stacks it on the bed.  Finally he takes the stack to the final location and either puts it away or leaves it sitting on the kid’s bed for them to put away (right - like that ever happens).   Taa-daa, the laundry is finally done. From dry to final location the laundry was batched up to four times and could take up to three days.
Being the process excellence zealot that I am, I advised him that changing his process to incorporate the concept of "one-piece-flow" would be much more efficient.  For example, here’s my process.  Get an item out of the dryer fold it and put it in the basket organized by where it needs to go.  When complete, walk the basket up the back stairs making stops along the way - putting things in their place.  I have cut the process down to one batch and have achieved a cycle time of 12 minutes.  
After my husband told me what I could do with my ’one-piece-flow’, he proceeded to batch the laundry.  So what are the lessons learned?
1.  One-piece-flow can drastically reduce cycle time
2.  Cultural change is at the root of all efficiency gains
3.  Batch processing is still better than having dirty socks!
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Lean]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:50:24 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma - The Real Deal]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_the_real_deal.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Deploy - Integrate - Sustain - Institutionalize.  Although each phase has distinct qualities, the lines between them are blurred or almost seamless - as it should be.    I’m often asked what I think "institutionalization" looks like.  My response:  "Unconscious application".  By that, I don’t mean asleep at the wheel.   When addressing an audience I typically use the following example to describe the state of "Unconscious Application."
Let’s say that you are working in an office and need to send some information across town.  How do you do it?  Immediately I get responses like "e-mail" or "fax."    Exactly, I reply.  I then ask the audience "How many of you thought about printing the document, stuffing it in an envelope, adding a stamp and putting it in the US mail?"  People look at me like I’m nuts.  And so the point is made.  No one even thinks in those terms anymore.  Even when a signature is required, we sign, scan and move the document along electronically.   That’s Unconscious Application and that’s what it means to make Six Sigma "the way you work" or have it in "your DNA".  It means that when you have a tough problem to solve, you wouldn’t think of using anything besides Six Sigma to find the answer.  
Getting there is not an overnight journey.   But knowing when you’ve personally made the hyper-leap to "institutionalize" from "sustain" may occur in an instant.  It is when you get a report with bar charts and ask the author to present your data in box-plot charts so that you can better understand the variance.  Once you get there you will never go back  . . . and that’s the "Real Deal!"]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Change Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:24:11 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma - IAGTM]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_iagtm.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I recently got a text message from my son.   "Mom . . . Pick me up ATEOTD."   Unable to decipher the text message abbreviation I’m forced to do what any mom what do . . text back . . . What?    "At The End Of The Day" comes the reply with a big UGH!  It’s like a foreign language.  I’m sure the kids are doing it to drive me mad.  But then, maybe it’s just their new language.  
I started thinking about how the whole text abbreviation thing is sort of like what Six Sigma must sound like to those who have not had the chance to participate in training.  "After identifying the CTs and completing a SIPOC, you should start on your FMEA".   I can see how that might sound like gobble-de-gook to an untrained ear.   
When we use Six Sigma tools and methods on a daily basis, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in our own world that we forget that everyone may not be as proficient in the new vocabulary as we are.  I’m trying to keep this in mind when I address a group of people who are new to Six Sigma and have started saying "high level process map" instead of SIPOC and "risk analysis" instead of FMEA.  I think people appreciate the effort.  Over time, the Six Sigma jargon will become second nature.  Until then, you will probably hear them say "Six Sigma. . . IAGTM."]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 16:26:56 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Facilitating Success]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/facilitating_success.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
 
 
 
 
 
 
What could be tougher than binary logistic regression?  How about facilitating a team?  Team inputs vary in type, personality, knowledge level, background, etc., but the choice for team output is pretty discrete - success or not.
So what does a good facilitator look like?   Here’s what Wikipedia says:

"An individual who enables groups and organizations to work more effectively, to collaborate and achieve synergy"
"One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions"
"The facilitator’s job is to support everyone to do their best thinking.   To do this, the facilitator encourages full participation, promotes mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility"
For some belts, being a good facilitator may come naturally.  Others may need training and practice to sharpen their skills.  In either case, one thing is for sure - don’t underestimate the need or value of this key skill.  It could make a big difference in whether the team finds success . . . or not.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:31:46 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Magic Mirror On The Wall . . .]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/magic_mirror_on_the_wall___.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[

Magic Mirror on the Wall - Why did my deployment stall?
When companies deploy Six Sigma, most have a vision of what that will mean to the organization.  It might be improved customer satisfaction, or shorter cycle time or better quality products, cost reduction, revenue growth or maybe achieving an overall culture of excellence.  Whatever the vision, there is nothing more disappointing than finding out that after years of doing everything on the "deployment to-do list," the benefits did not materialize.  
Eventually the finger pointing will start.  Were the projects not the right ones? Were the black belts not working fast enough?  What about the metrics?   Why have other companies been successful?  Leaders will want to know the answer to these and numerous other questions all leading to them to the same ultimate question which is "What is the secret to success?"
The answer is not a secret at all but only requires that the leader take a long hard look in the mirror.  Yes, the mirror will show them who is ultimately responsible.   It is them.  Whether they like it not, the success of any Six Sigma deployment is a direct reflection of the leader’s passion and engagement.   Why have they not seen this before now?  Maybe they are vampires?  I think I’ll save that thought for a Halloween blog.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Leadership]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:32:28 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: The Weakest Link]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/the_weakest_link.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Last week I spent an evening at the local emergency center with my mom.  The experience reminded me of the old saying "You are only as good as your weakest link."  And here’s why. . . 
When I walked into the emergency center I was immediately accosted by a huge poster focused on customer service which promised that we would been seen in thirty minutes or less:)  Hmmm I thought, this may be interesting to watch.  After a brief check-in we waited about ten minutes before being screened and were immediately shown to a room in the back.   (Wow - I thought to myself.  I wonder if these folks are doing Six Sigma.)  Within the next hour, the doctor stopped by, a knee x-ray was taken and a very nice lady came by to officially "log us in."    Things slowed down a bit and we were advised that nothing was broken but that a steroid shot was needed and that it had been ordered from the pharmacy.  OK - bring it on. . .  OK - bring it on . . . Hello - is anyone out there?
Two hours later I stepped up to the front desk to inquire about the prescription.  The front desk was very quick to tell me that it was the pharmacy’s fault; "they were the hold up."   The pharmacy - in this case also known as the weakest link - had successfully turned this WOW experience into an OW experience.  After a total visit time of five hours and ten minutes, we were finally on our way home.  
The experience reminded me that the customer doesn’t really care whose ’fault’ it is.  Suck it up and take responsibility for your process.  If you are part of the process then you are part of the process.  No matter how good you think your piece of the process performs, the customer feels the whole process and in the end -  you are only as good as your weakest link.
Although great improvement in parts of the overall process had been made, it still needs more work.  My suggestion for immediate action would be to take down the customer service poster flaunting quick and excellent service.  You wouldn’t want any of your patients to die laughing on their way out.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:32:59 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: SigmaLeanZenOut]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/sigmaleanzenout.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
What the heck is SigmaLeanZenOut?   It is what a lot of people are doing in the world of continuous improvement.  No matter where you got started, most companies gradually evolve to SigmaLeanZenOut.  Six Sigma deployments add Lean, Kaizen, and then Workout (not necessarily in that order).   Lean Deployments add Kaizen, Workout then Six Sigma.  You get the picture.  So why is this happening?  It is because people are discovering that the combination of all these methodologies opens the door to applying continuous improvement methods to almost any situation.    Your starting point (which methodology) will depend on your initial bias but most likely, you will eventually end up incorporating or integrating many methodologies. 
So what are companies calling their ’thing’.  Most likely, it is whatever they started with.  Most companies don’t seem to go through the effort of renaming their continuous improvement approach as they add methodologies for fear that it might make the organization feel like whatever they started with was the "flavor of the day" and the organization must now move on to the next thing.  Nothing would be more fun for a naysayer than to jump up and shout "See, Six Sigma didn’t work so we now have to do Lean Six Sigma or Six Sigma Plus".   Some companies initially "brand" their approach by calling it "Customer First" or "Process Excellence" and incorporate Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen and Workout as they deploy.
If you are just starting a deployment (whether it is Lean, Six Sigma, Workout, Kaizen, whatever), think about calling it something that is robust enough to handle the integration of other methodologies.  If you feel like you need to use the right ’name’ to get the industry credibility then incorporate an adder like ’plus’ to the name.   I sort of like naming your continuous improvement approach something that has the word ’excellence’ in it.  Who can argue with wanting to be excellent?
No matter what you name it or how you get started, the important part is that your foundation include the proper integration of your approach(es) with your company strategy, goals, and leadership development and that you keep adding to your continuous improvement toolkit.   Eventually you too will be doing SigmaLeanZenOut.  (and it is almost as much fun to say as "Farfegnugen"!)
How has your company integrated the methodologies and what do you call it?  Please feel free to post &amp; share.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:36:26 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Branded!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/branded.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Oh no - not a label!   Too bad.  Whether you like it or not, you are being labeled - or branded - every day.   Regardless of whether your company brands themselves and markets this brand or does nothing, your customers have already put a brand on you.   Think about it.  What comes to mind when you think about Lexus, WalMart, or Bank of America?   Sometimes it’s the commercials but most likely that image will get trumped by your experience as a customer.  
So what does all this have to do with Six Sigma?  Everything.  Six Sigma provides the tools, methods and approach to boost your brand.  If you want to be known for excellent customer service  . . . Six Sigma can help.  If you want to be known for low cost . . . Six Sigma can help.  If you want to be known for reliability  . . Six Sigma can help.  Establishing the brand you desire will require excellence in execution - first time - every time.  And keeping pace with constantly rising customer demands will require continuously improving your product or service.  Can’t keep up?  You’ll still get branded and your customers won’t mind letting you know about it.  
So next time you are looking to boost your brand, don’t just look to advertising and marketing.  Look to Six Sigma to make the lasting difference in your product or service and let your positive customer experience boost your brand.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:03:19 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma . . . Still Growing After All These Years]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma____still_growing_after_all_these_years.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I recently spoke at a Lean Six Sigma Conference for Services hosted by the American Strategic Management Institute (ASMI).  One of the morning speakers started her presentation by taking a quick survey.  She went around the room and asked everyone three questions . . . What industry are you from?   How long has your company been involved in Lean Six Sigma?  What is your personal level of Lean Six Sigma knowledge?  She charted each person’s answer as they spoke.  Although it took a few moments to work through the crowd of about fifty plus people, it was a marvelous way to demonstrate the value and power of Voice of the Customer and here’s why.  

The activity engaged everyone in the audience.  They were now "part" of something - not just a "spectator".
The information helped each delegate with their own networking activities.  Immediately following the session you could see people from like industries converging and trading business cards.  You could also see some of the ’newbies’ seek out the more experienced delegates.
And as a subsequent speaker I could now customize my approach to more closely fit the customer’s profile - speaking in terms that helped me better connect with the audience/customer.  
I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of companies that were just starting their Lean Six Sigma journey.  For me, this was just another affirmation of its staying power.  After all these years, Lean Six Sigma continues to be the method of choice for driving excellence throughout the business world,  No matter what type of business - from health-care to soft-ware to house-ware - Lean Six Sigma is making a difference every-where.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:51:26 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Continuously Improving Continuous Improvement]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/continuously_improving_continuous_improvement.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I just spent three days at IQPC’s 2008 Lean Six Sigma and Process Improvement Summit where more than 600 process improvement professionals came together to learn, share and network.  In addition to getting a "booster shot" from Jack Welch, it was great hearing other professionals share their thoughts and experiences about how they have applied Six Sigma to facilitate continuous improvement, drive transformation and spark innovation.   I met more than 200 new people, acquired dozens of new ideas and even set up a potential benchmarking trip.  (By the way, the IQPC staff from London did a phenomenal job in providing an awesome speaker line-up as well as making sure things ran smoothly and on time.  Smashing job!)
As I listened to speaker after speaker, I would write down key points and new ideas in my journal.  It’s great being back where I can now put some of my key learnings into play.  My favorite part is taking the best of the best ideas, mixing them together and creating something new . . . but then that’s what continuous improvement is all about isn’t it?]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 Feb 2008 05:51:35 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Networking &quot;Orlando&quot; Style]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/networking_orlando_style.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Networking, by definition, is a supportive system of sharing information among individuals or groups having a common interest.   Next week, IQPC is hosting one of the biggest networking opportunities of the year.  It’s the 2008 Lean Six Sigma &amp; Process Improvement Summit.  This year hundreds of process improvement professionals will converge in sunny Florida to make new contacts, share experiences and celebrate some of the best improvement projects in the industry.   I’ve attended the summit every year for the past five years and have always come away with new ideas, innovative approaches and a fist full of business cards from people all over the world.   Hearing and seeing others succeed is inspiring and energizing. 
So, if you are in the neighborhood, drop by the summit.  It’s a great way to keep up with what is going on in the world of process improvement and even a better way to get involved in shaping process improvement for the future.  Hope to see you there!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Conferences]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:14:59 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Seven Year Itch]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_seven_year_itch.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Hundreds of companies embarked on their Six Sigma journey in 2000 and 2001.  Today, Six Sigma deployments haven’t slowed a bit but instead have expanded and grown and are a driving force in achieving excellence in almost any type of business.  And, because of industry experience and forums for sharing, are being implemented with the benefit of lessons learned from the early pioneers. 
But what of those companies that have been at it for seven or more years? Are they experiencing the "Seven Year Itch" or are things just as exciting as ever?  I think it’s the latter.   Why?  Because the one thing that has differentiated Six Sigma from other approaches is its ability to grow and shape itself to meet constantly changing business needs.  
Keeping the excitement and engagement going for seven, eight, nine years, or however long it takes to truly shape a culture of excellence is not an easy task.  It requires a solid and dynamic Six Sigma plan that 1) addresses your deployment strategy at least three years out, 2) reflects and complements your organization’s business goals and objectives 3) introduces a new tool, skill, or method every year that allows employees to continue to grow their skills and participate in new ways and 4) is flexible enough to react to changing customer needs.   
The absence of these four components can create the perfect breeding ground for a bad case of the Six Sigma Seven Year Itch.  Don’t ignore the symptoms.   Act now and you may escape without a scratch!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:38:32 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma 2008 - Make it Personal]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_2008_make_it_personal.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[As another year comes to a close, reflecting on what was accomplished in 2007 is a typical year-end activity.  After a quick review, a few smiles and a big sigh about things left undone, it’s time to start on your 2008 list.  
While you are putting together your ’list’ of things to do for 2008, somewhere between finishing your FMEA and solving world hunger, remember to include some things that will help you grow as a Six Sigma professional.  For example, learn a new tool, expand your coaching skills, embark on a DFSS journey, or strengthen your change management skills.   Personal development, while initially focused on improving your individual skills, will eventually be reflected in your customer’s satisfaction rating or your company’s bottom line.  
As Six Sigma professionals, it is up to each of us to constantly improve our skills so that we can continue to find new and innovative ways for Six Sigma to bring value to our business.  
For me, honing my skills and constantly learning new things is important because being able to make a difference is not just part of my job, it’s personal.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:27:10 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Year-end Six Sigma Jingle]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/year_end_six_sigma_jingle.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
It’s that time of year again.  The year-end stress of closing Six Sigma projects is enough to make any Black Belt sing the blues.   But don’t worry, here’s a little song (sung to the tune of Jingle Bells) that will help you get through the holiday rush.
Year-end Six Sigma Jingle


Dashing through the halls, 
With control charts in your hand, 
You’ve finally got the ’x’ 
to stay within the band 
It’s ten days til ’08 
Your project has to close 
If you don’t get that phase gate done 
Your year-end goal is hosed  - Oh 

 
Find the ‘x’, drive the ‘y’ 
Make a change or two 
Check that data, pass the test 
Don’t stop until you’re through 

 
Find the ‘x’, drive the ‘y’ 
Make a change or two 
Close that project, make the goal 
Or all you’ll get is "poo" 
Special Message:  To all you Six Sigma zealots out there:  Get your band of belts together and sing it.  I’ll be watching for your debut on You Tube!

 
Happy Holidays to all!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:38:23 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Innovation on Tap]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/innovation_on_tap.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Innovative solutions are frequently the answer to new or age old problems.  But what kind of tools can help you and your team get out-of-the -box?   Seems like way back when, we didn’t spend enough time in training talking about innovation in the "Improve" stage.   Armed with the 5 S’s, a DOE and some poka-yoke, we’d trudge on to find the much wanted answer without ever really stopping to think about driving innovation into our thought process.   This probably occurred because once we found an answer that seemed to work, we sometimes stopped looking for other options.   
A great tool that can keep us on our toes is the morphological box.   The morph box helps you divide a solution into various parts and then mix and match the alternatives to sometimes create a whole new solution - one that you may not have initially thought of if you had stopped looking after identifying the first one.  The 2007 July/August Issue of iSixSigma Magazine had a nice description of the morph box in the "Tool Spotlight" section.  Putting the tool in practice while focusing on innovative solutions can help drive your team to find not just an answer but a better and sometimes more innovative answer. 
The whole process of using the morph box reminds me of my kids at the restaurant soda dispenser.  A little bit of this and a little bit of that and it’s like they have invented a new drink.  So next time you need to quench your thirst for a new and different answer, try using the morph box.  It might be the most refreshing thing you’ve tried in years!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Innovation&nbsp;,&nbsp;Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:07:35 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma . . . The Winning Hand]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma____the_winning_hand.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What started out 20 years ago as a way to reduce variation is now the hottest game in town - Six Sigma.  Although it has been reshaped through the years to meet constantly changing business needs, the definition is still the same:   "Near perfect performance"  . . . and customers still demand it.
When first introduced, Six Sigma was pegged as a "one-card" game - DMAIC.  Over the years, it became clear that those willing to draw some new cards were stacking the deck in their favor when it came to achieving near perfect performance. And so the game evolved as DFSS, Workout, Lean, Kaizen and a host of other methods were shuffled into play.  Even some Change Management and Innovation "wild" cards were introduced and a full deck of cards is now available.  Winning is just a matter of knowing which card to play for the situation at hand.
So what do you call the new game?  I call it Six Sigma.  Why?  Because it is still about achieving near perfect performance (99.9997% good).  When I was first introduced to Six Sigma, it was all about eliminating defects and a defect was defined as anything that kept you from achieving near perfect performance (i.e. variation, waste, lengthy cycle times, errors, no process, etc.).  So even though some new cards have been added, it’s still all Six Sigma to me.   
I’m thinking that people with strong roots in Lean or Kaizen may have a different view.  We could spend years debating what to call it but one thing’s for sure.  Today’s marketplace demands that you play with a full deck if you want to stay in the game.  If not, you will surely get "trumped" by a competitor.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 02 Dec 2007 05:40:59 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: When Variation is Your Friend]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/when_variation_is_your_friend.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Isn’t it ironic that what might actually be needed to address variation in your process is variation in your team?
Picking the right team members is almost as important as picking the right project.  In addition to an expert, a customer and representatives from other key stakeholder groups, you should think about how you can "mix it up a bit" by selecting some team members that can bring a fresh look to things.  Sometimes a newer employee or someone not directly involved with the process can fill this role.   Their view and perspective may keep the team from developing a "group think" mentality by asking "why" to the "always done that way" aspects of a process.  Their lack of emotional attachment to the existing process and their distance from inner-group politics sometimes provide them with the courage to bring up the unspeakable, approach the untouchable and refuse to pay homage to the sacred cows.  And yes, these differences may create some disagreements and team challenges.  An experienced team leader will be needed to help the team capitalize on these differences in a way that brings positive energy to the team.   
Different people with different backgrounds and different viewpoints may be just the thing you need to find a different solution to an age old problem.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Change Management&nbsp;,&nbsp;Innovation]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 Nov 2007 03:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: A Six Sigma Thanksgiving]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/a_six_sigma_thanksgiving.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ever wonder what a Six Sigma Thanksgiving would be like?   Here’s a glimpse . . .
99.9997% of the turkey would get eaten so you don’t have to eat turkey sandwiches every day for the next two weeks
99.9997% of the mashed potatoes won’t have lumps
99.9997% of the desserts taste great and have no calories
99.9997% of the dishes get washed by someone else
and best of all, 99.9997% of your family gets along with one another (yeah right)
May you all have a Six Sigma Thanksgiving!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:45:36 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Business Line-of-Site]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/business_line_of_site.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Whether it’s a Six Sigma deployment, a project, a training class or metrics, one variable stands out as the ultimate gauge of success:  Business Line-of-Site.   Yes, I meant "Site" not "Sight".  It’s more than just seeing the path to the destination.  It’s about actively targeting it.
When you are passionate about something, it is easy to get wrapped up in the means versus the end.  But the ultimate measure of success in any Six Sigma deployment is the ability to define how it has made the business better.  It’s not about improvement for the sake of improvement or learning for the sake of learning.  For example, you may have the most rigorous green belt training and certification program in the industry, but if the belts don’t understand how to translate what they have learned to make the business better then they are just ’belts’ instead of masters of business improvement.
So next time you scope a project, develop metrics, or get ready to implement an improvement, remember, the question is always the same:  "How will completing this activity make the business better?"   It is your answer to this question that will determine if you are "on target".   ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Nov 2007 05:25:53 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Scary Six Sigma Moments]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/scary_six_sigma_moments.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[It’s Halloween and what could possibly be scarier than monsters and goblins?  Here’s a top ten list of frightening Six Sigma moments that might send chills up your spine!
Number 10:  Having the network go down when you are on question 49 of 50 of your on-line Black Belt exam.
Number 9:  Being in the improve phase and you still haven’t figured out who the process owner is
Number 8: Being assigned a training project that has no data
Number 7:  Being asked to mentor your boss on a Green Belt project (good luck)
Number 6:  Finding out that Minitab is your only friend :(
Number 5:  Reporting that you have a significant p-value and being shown to the bathroom
Number 4:  Scheduling a meeting with your Project Champion and he or she doesn't know who you are
Number 3:  Discovering that your Black Belt class just ate the M&amp;Ms that you have been using for your class MSA exercise (ugh)
Number 2:  Being invited to a corporate pandemic planning meeting because they heard you were leading a  Sick Sigma project.
Number 1:  Including DMAIC in a text message and having the recipient reply "Not today, my wife is in town".
Many thanks to my colleagues Jeanne (pronounced Zhahn), Cindi and Mary Beth for helping me come up with some scary Six Sigma moments to share.   Happy Halloween!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:43:32 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Where Have All the Hours Gone?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/where_have_all_the_hours_gone.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Hours . . . Days . . . Weeks . . . Months . . . Years . . .  Seems like some Six Sigma projects drag on forever.  But the question here is not how long does it take to complete a project because that really depends on the project scope.  The real question is what unnecessarily extends project cycle time.   Being the Six Sigma zealot that I am, I decided to get some data and found that for my situation, the top four drivers of extended project cycle time include:

Data Availability:  The type of data needed is either not readily available, is available but not reliable or will require several weeks or months to collect.
Implementation Barriers:  This includes the time it takes to get the organization bought into the proposed change as well as having resources to implement the proposed change.
Project Management Issues:  Project due dates and phase gate expectations are not clearly defined and scope creep is not kept at bay.
Team Member Availability:  Everyone’s schedules are busy and getting the right folks together in one room at a certain time for a team meeting sometimes takes weeks.
It is important to note that the top four items noted above may not be the top four project cycle time drivers in your organization.  To find out why (or maybe I should say what is driving your "Y") you will need to collect data of your own.   Other important factors such as project linkage to company objectives, level of Six Sigma buy-in and Black Belt leadership skills are just a few of the other key inputs that need to be considered.  A good fishbone and C&amp;E Matrix can help you shape the development of a survey to capture information for your situation.  Narrowing the scope or at least being able to segment projects worked by full-time versus part-time resources will provide more clarity related to drivers (other than too much other stuff to do).  
Identifying the drivers of extended project cycle time for your organization is time well spent and can help address the perception that "Six Sigma" takes too long to solve problems.   And, the next time someone asks you "Where have all the hours gone?" you won’t have to sing ’em a song because you have data.  (When will they ever learn?)]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:05:19 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: The Amoeba Theory]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/the_amoeba_theory.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Many companies look to Six Sigma to help them transform.  They constantly talk of "weaving Six Sigma into the fabric of the company", "having Six Sigma become part of their DNA" and "fundamentally changing the way they work".   These are all nice wugga words but without a real vision of what they want to transform into, these companies may find themselves "just changing".  I call this the "Amoeba Theory" because much like the way an amoeba changes shape, they may look different but in the end, they are still an amoeba.  
When a company’s vision is properly executed, it translates in the marketplace as a brand.  For example, Wal-mart is known for low prices, Nordstrom for customer service and Lexus for fine quality.   When Six Sigma facilitates a learning environment that provides the opportunity to learn and apply new tools, methods and skills that are focused on achieving a specific vision, then Six Sigma can serve as the perfect catalyst for transformation.    If the deployment strategy is too broad, meaning Six Sigma is supposed to improve "the way we work", facilitating the shaping of a particular culture becomes more abstract and more difficult.
It might be time to ask yourself what type of cultural changes are happening in your company as a result of Six Sigma and if those changes are in sync with your vision or brand.   If so, you should see noticeable improvement in those areas that differentiate your company in the marketplace.  If not, you might find yourself the next victim of the Amoeba Theory.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Change Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 07 Oct 2007 19:56:17 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Gearing Up for Success]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/gearing_up_for_success.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Just got back from Philadelphia where I spoke at a conference on how to design a training strategy to support organization-wide Six Sigma learning.   Entitled "Gearing Up for Success", it focused on the linkage that must always be maintained between the training strategy /curriculum and business objectives.    Without this, it’s easy for training to become disconnected from what the business is trying to achieve.    Here are just a few highlights of the topics covered:

Before launching a training initiative, long-term organization-wide learning objectives that support the deployment strategy must be defined or else you may find yourself training for the sake of training.
The learning strategy should identify how many, how much and how fast.  
People need to understand how what they learn can be applied.  In other words, they must be able to answer the question:  "How did my learning Six Sigma skills make the business better?"
Enabling skills, such as change management, team dynamics and project management, that can increase the effectiveness of  identifying and implementing improvements should be included in the curriculum (either adhoc or as a separate offering)

In order for your organization to embrace the skills and behavioral changes necessary to sustain ongoing continuous improvement, the organization-wide learning strategy must complement the business strategy.  If not, you may find yourself a victim of the "Amoeba Principle".  What’s that?  Tune in next week and find out!
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 27 Sep 2007 03:35:21 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: We're Not in Kansas Anymore!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/were_not_in_kansas_anymore.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA["We’re not in Kansas anymore".  Recognize this line?  Made famous by the movie "The Wizard of Oz", it fittingly describes the feeling you get when you suddenly realize that things have changed.  How can change happen so fast that we get caught off guard?  Even Dorothy saw the twister coming.  
I recently had a "Kansas moment" that made me start thinking about why we sometimes hang on to products or processes that are soooo yesterday.
Years ago when my kids were young, we got hooked on Disney movies - the classics like "Jungle Book" and "Cinderella".  We bought them all.  We now have dozens of Disney VHS tapes.   Yes, VHS tapes - The once marvelous invention that beat out ’beta’ tapes to become the world’s "movie on demand" at our fingertips.  The kids have grown and we haven’t watched the tapes for years.  We don’t even have a VHS tape player hooked up anymore.  But, I still have two cabinets full of Disney VHS tapes.  Why?  I’m not sure.  Maybe because it took a long time to collect them or at the time, it was a really cool thing to have.   But their format and quality are outdated relative to today’s standard and we have sort of out-grown them too.  Why haven’t I thrown them out or given them away?  Could I have actually become emotionally attached to our collection of VHS tapes?
Obviously this situation didn’t happen overnight.  But just recently it was called to my attention by a series of events.  First, while I was doing my spring cleaning (I know that it’s the fall - I’m a little behind) I opened the cabinets packed with VHS tapes and sighed for lack of storage room for anything else but quickly shut the door and moved to the next task.  Later that day, we were at the video store and I noticed they don’t even carry VHS tapes.  And so, I had a "Kansas" moment - one of realizing that things have really changed.  Technology has changed and our needs have changed. 
This sort of thing doesn’t just happen at home.  It is common in the workplace.  Processes that were once topnotch have become outdated but somehow they are still around and many of us cling to them like they are our very own VHS tapes.  I’m not sure why this happens especially since we have Six Sigma to help us make our processes better.  Maybe we can’t get past the old successes because they make us feel good.  Maybe we’ve become emotionally attached to our old ways.  Or maybe we just haven’t realized that our customers have changed. 
The marketplace is constantly changing and customers want if faster, cheaper and better.  Case in point - If you have processes (or products) that have not been improved, reshaped or redesigned in the past five years, you may be falling behind.  Periodically revisiting your CT tree and using VOC may keep you from an unnecessary trip to Kansas. 
As for me, I think I’ll pack up those VHS tapes and put them in the attic, garage or closet - oh my!  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Change Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 08 Sep 2007 10:09:20 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: What's In Your Toolbox?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/whats_in_your_toolbox.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
In every company, people in organizations make decisions and implement changes every day.  Many of these changes are not typically the type of things that warrant a Six Sigma project.  That being said, it should be recognized that the application of some Six Sigma tools in these everyday activities can provide a significant positive impact on daily business as well as serve as a catalyst for cultural transformation.  For example:

Completing a FMEA for a "just do it" can increase the probability of "just doing it right"
A simple process change accompanied by a SIPOC may identify a customer that may not have been previously considered
Using a C&amp;E matrix to rank employment candidates against desirable knowledge, skills and abilities can be helpful in developing the "short list" of candidates to further interview
No, these are not Six Sigma projects nor should they be.  But these are great examples of how basic Six Sigma tools can help leaders and employees make better business decisions on a daily basis.  
Having a Six Sigma toolbox chocked full of DMAIC and DFSS power tools is great.  Keeping a couple of wrenches in your toolbox to help folks turn their "just do it" into "just do it better " may be just the twist needed to close the gap between doing Six Sigma and being Six Sigma.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:51:59 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Are You a Good Customer?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/are_you_a_good_customer.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Being in the business of customer satisfaction keeps us focused on making sure that our customers get the best value and service possible.  When a customer tells us we did a great job, it is the ultimate measure of success.   Try changing hats for a minute and think about how you rate as a customer?
Living in an age where we are frequently provided excellent products and services, we sometimes forget the time and effort required to make it so.   Last week, for some unforgiving reason, I found myself in an incredibly long line for window service at a fast food chain.  To my delight, the line moved very quickly.  As I drove up to the food pick-up window, I glanced into the area where the service team was running in circles - looking a bit frazzled as they jumped to fill the next order.  When they handed me my food I said, "Your service was really great today.  Thanks (smile)."  There was about a 2 second pause as the three folks at the window gave me a blank look and then they all three broke out in the biggest smiles I had seen all day.  As I drove off I realized that as a customer, I should be just as quick to give praise as I sometimes am to complain about things that aren’t quite right.  I vowed to become a better customer.
So next time the drive-through line moves fast, the sales clerk does all the right things or the department next door meets your tight deadline, let them know how much you appreciate their good work.  You might find that it feels just as good to give a compliment as is does to get one :)]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:18:37 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Passion is the Seed of Change]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/passion_is_the_seed_of_change.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Changed processes, changed skill sets, changed thinking and changed performance.  Six Sigma is all about change.  
Passion, defined as "boundless enthusiasm", is the seed of change.  With it, Six Sigma flourishes.  Without it, project implementation is a constant struggle.  Does your organization have the passion for change that allows processes to bloom to their full potential?  Or do you need to constantly re-plant your seeds to harvest enough enthusiasm to move forward?
Change, even on a good day, is difficult.  Resistance to change is natural.  That is why Belts of all colors should be well versed in change management tools and techniques.  A well thought out change plan can go a long way in building a cadre of passionate supporters for your proposed change.  The change plan should address methods to create sponsorship, engage all stakeholders early in the process and effectively communicate to all parties involved.  
There are numerous change models, websites and books available that describe change management approaches, tools and methods.   Both G.E. CAP (Change Acceleration Process) and Prosci’s ADKAR (Awareness - Desire - Knowledge - Ability - Reinforce) are methodologies that nicely complement Six Sigma project work.
If you haven’t integrated change management techniques with your Six Sigma project execution strategy you may want to give it a try.  It may be the perfect way to "seed the need" for passion in your organization.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Change Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 Aug 2007 19:18:02 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Benchmarking &amp; Six Sigma - Umm Umm Good!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/benchmarking_amp_six_sigma_umm_umm_good.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Benchmarking and Six Sigma go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Both are really good on their own but put them together and it is three times better.   Here’s why.
Benchmarking helps you understand how your performance rates against others.  If your performance is not in the top quartile, you may want to commission a Six Sigma project to identify and implement changes.  Once a project is identified, benchmarking results can also help define a realistic and competitive performance target to include in your project objective.   If your performance is already top quartile, you may still want to commission a Six Sigma project to "raise the bar" since it’s nice to stay one step ahead of the competition.
Once in the "Improve" phase of a Six Sigma project, best practice benchmarking can be very helpful.  What better way to find better ways than to benchmark with someone who has already figured out how to be best in class?  
To facilitate the integration of benchmarking with Six Sigma, basic benchmarking techniques and benchmarking etiquette should be a part of every black belt’s training.  This training will not only strengthen the Black Belt’s ability to identify improvements but may help them and their team realize that great ideas don’t necessarily need to come from the "inside".  There is a whole world of best practices "out there" just waiting to be shared.  All you have to do is know how to ask.  
So next time you get the opportunity, add a little benchmarking to your Six Sigma project and savor the sweet taste of success.  Umm Umm Good!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:24:23 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Green Belt Sonic Boom]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/green_belt_sonic_boom.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA["We need to train as many Green Belts as fast as we can!"  At first this sounds like the type of fast-track deployment that will get things moving.  But training too many Green Belts too fast may fuel unnecessary resistance if not deployed properly.  Listed below are a few things you may want to consider to prevent your "sounds good" idea from turning into a Green Belt "sonic boom".

Team resources (number and expertise) need to be available to support Green Belt projects and keep the business running.  Green Belt trainees require projects and projects require team members.  Launching too many projects in a functional area at the same time could create a resource drain that may ultimately detract from the department’s ability to meet daily business needs.  If this happens, employees will get frustrated about their work falling behind and will blame Six Sigma. 
Multiple Green Belt projects focused on the same core business process need to be coordinated and worked in the right order.  A core business process may have dozens of sub-processes that need attention.  The order and timing of projects related to these sub-processes must be carefully timed and coordinated which means that Green Belts who will be working on the various sub-processes should not go to training and complete their project at the same time.   Having too many Green Belts working projects on sub-processes related to the same core process at the same time may create confusion and frustration because the inputs to each of their sub-processes are constantly being changed (by another GB project).  
"On-location" Green Belt training may initially sound like a good idea because it reduces the need for employee travel but it may also create the perfect environment for items 1 and 2 above. 
An adequate number of Master Black Belts and Black Belts need to be available to coach and mentor Green Belts.   Without this support, even enthusiastic Green Belts may lose interest.
Fast-track enterprise-wide Green Belt training can provide a sound foundation for accelerating the integration of Six Sigma throughout the organization.  Do it right and you will reap the benefits.  Do it wrong, and your version of being in the "control phase" will mostly likely consist of ’damage control’.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jul 2007 12:22:11 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: A Short Trip from WOW to OW]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/a_short_trip_from_wow_to_ow.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
A couple of weeks ago I ordered a pair of red stiletto shoes on the web.  I received them the next day (free delivery of course).  They didn’t fit quite right so I decided to send them back.  The return instructions were in the box.  I got on-line, printed a pre-paid return label &amp; dropped them off at a UPS outlet.  Two days later, I got an e-mail confirming receipt of the return and crediting my charge card.  During this same period of time, I had ordered another pair.  Again, they were delivered the next day.  They were a perfect fit. The whole shopping experience was W.O.W.  I will use this web store again and will also recommend it to my friends.
On the other hand, last night I stopped by a store to pick up a few things.  Seems like everything was lined up for a W.O.W. experience.  I promptly found the products I needed, they were priced appropriately and there was no one in the checkout line.  But as I approached the cashier, the scowl on her face was enough to trigger the music from JAWS to start playing in the back of my mind (dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun).  She provided a fast efficient transaction but her unpleasant disposition turned a possible WOW into an OW.  I don’t think I’ll stop by there again.
So what does all this have to do with Six Sigma?  Everything.  Improving processes and bringing value to the bottom line is really good stuff.   But let’s not forget that being Six Sigma also means figuring out how to make your customers feel like it is all about them.  Only then will your Six Sigma GPS help you find a way to "Walk on the W.O.W. Side."  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:23:05 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Walk On The W.O.W. Side &quot;With Value&quot;]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/walk_on_the_wow_side_with_value.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the past two weeks we talked about how Six Sigma can help organizations accomplish "What’s Needed" and the significance of being "On Time".  But none of this matters much if it is not done "With Value".  
Value - wartosc - der Wert - valor . . . Whether said in English, Polish, German or Spanish, there is one thing that these words have in common and that is all customers want it.  What is value?  It is "that quality of anything which renders it desirable or useful".
The "With Value" component of W.O.W. is sometimes the hardest to quantify because it is made up of both cost and a somewhat more intangible component - customer satisfaction (or as I like to call it customer delight).  This intangible component is all about how the customer ’feels’ about your product or service.  Identifying and perfecting the aspects of your product or process that makes customers ’feel good’ doesn’t just happen.  It requires a methodical approach; one that can be shaped by applying Six Sigma to all aspects of the "With Value" component of W.O.W.  By finding new and innovative ways to eliminate defects, variance and waste, Six Sigma can help keep cost low.  By always focusing on the Voice of the Customer, customer delight is kept at the forefront.  
The "With Value" component completes the formula for W.O.W. as follows:
W.O.W. = (What’s Needed) x (On Time) x (With Value)
Rate each component from 0 to 1 and you can find out where you stand on your Customer’s "Wow-o-meter".   Sounds simple but scoring a 1 in any of the three categories is tough.  What does it take to score a 1?

What’s Needed:  Consistently providing what the customer wants AND anticipating their future needs. 
On Time:  Consistently providing your product or service when promised, where promised and at the best-in-class cycle time. 
With Value:  Consistently assuring that cost to the customer reflects relative worth AND intangible characteristics are continuously honed to delight the customer (i.e. providing an unexpected satisfaction booster).

By effectively applying Six Sigma tools and methods, companies can optimize the three elements of W.O.W.  And once they do, they can take their customers for a "Walk on the W.O.W. Side".
Had any W.O.W. experiences lately?  Share them here and let the world know how it feels to be a customer who has recently experienced a walk on the W.O.W. side!
 
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:46:54 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: &quot;On Time&quot; for Your Walk on the W.O.W. Side]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/on_time_for_your_walk_on_the_wow_side.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last week we talked about how Six Sigma can help organizations accomplish "What’s Needed".  Without this element, nothing else really matters because being "On Time" with the wrong thing won’t "wow" anyone.  
This week we are exploring the significance of being "On Time".  Whether it is the delivery of a product or service or keeping inventory at the right level, "On Time" is a critical element of W.O.W.
Six Sigma can help deliver "On Time" in two basic ways.  First, by applying the methodology and tools to understand and analyze the process, non-value steps, bottlenecks and rework can be identified and eliminated (or at least minimized).  This will result in a reduced cycle time to deliver.  But that’s not enough to "wow" the customer if it cannot be done consistently.  Once an expectation for delivery of a product or service has been set, it must be consistently met or else you might find yourself with the fastest delivery to no-one.  So how can Six Sigma help?  Use the methodology and tools to analyze and reduce the variation in cycle time so that now you can consistently deliver "On Time".   Master the combination of both of these elements and you’ve earned your company part 2 of a ticket to walk on the W.O.W side.  
Join me again next week as we continue our walk "With Value."]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:55:05 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: &quot;What's Needed&quot; to Walk on the W.O.W. Side]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/whats_needed_to_walk_on_the_wow_side.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[In today’s world, new technology, changing customer expectations and the competitive market are constantly redefining "What’s Needed".  Any company with hopes of competing must constantly reshape their processes and products to meet these changing needs.  Fortunately, Six Sigma is there to help accomplish this by:

Providing a systematic approach to continuously improve and redesign processes and products 
Keeping the Voice of the Customer at the forefront of everything that is done 
Developing measurement systems to proactively identify needed changes and improvements 
Creating opportunities for employees to learn new skills and tools and to have a say in the Voice of the Process 
Shaping a culture that applies data, teamwork and creativity to find new and innovative ways to bring value to the customer and to the business 
Bringing the benefits of all these things to the bottom line
So take a close look at how your company has deployed Six Sigma.  If it is integrated and synchronized with key aspects of running the business, chances are good that it is helping your organization to accomplish "What’s Needed".  If not, don’t be surprised if your  W.O.W. turns into OW!
Join me again next week and we’ll explore how being "On Time" can help you "Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side."

 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 15:30:18 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/take_a_walk_on_the_wow_side.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Everyone is focused on What’s Needed.
Done On Time is part of what must be heeded.
Use Six Sigma to make it slick.
Delivered With Value will seal the trick.
She said hey babe, take a walk on the W.O.W. side.
Said hey honey, take a walk on the W.O.W. side.
And the Belts say Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doooooooo!
Join me over the next few weeks as we explore how Six Sigma can help your organization "Take a Walk on the W.O.W. Side."  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Is Six Sigma Really the Baaaaaaad Boy?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/is_six_sigma_really_the_baaaaaaad_boy.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Lately, there has been a lot of talk about Six Sigma.  Believers tout stories of business success, unprecedented customer satisfaction and countless dollars to the bottom line. Naysayers point to near business ruin and cultural impacts that stifle innovation and growth.  Whether you are an avid believer or a practicing naysayer there is one thing that everyone seems to agree on - Six Sigma is a powerful methodology.  So the question remains: Is Six Sigma really the bad boy . . . or the scapegoat?
In pondering the answer to this question, the first challenge presents itself when asked to define Six Sigma.  Traditionalists often speak of Six Sigma as an improvement methodology created by Motorola more than 20 years ago or define it as 3.4 DPMO (defects per million opportunities).  To me, that is sort of like describing today’s car by referring to an early Model T Ford.  Yeah, it is still a car but it is nothing like the car of today by any stretch of the imagination.  Over the past 20 years, Six Sigma has evolved and reshaped itself many times over.  It is this "megamorphosis" that has allowed it to continue to bring value to those who know how to wield its power.
So what is today’s definition of Six Sigma?  It is a powerful business methodology that helps companies transform their work environment into one where collaborative teams routinely work across the total value chain to identify new and innovative ways to meet changing customer expectations.  Whew!  Sounds like a bunch of ’wugga" words at first glance but fittingly serves as a high level definition for the new and improved Six Sigma of the 21st century.  Six Sigma today does not only consist of a DMAIC, Lean and DFSS toolbox but also includes aspects of change management, innovative thinking, team dynamics and other skills that must be mastered in order to effectively use the toolbox.  In addition, the synchronization of Six Sigma with strategic objectives, goals, leadership development, workforce planning, incentives and communication creates a powerful engine that drives organizational transformation.   But with this power comes the responsibility to define what you want to transform your organization into.  Left undefined, you might find yourself the victim of transformation rather than the shaper.
Before embarking on any transformational journey, an organization’s leadership must define a vision and the behaviors needed to achieve and sustain that vision.  Once defined, a Six Sigma deployment strategy can be shaped to serve as the enabler.  Many times the vision may be clear but the organization has not thought about the behaviors needed to support the vision.  Other times, a single threaded vision may drive an organization to use Six Sigma to become "cost focused" or "defect reduction focused" at the expense of growth or innovation.  Is Six Sigma to blame for this?  Some say yes because it served as the pathway to get there.   But the reality is just that - it is only a pathway.   The destination was defined (whether knowingly or not) by leadership and Six Sigma was the enabler - and a powerful one at that.
As such, leaders must make sure that Six Sigma does not evolve into a life of its own but maintains its rightful place as a pathway to achieving the company’s vision.   As a company’s vision and strategy is reshaped to satisfy ever changing markets and customers, Six Sigma must also reshape itself to complement these changes.  It is this ability to constantly synchronize Six Sigma with a company’s vision that distinguishes true Six Sigma companies from those that are just "doing it".
Six Sigma . . . bad boy or scapegoat?  You make the call.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:12:01 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma - A Whole New Language]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_a_whole_new_language.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I recently stepped into the elevator at our corporate office with a newly trained Green Belt.  It was lunch time and the elevator was crowded.  As the doors closed the Green Belt, recognizing who I was, remarked with pride, "I just finished the SIPOC on my project!"  A voice in the front immediately said, "SIPOC . . . What’s a SIPOC?"  Before I could start my 15 second elevator response a voice from the back shouted, "SIPOC - That’s a giant ogre with one eye in the middle of its forehead!"  As I, as well as the rest of the elevator crowd broke out in laughter it reminded me of why I love my job as a Six Sigma leader . . .  it’s just way too much fun!
 
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 10 Jun 2007 07:00:18 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Most Wanted List # 1]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_most_wanted_list__1.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With "The Discreditor" ranking a strong #5, "The Busybody" boasting the #4 spot, "The Egomaniac" landing #3, and the "The Whiner" grabbing #2, it’s hard to imagine who could possibly hold the #1 spot.  Well ponder it no more, because this week it’s right here on the Blogosphere.  The #1 position on the Six Sigma Most Wanted List of naysayers is held by none other than "The Charlatan".
Mode of Operation (MO):  This Naysayer may not look or sound like a Naysayer at all.   That’s what makes them so dangerous.  In public, they know how to say and do all the right things.  But behind the scenes you will find a different approach.  Only those close to this naysayer knows the truth which gives the Charlatan free reign to sabotage at will.  You won’t even know it happened until it’s too late.  And when it does happen, it is so masterfully choreographed that the Charlatan emerges unscathed.
Probability of existing without being detected:   High - All outward signs tend to indicate that this naysayer is on board.  Their ability to don their invisibility cloak when in their naysayer mode lets them move about the company virtually undetected.
Probability of having daily occurring nayisms:  High - This naysayer must work behind the scenes on a daily basis to keep their cover.  Their subtle yet intentional moves include commissioning projects with pre-defined solutions or reducing cost and shaping a Six Sigma project around it to claim savings.  Both of these approaches are not easily discovered by an outsider.  From the outside looking in, the Charlatan looks pretty engaged.  After all, they are completing projects and reducing cost.  For the moment, it might look good but without applying the Six Sigma tools, it is likely that the problems really didn’t go away.  They just manifested themselves somewhere else.
Probability that their nayisms will have negative long-term ramifications:  High -  Because this naysayer looks like they are going through the motions, and achieving short term ’results’, they are not often challenged by people outside of their group or by their superiors.   But people in the department are not so easily fooled.  They can see what is going on and most folks don’t like it.   Because of the way things are done, employees in the department do not view Six Sigma projects as a new approach but as the same old stuff reshaped to look like something else.  Without an opportunity to really experience the power of a true Six Sigma project, they are probably destined to become the next generation of naysayers.
Overall Threat Level:  HIGH +  (Ranked using Gianna’s proprietary naysayer scale)
Actions to Deal with Naysayer #1:   It is the difficulty in dealing with this naysayer that puts them at the top of the Six Sigma Most Wanted list of naysayers.  These naysayers are slick as snot.  In some instances they may be in leadership roles making them even less approachable by the everyday Joe.  Are there any options?   Here’s what I say . . .  
Approach this naysayer with caution and do not try to take them on by yourself.  You will need a cadre of high powered supporters helping you through this one.  First, evaluate the Charlatan’s sphere of influence and determine if they are worth the time and effort to approach.  If not, move on.  Your organization may be better served with you spending your time doing something else.  If you must get this naysayer turned around, here are a couple of suggestions:  
Try to recruit a strong Black Belt from "the inside" of this naysayer’s department.  An insider may be more effective at squelching ’fake’ projects before they are ever launched and possibly working a real project that can show others how Six Sigma really works.  If you can identify some projects in another department that used Six Sigma methods to solve a problem similar to those experienced by the Charlatan’s department,  then highlight these projects while keeping any ’fake’ projects out of the limelight.
You might try to identify a large cross-functional project that can be co-championed by the Charlatan and a top leader in the company who is a Six Sigma enthusiast.  The Charlatan will need to straighten up a bit to work with this leader or risk discovery by an outsider who may be more powerful or influential in the company.  
If all efforts fail, don’t get too discombobulated.  Keep building on the things that work well and work around the roadblocks and potholes.  Focus your time and effort on things that you can accomplish.  The important thing is to not give up.  Keep sharing your passion for achieving excellence through Six Sigma with everyone around you.   No matter how difficult or how stubborn or even how manipulative your toughest naysayer may be, in the end they will just fade away.  And it will be the person with vision, passion and perseverance that will be remembered for making a real difference.  And that person could be you.
After two years of talking about naysayers I think that I’m ready to have some fun with something else.  So tune in next week and find out what I’ll be up to right here on the iSixSigma Blogosphere.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:48:47 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Most Wanted List # 2]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_most_wanted_list__2.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With "The Discreditor" ranking a strong #5, "The Busybody" boasting the #4 spot, and "The Egomaniac" landing #3,  our countdown of the Six Sigma Most Wanted List of naysayers continues this week with # 2 - "The Whiner".
Mode of Operation (MO):  This Naysayer complains about everything including Six Sigma.  Six Sigma training is too hard or takes too long or is not long enough.  Projects take too long to complete.  There aren’t enough resources; there is too much work.  Everything is a problem.  Yada yada yada. 
Probability of existing without being detected:   Low - This naysayer’s constant whining about Six Sigma (as well as everything else) vibrates throughout the department like a yodel in the Alps.  Everyone knows exactly how this naysayer feels about Six Sigma.
Probability of having daily occurring nayisms:  HIGH - Whining about Six Sigma occurs on a daily basis if not more often.  Actually, it never lets up.  It happens in meetings, at lunch, at the water cooler, in the carpool and most probably even at home (their dog is probably a naybarker)
Probability that their nayisms will have negative long-term ramifications:  HIGH -  These naysayers can have a far reaching impact because most of them are expert whiners meaning they have perfected their whining to get maximum attention and results.  If they hold a leadership position their impact is even greater.  It will be hard if not impossible to get this naysayer turned around before widespread damage occurs. 
Overall Threat Level:  HIGH  (Ranked using Gianna’s proprietary naysayer scale)
Actions to Deal with Naysayer #2:   Here’s what I say . . .  Approach this naysayer with open ears and let them download all of their Six Sigma related concerns.  Examine the concerns to identify common themes or issues (time constraints, resources, understanding, etc.)  If possible, offer alternatives that may help address some of the issues like changing training dates to accommodate special requests or showing examples where projects have helped effectively deal with time and resource constraints.  Sometimes even a small concession or example is enough to allow some constructive dialog that may help reduce this naysayers decibel level.  
If the naysayr is in a leadership role, invite him or her to kick-off a training class.  Offer to help prepare their speech.  The ’public’ show of required support may help dampen the impact of their negative chatter back at the office.
If all else fails, see if you can isolate them so that they can do less harm.  Look for opportunities to engage people around them in hope that knowledge can help shield the rest of the organization from the constant naysaying.
Although most people are aware of this naysayers propensity to whine about everything, don’t underestimate the damage that can be done if this naysayer is not closely monitored.  Given the right circumstances, they could spark a nayism pandemic that can leave your deployment dead in its tracks.
Tune in next week to find out who holds the #1 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted list of naysayers.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 May 2007 11:49:11 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Most Wanted List # 3]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_most_wanted_list__3.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With "The Discreditor" ranking a strong #5 and "The Busybody" boasting the #4 spot, this week, our countdown of the Six Sigma Most Wanted List of naysayers continues with # 3 - "The Egomaniac".
Mode of Operation (MO):  This Naysayer has been improving things for years and has fixed everything there is to fix.  They don’t need Six Sigma but are sure that other departments can benefit from it.  If, by chance, someone completed a successful project in their area, it was probably something they were going to do anyways. 
Probability of existing without being detected:   MEDIUM - This naysayer is sometimes hard to spot because they are advocates of Six Sigma for departments other than their own.  If they weren’t already sooooo excellent, they would use it too.  Look for this naysayer on the sidelines - cheering others on.  They have yet to figure out that Six Sigma is not a spectator sport.
Probability of having daily occurring nayisms:  MEDIUM - Although they may agree to participate on teams from other departments, their decline to use Six Sigma to improve their own processes sends a constant message of "no habla Six Sigma" throughout the department.
Probability that their nayisms will have negative long-term ramifications:  MEDIUM -  This naysayer’s mode of self  "non-participation" will clearly impact the department in the long run.  But since they support other departments using the methodology, they have at least left the door open for employees around them to learn by team participation.  Through good team experiences, these team members may propagate a bottom-up movement of their own thereby damping the overall effect from this naysayer. 
Overall Threat Level:  Strong MEDIUM  (Ranked using Gianna’s proprietary naysayer scale)
Actions to Deal with Naysayer #3:  Here’s what I say . . .  The best weapon to effectively deal with the Egomaniac is time.  While this naysayer is wallowing in a sea of complacency, the surrounding departments are learning new tools and new approaches that are improving their overall performance.  Relatively speaking, the naysayer is losing ground because without the new skills, they can’t keep up with their peer departments.  Pretty soon, this department will become the "bottleneck" or may even become the "defect".   (Sounds like a burning platform for Six Sigma is in the making).
If you can’t wait them out, try to identify some peer groups or competitors who are also known for their excellent performance and have effectively used Six Sigma to take them to the next level of excellence.  This may help re-shape Six Sigma as a method for "raising the bar" rather than fixing a problem which may have more appeal to the Egomaniac.
Join me again next week as the #2 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted List of naysayers is unveiled.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 20 May 2007 14:43:42 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Most Wanted List #4]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_most_wanted_list_4.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last week "The Discreditor" took the #5 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted list of naysayers.   This week, our countdown continues with # 4 - "The Busybody".
Mode of Operation (MO):  Much too busy to be bothered with Six Sigma.  Everyone is already working overtime just to handle the daily workload (which is probably crammed full of rework, bottlenecks and answering customer complaints).  They just can’t take on one more thing!  (Whew - I’m getting exhausted just writing about it)
Probability of existing without being detected:   LOW - Everybody knows that this naysayer is too busy for Six Sigma because the naysayer is constantly telling everyone.   Although the naysayer may not openly discredit the Six Sigma approach, the lack of participation in training, teams or anything related to Six Sigma sends a clear signal that they do not believe Six Sigma can be beneficial to their business.
Probability of having daily occurring nayisms:  MEDIUM - They are so busy that they couldn’t possibly come up with a nayism every day but their decline to participate on teams, training, etc.  is happening on a daily basis and so the message continues to be sent at regular intervals.
Probability that their nayisms will have negative long-term ramifications:  HIGH -  Even though this naysayer is not outwardly attacking Six Sigma, their mode of "non-participation" will clearly impact the department in the long run.   The inability to find time for employees to at least learn about the methodology stifles any hope that a bottom up movement would emerge.  The constant frustration of broken processes and long hours also makes it difficult for anyone to muster up the energy to learn about Six Sigma on their own much less try to engage in a team.
Overall Threat Level:  MEDIUM  (Ranked using Gianna’s proprietary naysayer scale)
Actions to Deal with Naysayer #4:  Here’s what I say . . .  There is definitely an opportunity to convert "The Busybody" but you must find an approach that will spark interest and address the WIFM (What’s in it for me).   Here’s a couple to try:

Communicate examples of where other "busy" departments have used Six Sigma to reduce their workload.  Make sure these other "busy" departments get lots of recognition for their accomplishment. 
Gather data and do some high-level analysis to identify pockets of defects, bottlenecks, etc. that if addressed, will increase productivity.  Show examples of how this worked in another department to add credibility to your approach.
See if you can obtain a Black Belt resource from another department to address a problem area and ask if the "much too busy" department is willing to provide ’ad-hoc’ team membership (to minimize production impact). 
Offer to deliver some "lunch and learn" sessions (no impact on production) where you can help employees understand how Six Sigma can positively impact them.  Use the opportunity to market Six Sigma benefits and get some input for areas where Six Sigma can be applied.
Basically, look for any opportunity to get your foot in the door because behind it lays a huge success story just waiting to happen!  
Tune in next week to find out who holds the #3 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted List!  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2007 07:36:32 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: #5 on the Six Sigma Most Wanted List]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/5_on_the_six_sigma_most_wanted_list.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ever wonder which Naysayers hold the distinction of being on the Six Sigma Most Wanted list?  With so many types of naysayers to pick from, it’s tough competition.  But after two years and 44 Nayisms, your time of wondering is coming to an end because the "Top 5 Countdown" is about to begin.
This week, landing the number 5 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted list of naysayers is "The Discreditor".
Mode of Operation:  Looks for opportunities to discredit Six Sigma.   Touts examples of Six Sigma companies that may not have increased their profit in the past year (like Six Sigma is the only "x" variable in this equation).  Highlights the few projects that may have floundered versus the hundreds of success stories.
Probability of existing without being detected:   LOW - This naysayer is vocal when given the opportunity and is easily spotted.
Probability of having daily occurring nayisms:  LOW - Must wait for something negative to happen in order to stir up chatter.  Most likely spends time during the work day combing through Dilbert cartoons looking for the next opportunity.
Probability that their nayisms will have negative long-term ramifications:  MEDIUM -  Most people will eventually realize that this naysayer does not have a strong basis for his/her nayisms.   But if left unchallenged, the continuous jabberwocky can perpetuate long lasting negativity throughout the organization.
Overall Threat Level:  LOW  (Ranked using Gianna’s proprietary naysayer scale)
Actions to Deal with Naysayer #5:  Here’s what I say . . .  Don’t let this naysayer’s gibberish go unchecked.  Get the facts and inform this naysayer and the people around him/her of the real deal.  Over time, the data and the results will speak for themselves.  
Tune in next week to find out who holds the #4 spot on the Six Sigma Most Wanted List!  Anybody care to take a guess?]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 06 May 2007 18:14:01 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Networking &quot;Chicago Style&quot;]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/networking_chicago_style.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Last week I joined several of my colleagues in Chicago to participate in the Conference Board’s 2007 Six Sigma Leadership Conference.    More than 115 Six Sigma leaders gathered to network and learn more about how companies are “Leveraging  Lean and Traditional Six Sigma to Optimize Business Process Delivery”.   
Mike Kirby, Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (Business Transformation) enlightened us concerning the largest deployment ever undertaken by a single entity – the U.S. Army.  Denis Gallagher, Vice President Six Sigma at Quest Diagnostics and Leslie Behnke, Vice President Business Excellence CIGNA Corporation gave us a glimpse of how Six Sigma can be effectively applied in the medical diagnostic and healthcare industry.
These were just a few of the numerous speakers that openly shared their experience.  In addition to an awesome speaker line-up,  the conference provided a terrific opportunity to network with Six Sigma professionals who have a keen interest in finding new and innovative ways that Six Sigma can help their company be even more successful. 
Networking by definition is a supportive system of sharing information among individuals and groups having a common interest.  Organizations like The Conference Board,  iSixSigma, IQPC, ISSSP and others offer a wide choice of opportunities and locations for Six Sigma professionals to network.  There is always something to learn and someone to meet.   Taking advantage of these opportunities is just one more way to keep in step with what’s going on in the world of Six Sigma!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Conferences&nbsp;,&nbsp;General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:55:25 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Easter Basket - Got Eggs?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_easter_basket_got_eggs.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ever wonder what kind of eggs would be found in a Six Sigma easter basket?   Here’s what I say . . .

Eggs-ceptional teams
Eggs-citing projects
Eggs-ponential ROI
Eggs-traordinary improvements
Eggs-hilarating challenges
Eggs-treme customer satisfaction
Hope your Six Sigma easter basket is filled with Eggs-actly what you need.  Happy Easter!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:20:59 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: On-line Orientation: Your Dream Come True or Your Next Nightmare?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/on_line_orientation_your_dream_come_true_or_your_next_nightmare.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 44:  "What do you mean by asking my employees to spend an hour doing on-line Six Sigma orientation?  You must be dreaming if you think I can afford to have them away from their job for that amount of time."
Will trying to get this naysayer on board be your next nightmare?  How should you respond?  Here’s what I say . . .
"I understand your concern with having employees spend time away from their work station but the training is needed to provide them with a basic understanding of what our company is trying to accomplish through Six Sigma.  After learning the basics, these employees may come up with ideas where Six Sigma may help improve their processes.  In addition, their understanding and buy-in will help when they are asked to implement improvements resulting from Six Sigma projects.  Identifying opportunities and implementing improvements is part of everyone’s job.  It is only right that we help them gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.  Please consider providing them with this opportunity to learn (smile)"
OK.  If that doesn’t work, you might see yourself saying this . . .  "One hour, one measly hour a year.  I can’t believe you are making a freakin’ big deal about having your employees spend one hour a year on something that will help them and the company improve performance.  The average employee spends more than one hour in the bathroom in a week if they go three times a day for five minutes.   Maybe I should just install an on-line training monitor in the bathroom and train the entire workforce in a week."  At this point you wake up and realize that you could only really say this in your dreams.   So you get up, go to work, face your newest nightmare and say (with a smile)  "I understand your concern . . ."
Don’t get discouraged.  Keep trying different approaches and one may end up being the key to helping this naysayer understand the benefits of getting their employees involved.  Remember, it’s often the last key on the ring that opens the lock.   
But just in case, get yourself a dreamcatcher!  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: What's In Your Pot O'Gold?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/whats_in_your_pot_ogold.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 43:  Ever since we started deploying Six Sigma, everyone has been jumping around like they found the golden nugget.  Don’t they know that golden nuggets don’t really exist?
Hmmm.   Sounds like this naysayer may have kissed the ’ole blarney stone one too many times.  Believe it or not, the Six Sigma Pot O’Gold is full of golden nuggets.  They didn’t just appear in the pot one day.  They were slowly earned through hard work and determination.  Where did they come from?   Here’s what I say . . .
When Six Sigma is used to solve a long standing problem that had previously been worked on for years - that’s a golden nugget.
When Six Sigma proves that the "Just Do It" answer was not the right answer after all - that’s a golden nugget.
When Six Sigma is used to fix your measurement system so that your business decisions are now based on good data -  that’s a golden nugget.
When your financial contribution from Six Sigma projects exceed your annual goal by over 70% - that’s a golden nugget.
When your toughest naysayer thanks a Black Belt for solving an unsolvable problem - that’s a golden nugget.
The true riches of Six Sigma are usually found one golden nugget at a time.  
May your Six Sigma Pot O’Gold be filled with lots of golden nuggets on this St. Patrick’s Day!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:28:50 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Don't Exile Your Black Belt]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/dont_exile_your_black_belt.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 42:  Why does every department have to have their own Black Belt?  Let’s just pick some people to be Black Belts, give them a job title, put them in a separate department and be done with it.
Sound like a good idea?    Here’s what I say  . . .
One of the most important aspects in allowing Six Sigma to become engrained in an organization is that each and every employee must feel like they are responsible for continuous improvement.  When Black Belts report to a separate department, improving processes may be viewed as "their" job instead of everybody’s job.   This may cause employees to feel less responsibility or ownership for improving their processes.  Keeping Black Belts aligned with and reporting into the line organization sends a clear message that their role is a part of how their department operates.
So, don’t exile your Black Belt to the quality department abyss.  Welcome them as part of your department’s team and you may find that the only things that get banished are defects and problems.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:39:53 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: What's In a Name?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/whats_in_a_name.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 41:  "Six Sigma" is not for us.  We’re past all the buzz words and latest fads.
For various and sometimes unknown reasons, people shy away from Six Sigma because of the name.  In fact, Six Sigma has become so popular that it could be the hype surrounding the name that turns them off.  So how do you get past the "name-calling" and start focusing on the journey forward?  Here’s what I say . . . 
First you must acknowledge that the emotional barrier resulting from the name "Six Sigma" is real.  Trying to overcome this barrier may take more time and effort than it is worth.  So what have some companies done?  They have named their initiative something else.  By calling their approach "Continuous Process Improvement", "Business Excellence", or "Quality Quest", they have been able to overcome the initial resistance that may have been linked to the name "Six Sigma".   Some companies have gone as far as re-naming their Black Belts and Green Belts "Process Experts" or "Quality Specialists".   (If any of you are doing this, please post a comment with your initiative’s name. It might be helpful to folks who are wrestling with the same issue).
Identifying and removing barriers to success is an integral part of any successful deployment.  Don’t let "name-calling" get in the way.  After all, a rose by any other name is still a rose!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:43:27 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: The Nayism Pandemic]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/the_nayism_pandemic.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 40:  The year-end financials are out and Company XYZ who is using Six Sigma didn’t do well.  Looks like Six Sigma is looking more like Sick Sigma.
It’s that time of year when Six Sigma naysayers turn to company year-end financial performance and try to lay blame on Six Sigma for companies that may not have ’made the numbers'.  The publicity is enough to cause a nayism pandemic in some circles.  Just how contagious is it?  Here’s what I say  . . .
Pointing fingers has always been a natural response to unwanted events.   But there is a notable difference between pointing fingers and actually diagnosing a root cause.  Fortunately, most business leaders have figured this out.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop Six Sigma naysayers from seizing the opportunity to spread nayisms at a rate that can redefine the word ’pandemic’.  For those of us who understand that "Six Sigma" is synonymous with the words "improving performance" and "increasing customer satisfaction", it just doesn’t make sense.  Let’s substitute these words in a typical nayism and see how it sounds.  "The reason our company didn’t do well last year is because we’ve been improving performance".   Try this one:  "The reason our company didn’t do well last year is because we’ve been increasing customer satisfaction."   Mind boggling isn’t it?
But regardless of any explanations, naysayers will always be on the sidelines ready and waiting to seize the opportunity where they can make a case (however weak) against Six Sigma and turning to a company’s financial performance is a great way to catch the eye of business leaders.  Will all this naysaying turn into a nayism pandemic or is there hope for a cure?
Companies with a strong commitment to continuously improve their business with Six Sigma will survive.  Their antibodies have been strengthened with doses of undeniable success that will serve to control the spread of nayism throughout their organization.
That being said, never underestimate the ability of naysayers to start a nayism pandemic in your company.  Always be ready and willing to acknowledge what is being printed in the media and use it as an opportunity to help people better understand the real issues.  Use Dilbert’s Six Sigma cartoons to your advantage by talking about the failure mode that the cartoon portrays and ways to prevent it (You can also have a  good laugh about it).  Letting naysayers go unchallenged is a sure way to fuel a nayism pandemic.  But don’t dwell on the nayism.  The best defense is a good offense and in this case, sharing the zillions of Six Sigma success stories can go a long way in keeping naysayers in check.
Remember - a shot of Six Sigma success a day will surely keep the naysayers away!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Feb 2007 04:18:42 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Repatriate My Black Belt Into Leadership?  No Can Do]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/repatriate_my_black_belt_into_leadership_no_can_do.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 39:  Our organization is flat and has little turnover.  There just aren’t any leadership positions available for Black Belts when they repatriate.  
Organizations with little movement might find themselves getting a little stale when it comes to repatriating black belts.  Is there anything you can say to clear the air?   Here’s what I say . . .
Good workforce planning is critical in assuring proper selection and repatriation of black belts. The long term benefit of having black belts repatriate into leadership positions is that they become a catalyst for organizational transformation.  
To address this issue, start out by looking at the data.   Find out how many leadership placements have taken place in the past couple of years and compare that to the number of black belts that need to repatriate.  If there is truly no opportunity for placement/promotion into a leadership position, this organization will need to select existing leaders to be black belts and then return them to their leadership position in a couple of years.  After the first wave of leaders are picked, it will start a rotation cycle that provides repatriation opportunities created by vacancies due to the next wave of leaders becoming black belts.  Any mismatch in skills can be addressed by allowing the Black Belt to work projects that broaden their skills in areas where they will repatriate.   This provides the integration of Black Belt skills into leadership as well as job rotation opportunities to keep folks from getting stale or bored with their jobs due to lack of opportunity for movement/promotion.
If the data shows that there have been ample leadership placement opportunities in the past couple of years, then the real issue is not about lack of repatriation opportunities.  It is about black belt selection.   Good workforce planning should drive the organization to select a black belt that possesses good leadership skills and has been tapped for future promotion into a leadership position (1-3 years).   As a designated current or future leader, they were going to land the leadership position anyway. All you’ve done is given them some additional Six Sigma skills before they got there.   Experience has proven that when the right black belt is selected, the organization usually has several opportunities ready and waiting when that person is ready to repatriate.  
So it’s not about trying to make your black belt a leader.  It’s about picking a leader to be your Black Belt.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:59:25 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Exactly What About Six Sigma Doesn't Work?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/exactly_what_about_six_sigma_doesnt_work.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 38:  Six Sigma doesn’t work.   Just look at the Fortune 500 . . . yada . . . yada . . . yada. . .blah . . .blah . . blah
After reading yet another Six Sigma bashing news article, I find it interesting that intelligent people are publishing the kind of gibberish that naysayers all over the world have been dreaming of.   But after all the naying and blah, blah, blah, exactly what about Six Sigma won’t work?  Here’s what I say  . . .
Let’s see, define the problem, measure it, analyze data to develop solutions, improve the process and make sure the improvement sticks.  Sounds like a good approach to me.  Maybe it’s the execution.  Selecting a project that supports corporate objectives, using a cross-functional team made up of process experts and gathering input from the customer.   Nope - no issues here.    Right then, maybe it’s the data driven decision-making or the methodology’s ability to fix long standing problems.  No - not a problem either.
So what are all these naysayers complaining about and exactly what about Six Sigma doesn’t work?  Is there any substance or reality to their concerns or are they just the "Captain Hook" in a bad rendition of "Adventures in Sigmaland".  Maybe these naysayers just need a mommy.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jan 2007 04:24:28 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: What Naysayers Want for Christmas . . .]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/what_naysayers_want_for_christmas___.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Believe it or not, naysayers all over the world are frantically writing letters to Santa.  So what are they asking for?   Here’ the top 10 list:
Number 10:  Two dozen "Just Say No" buttons
Number 9:  Ten pounds of stinky cheese to go with their ’whine’
Number 8:  A "Harry Potter" invisibility cloak to help them move about the office undetected.
Number 7:  A look-alike inflatable doll to act as their stand-in at Green Belt training
Number 6:  2007 edition of "Naysayers Guide to the Galaxy"  (also known as "The Road to No-where")
Number 5:  An electronic voice changer gadget so that they can claim that it was someone else who actually said the nayism
Number 4:  A universal language translator so that they can learn how to say "I’m too busy" in 87 languages.
Number 3:  Eye glasses with pictures of eyeballs pasted in the lens so that it looks like they are paying attention at project report-outs.
Number 2:  Pre-recorded voice cards that say "It won’t work" to leave at their desk while they are on vacation to make sure nothing accidentally gets improved while they are gone.
Number 1:  A one year supply of botox treatments to eliminate wrinkles caused by frowning about Six Sigma
To all my friends at the blogosphere and especially to all the naysayers out there who give me a reason to blog - Happy Holidays!   
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Dec 2006 17:29:36 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma - What's In It For Me?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_whats_in_it_for_me.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 37:  Six Sigma touts a lot of benefits for the company but what’s in it for me?
The answer to this question could be the turning point for this individual.  Can you give them the right answer to their WIFM (What’s In It For Me?).   Where do you begin?   Here’s what I say . . .
There are ’Many Me(s)’ in Six Sigma and many more benefits than Me(s).  Below are a couple of examples.  Picking the right benefit that best matches the "Me" that is doing the asking will increase your chance of convincing this potential naysayer that life is good in Six Sigma town.





 Who Am I?

 What’s In It for Me?

 Why It’s a Good Thing?

Customer



Increased product /service reliability 

Reduced cycle time 

Done right the first time

Improved customer satisfaction


Employee



Participation in the voice of the process 

Personal development and learning 

Improved work flow (less frustration)

Increased employee satisfaction


Company



Improved processes 

Bottom line contribution (cost &amp; revenue) 

Pathway to excellence

Improved performance


Shareholder



Improved customer satisfaction 

Increased employee satisfaction 

Improved performance

Increased shareholder value]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:36:51 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Thankful for Naysayers]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/thankful_for_naysayers.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 36:  "Six Sigma won’t work because  . . ."
As we approach Thanksgiving it is only fitting that we reflect on the things that we are thankful for.  Believe it or not, I am thankful for Six Sigma naysayers.  Yes - those stodgy, old school, dig in their heels, change resistant individuals who lurk the halls of every Six Sigma deployment and whose every sentence begins with "Six Sigma won’t work because . . ."    So why (besides the fact that it is Thanksgiving) should we be thankful for naysayers?   Here’s what I say . . .
Besides ’gobbling’ up 80% of your time and providing fodder for 35 nayism blogs, naysayers serve another key purpose.  Every time a naysayer speaks up, it makes us re-examine our conviction in Six Sigma.  We should always ask ourselves, could there be a basis for the naysayer’s statement or is it just a bunch of jabberwocky?  A poised Six Sigma practitioner will take the opportunity to research and gather facts and develop a better understanding of the naysayer’s concern.  If a basis for the statement exists, it creates an opportunity to take action to reduce the probability of occurrence and/or reduce the consequences (a FMEA in the making).  These actions can only serve to strengthen the probability for Six Sigma success - something we should be thankful for.   
So the next time your local naysayer blurts out their nayism, tell them "Thanks" because it is through these daily challenges that our own understanding and resolve in the Six Sigma methodology is strengthened.
Happy Thanksgiving!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Nov 2006 03:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Bubble, Bubble, Toil &amp; Trouble]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/bubble_bubble_toil_amp_trouble.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 35:  Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble, Send me a Black Belt on the Double.  I have a problem and he needs to fix it!
At first, this statement may not sound like a "nayism" but beware.  Something is brewing in this organization and it is definitely trouble.  Why?  Here’s what I say . . .
This process owner is very clear about his ownership of the problem but does not seem to own the fix.   Too many times a Black Belt is perceived as the "magic" ingredient to make a problem go away.  There is no denying that a talented Black Belt and team can solve some really dreadful problems but the solutions are only as effective as their implementation and successful implementation requires ownership by the process owner.   Sometimes in their zeal, the Black Belt takes too much ownership of the problem and the solution.  This has the unintended consequence of releasing the process owner of theirs.  There is nothing scarier than trying to fix a process without a process owner (believe me - I’ve seen it).
The essential ingredient in any project solution and successful  implementation is the process owner.  Only if they own the problem and the solution will the true ’magic’ occur.    Happy Halloween! ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 21 Oct 2006 14:55:39 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: No Savings?     Go Fish!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/no_savings_go_fish.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 34:  Every year our company sets unreasonable Six Sigma financial goals and we have to scurry around to find projects to meet them.  It’s just too much for our organization to cope with.
This is a common nayism heard in organizations with a culture of "business as usual".  Should they back off a bit and give these naysayers some relief?  Here’s what I say . . .
Organizations that have a culture of "business as usual" are most likely accustomed to setting what they call "achievable goals" meaning that if they run their business as usual, they will meet their goals.  Calling these ’goals’ is a misnomer and only serves to strengthen the status quo.
Real "goals" are targets that will drive the organization to work and stretch to meet them.  Many times, when set, they seem unattainable but with focused effort, innovation and drive, they can be met.  Not an easy task and it usually means a lot of ’moaning and groaning" to get there but after achieving the goal it becomes obvious that all that "moaning and groaning" was actually growing pains as the organization stretched its potential to accomplish the unachievable.
Six Sigma financial goals are no different.  Setting aggressive goals sends a clear message that the company is looking for cost reduction and/or revenue growth by changing their business processes instead of the old fashioned way of slash and burn.  It will challenge the organization to look deep within their processes to identify cost and revenue drivers and then modify their processes to provide positive financial impact.  
The real leaders will approach this challenge and come back with the "catch of the day".   As for the naysayers, tell them to "go fish".]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 08 Oct 2006 17:23:02 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: When Black Belts &quot;Go Native&quot;]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/when_black_belts_go_native.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 33:  Our department has had several Black Belts who completed projects that drove positive change but since they have been repatriated, it’s been business as usual.  If this Six Sigma stuff was that good, why don’t the Black Belts keep doing projects once they return to the organization?
Here’s a perfect example of how cultural norms can squelch even the best change efforts.  How does this happen?    Here’s what I say . . .
When high potential employees are assigned the Black Belt role, their mission is clear:  Apply the Six Sigma methodology to make the business better.  Even in organizations that have not really bought into Six Sigma, effective Black Belts (driven by their passion for success) find ways to engage people to implement the positive changes resulting from projects.  It’s a tough task with constant challenges but it’s "their job".  At times the Black Belt may feel like a salmon swimming against the cultural norms of "business as usual".   So what happens when the Black Belt repatriates?
Once repatriated, working projects is no longer the Black Belts full time job.  Even if the Black Belt is an avid believer in the methodology and wants to continue working projects, without the sponsorship and buy-in of the organization, it is just too hard.  There is no reward for change.  Instead, rewards are bestowed on those who stick with the cultural norms.  The mission is no longer clear and being a top performer in this organization means "fitting in".
In a perfect world, good would drown out evil.  But in the real world of ’business as usual’, this black belt is expected to swim with his peers in the same school of thought.  Breaking away leaves the Black Belt isolated and exposed to premature extinction.  For most, the instinct to survive is greater than the drive to change - and that’s why Black Belts "go native".]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 30 Sep 2006 12:10:04 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Diet or Lifestyle Change?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_diet_or_lifestyle_change.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 32:  We’ve learned the tools, trained folks and made good progress with our projects but somehow Six Sigma hasn’t become the "way we work".  Exactly when, if ever, will the cultural transformation thing happen?
Sounds like this organization is having a tough time changing old habits.  Much like the latest weight loss fad, short-term success can be realized but sustainable results will require a lifestyle change.  So what is the difference between a Six Sigma diet and lifestyle change?  Here’s what I say . . .
At some point in our lives we’ve probably all been on a ’diet’.  Whether we jump on the latest fad or devise a well thought out plan, we’re looking for the same result - to look and feel better.   When we begin our diet, we are very focused and keep to a strict regimen of eating right and exercising.  It works and the pounds melt away.   But as time progresses, it becomes harder to lose a pound.  The easy weight loss is gone and it is going to take even more dedication to keep going.  At this point, some folks give up because it is just too hard.  Others find the stamina to continue until they reach their goal weight.  They look good and feel good and their strict regimen of eating right and exercising no longer seems necessary.  Eventually old habits return and it is not long before they are back where they started - sometimes even a few pounds more.  What went wrong?   There was no lifestyle change to sustain the results.  Weaving new behavior into an old mindset is not easy.  It requires an unconditional desire to change.   A passion so strong that it doesn’t give way to the ’old ways’ which at times seem more comfortable and requires a lot less effort.
By now, some of you have forgotten that we are talking about a diet and have made the connection to Six Sigma.  For some it’s just a fad.  Others find success and start to become complacent in their search for excellence.   Results are held up as being ’good enough’.  Identifying good projects is a little tougher since the ground fruit is gone.  The easy converts are on board and the tough naysayers are just too tough to overcome.  Keeping on the forward path becomes more difficult as the constant focus on continuous improvement begins to be overshadowed by cultural norms.  This is a turning point for many organizations.  Only those who have the vision, the passion and the will to make Six Sigma a lifestyle change will succeed.  As for the others, they are destined to become the next victim of the Six Sigma diet.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:07:16 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Stealth Naysayers - Can You Spot Them?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/stealth_naysayers_can_you_spot_them.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 31:  "Of course I’m on board with Six Sigma.  What’s not to like about it?"
Fact or Fiction?  Is this leader a genuine believer or a shrouded figure from the "dark side"?  How can you tell?   Here’s what I say . . .
As spoken by the true master Yoda "Find the answer to the following three questions and revealed the truth will be."

Has this leader picked one of their best and brightest to be a black belt in their organization?
Has this leader championed a successful project that is focused on meeting operational objectives?
Does this leader actively encourage the participation of their department employees on Six Sigma teams?
If the answer to all three is "Yes", take notice because this leader "gets it" and will be a prominent contributor to the corporation’s success.  
If the answer to any of the three questions is "No",  take notice because this leader doesn’t get it - or won’t admit that he doesn't get it - or even worse, thinks he gets it, but is actually clueless.  
Is there a fix?  Possibly.   Step one has already been taken.  Once a stealth naysayer has been identified, his ability to maneuver around Six Sigma unnoticed has been compromised.  So by all means, find a subtle way to inform this leader that their cloaking device has failed.  At this point, one of two things will occur.  If the leader knows they he has been detected, and realizes that his actions are not in line with management’s expectation, he will correct the situation.  This type of reaction usually occurs in a culture with high accountability.    
In cultures that do not have high accountability, this person will most likely be allowed to continue down the path to the dark side.  Their department will follow.   If you are lucky, he will retire soon.  If not, gather the approrpriate data, take inventory of all your options, develop a plan, and approach this one head-on.  "May the force be with you".]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:41:05 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Good Projects Gone Bad]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/good_projects_gone_bad.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 30:  The action taken as a result of the Six Sigma project has no basis.  Looks like this Six Sigma stuff is a scam for doing whatever management wants to do.
There is nothing worse than a good project gone bad.  How do you identify them and what do you do?  Here’s what I say . . .
Bad projects occur when a project team fails to apply the Six Sigma methodology to reach the answer but instead jumps to an unanalyzed conclusion.   These projects can be identified because the action recommended does not have a link to data analysis.  How does this happen?  Sometimes it is due to having an overzealous team that think they know the answer and want to hurry up and solve the problem.  In this case, bringing the team back to the data analysis usually gets them going in the right direction.  
The tougher issue is when this action is pre-meditated.  This is when a Project Champion (PC) or Black Belt (BB) uses the Six Sigma forum to accomplish a specific task that they want to get done.  Portraying the task as a Six Sigma project implementation recommendation may be the only way to sell their idea.   Addressing this issue is a difficult task.  You must keep asking the PC, the BB and the team "How does this solution link to the data analysis?"   Focus on the PC.  If the PC refuses to acknowledge the issue it means that he or she is the issue.   If the project is too far down the road, you may not be able to save it.  But keep a sharp eye on the situation and you may be able to halt the next project before it starts going bad.
Good projects gone bad can 'spoil' any deployment.  If given the choice, no project is better than a bad one. ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:24:04 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Training and Projects and Tests - Oh My!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/training_and_projects_and_tests_oh_my.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 29:  I’ve been to Green Belt training, passed my test, completed my project and have been certified.  Now can I get back to doing my real job?
This naysayer has obviously gotten lost but has not realized that he is not in Kansas anymore.  In his view, he has ’punched his ticket’ and now wants to go home.  This type of response is typically heard from the ’compliance mode’ naysayer.  He understands what he has to do and complies (at least he thinks he is complying).  What can you possibly say to persuade him to change his mind?   Here’s what I say  . . .
Learning Six Sigma methods is not just a ’ticket punch’.  The value can only be derived if you internalize the methodology and apply it to what you do and how you do it everyday.  If you don’t,  then you have wasted your time and the company’s time by becoming a Green Belt.  
I’m sure that if you take a closer look at your business using what you have recently learned that you will begin to see opportunities where Six Sigma can be applied to improve your processes.  It is your responsibility to pursue these opportunities.  Your colleagues and our company are depending on you to use what you’ve learned to make a difference.
And, by the way, if you don’t pursue these opportunities, I’m sure someone else will and you will find yourself even more lost.   At some point, not even the wizard will be able to bring you back.
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jul 2006 08:03:20 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Use the Force . . .]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/use_the_force___.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Nayism 28: So much analysis, so little time.  The project needs to get moving - I need a fix now.
Ah yes, the analysis paralysis phase of projects can haunt even the best of black belts.  Is there ever a time to throw in the belt and call it "enough"?  Here’s what I say . . .
The dreaded sea of unending data is quite a site but drowning can be avoided.  
First, always check your scope and objective.  Is it too large (i.e. boil the ocean)?  Are there too many inputs or are the inputs at too high a level?  If so, working through a refined C&amp;E matrix or QFD may help you develop a more focused data analysis plan.
Second, stay focused on your objective.  It’s easy to get side-tracked by stray defects.  If the defects are not directly related to your specific objective, save them for another day.
Third, and most important, use the collective knowledge of your team to help keep you on the right path.  As experts in their field, they can more easily recognize correlation versus causation and keep you focused on the important stuff.  Ask them to help you find the exit door to this unending analysis loop.
Remember, your team may be the driving force to success.  "Use the force . . .Luke!"]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jun 2006 04:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Stifles Innovation &amp; Creative Thinking]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_stifles_innovation_amp_creative_thinking.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 27:  Six Sigma is so structured that it stifles innovation and creative thinking.
This is a classic nayism which deserves a classic response.  So, here’s what I say . . .
Au contraire mon ami.  It is quite the opposite.  Six Sigma does not stifle innovation and creative thinking.  It facilitates it.  Many Six Sigma tools, such as the C&amp;E diagram and FMEA encourage free thinking and collaborative brainstorming.  A good facilitator coupled with a diverse team creates the perfect environment for new ideas to emerge when looking for possible causes or when identifying possible solutions.  And, once an innovative solution is identified, Six Sigma can help optimize the effectiveness of the solution.
Still not convinced?  Maybe the solution in this case is to commission a Six Sigma team to identify new and creative ways to deal with naysayers!
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jun 2006 16:35:11 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Distracted By Too Many Six Sigma Projects]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/distracted_by_too_many_six_sigma_projects.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success. Even so, getting “nay-sayers” on board is a continuous challenge. What do you tell them?

Nayism 26: There are so many Six Sigma projects going on that we are getting distracted from core business.

This nayism is frequently heard when Six Sigma gets into full swing with lots of Black Belt and Green Belt project activity. Your first reaction should be to go get data related to the number of projects, people in training, etc. If too many projects get launched in an area at once, it could cause a resource drain. Training schedules and project work need to be well coordinated with department schedules and resources. If after reviewing the data everything looks reasonable, then something else is amiss. What can it be? Here’s what I say . . .

If a department feels that the number of Six Sigma projects is distracting employees from core business then maybe they have picked the wrong projects. Six Sigma projects should not distract employees from core business but instead should focus on high priority items that are critical to business success. Many times when an organization is not completely bought into Six Sigma (aka naysayers), they commission projects that focus on low priority areas. This will create a resource drain and generate lots of complaints because high priority work will still need to be done. Don’t let poor project selection fuel this naysayer’s fire. Work with the leadership team to extinguish the low priority projects and start new ones that focus on high priority items.


Working low priority projects is the root cause of many Six Sigma woes. Keep a watchful eye on project selection and your Six Sigma efforts won’t go “up in smoke”.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 14 May 2006 18:04:59 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: We're Already World Class]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/were_already_world_class.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success. Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge. What do you tell them?
Nayism 25: For the past three years our product has been ranked ’world-class’.  What can Six Sigma possibly do for us?
Sometimes having a world class product or operation makes it difficult to understand how Six Sigma can make a difference.  But it can. It’s all about how you define a defect. The specifications that you measure yourself against may establish that you are ’world class’  today. These specficiations are most likely defined by industry performance and how you compare to others in the industry. But technology and innovation continuously drive the expectations higher and the industry is constantly raising the bar. So how can Six Sigma help? Here’s what I say . . .
Whatever the "world class" specs are, set your internal specs one notch higher and re-define what you call a defect.  You can now apply Six Sigma methods to identify process improvements and/or process redesign to meet this new standard.  At first this may seem overwhelming because no-one can imagine how to get there because you are already world class.  But if you already know how to get there, you should have already made the changes.  Continuously raising the performance bar provides an unending path to improvement which is facilitated by constant improvement and innovations in technology.  
Becoming a world class operation should be recognized as a great achievement but it only marks the performance level at a point in time.  Use the time wisely by applying Six Sigma methods and you will continuously re-define the meaning of world class in your industry.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Apr 2006 04:16:31 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Too Busy for Six Sigma]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/too_busy_for_six_sigma.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 24:  Six Sigma sounds great but we’re swamped with work and I don’t see how we can take on one more thing.
Being too swamped with work is often heard as a reason for not deploying Six Sigma.  Actually, it’s one of the best reasons for doing it.  How do you make this connection for the naysayer?   Here’s what I say . . . 
The Six Sigma methodology is designed to help you become a better business.   As you apply the methodology and eliminate defects, reduce cycle time, streamline processes and improve customer satisfaction, resources that were previously tied up with rework, errors, delays and complaints can now be directed at reducing your backlog and ultimately toward more profitable activities.  
Doing the same things that you’ve always done to fix your problems and deal with workload will ultimately result in the same place you are today - swamped.  By providing new methods, tools and skills, Six Sigma can provide you with new solutions and steer you out of the swamp toward clear waters.
So, from this point of view, it’s not that you can’t afford to spend time deploying Six Sigma, you can’t afford not to.
(Thanks Helmut for this Nayism!)]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2006 18:25:10 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Production Workers On Teams]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/production_workers_on_teams.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success. Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge. What do you tell them?
Nayism 23: I can’t put a production worker on a team.  I need them out in the field working - not attending a meeting.
Production quotas and productivity are frequently used as an excuse to keep production workers from participating on a Six Sigma team.  This excuse may be an indicator of a deeper problem.  Additional discussions may help identify the true issue.  How should you respond?  Here’s what I say . . .
Having production workers participate on teams is necessary to get input and buy-in from the people who are closest to the process.  Team participation should only take one to two hours per week.   Although it may impact the production of the one person for a short period of time, the overall benefit will be that all production workers may become more productive as a result of the improvement.  The one team member will probably have a very small productivity impact relative to the major gains that can be achieved.
If this doesn’t open the door, maybe the real problem is that the supervisor doesn’t believe that improvement is needed or does not want input from his or her production workers.  In either case, it’s still not a good situation.  The best thing to do is to keep talking to the supervisor and bring examples of how production workers may have contributed to a team in another department or an example of this from another company.  Ask for a trial period for participation or ask for an adhoc team member in lieu of a full time team member.  Any small win is a step in the right direction.
In the meantime, strengthen local communications through newsletters, bulletin boards, website and posters - anything that lets you communicate directly with the production workers.  Getting them to want to participate or even ask to participate may help your situation.
In all respects, stay focused on your mission and wait for an opportunity to present itself that will crack the door open wide enough to start things in motion.  But beware.  If the production workers have not been able to participate in improvement efforts for several years, you may find yourself swamped with great ideas!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Mar 2006 04:06:22 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: To Six Sigma or Not - Let's &quot;Pilot&quot; to Find Out]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/to_six_sigma_or_not_lets_pilot_to_find_out.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 22:  In lieu of an enterprise-wide Six Sigma deployment, let’s start with a couple of departments and see how it works.
On the surface, this may seem like a reasonable approach but hidden beneath this "toe in the water" approach, dangers are lurking.  Can it work?   Here’s what I say . . .
You’ve heard it a zillion times. . . The power of Six Sigma is not in working a couple of projects.  It’s derived from the cultural aspect (i.e. changing the way the organization works).  The "pilot" approach has some down side that can drown even the best intentions. 
When leadership decides to "pilot" six sigma in a couple of areas, it sends a very clear message to the organization that the leadership team is not convinced that it will work.  This one decision may be enough to spark a feeding frenzy of negativity among the organization’s "nay-sayers" that can overtake even the best deployment efforts.  A successful Six Sigma deployment requires that leadership be passionate about Six Sigma and continuous improvement and and that they relay this passion through their actions.   A "pilot" deployment does not relay passion but sends a clear "caution" message.
Partial deployment can be very tricky.  Once a couple of groups are selected for the pilot, these groups will need to be trained.  But training the pilot group is not enough.  Other departments will require training.  For example, HR (to define Black Belt and Project Champion roles and select the right black belts), Finance (to develop a financial validation methodology), IT (to understand data gathering methods).  Also, as team members are selected, it becomes evident that process customers and suppliers need to be involved.  Data and input may also be needed from ’other’ groups which may or may not have had Six Sigma training or orientation.  At this point, it becomes clear that success will depend on many groups, not just a few that are being piloted.   Without proper deployment in these groups (training and communication) the opportunity for buy-in and support greatly diminishes.
These are just a couple of issues related to "pilot" deployments.  This does not mean that "pilot" deployments won’t work, as I’m sure some have.  It does stress the importance of having a carefully orchestrated plan in place to address issues that may not be present with an enterprise-wide approach.  Six Sigma deployment is serious stuff.   Whether done correctly or incorrectly, it will have a lasting effect on the organization. ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Leadership&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 04 Mar 2006 06:37:19 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Black Belt:  Job or Role?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/black_belt_job_or_role.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success. Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge. What do you tell them?
Nayism 21:  If a Black Belt likes what he or she does, why rotate them back into the organization?  Why not let Black Belt positions be permanent positions instead of just roles?
Most companies keep Black Belts in a full time role for 18 to 30 months and then repatriate them into the organization.  Should some Black Belts be allowed to stay as ’career’ black belts?   Here’s what I say . . . 
The purpose of having a full time Black Belt is so that they can dedicate 100% of their time to learning new skills and fixing problems in the organization.  During the 18 to 30 month assignment, they develop expert Six Sigma skills.   Rotating people through the Black Belt role (or the Master Black Belt role) and then returning them to the organization in a leadership role, creates a leadership environment where Six Sigma can flourish.  (i.e.  the leader really gets it). 
The downside of having a career black belt position is that over time, the organization will begin to perceive Black Belt work and Six Sigma as "someones" job, not "everyones" job.  Instead of Six Sigma becoming the way the organization works, it becomes the work for Black Belts.  The constant rotation of people through the Black Belt role sends a clear message that the role is intended to build future leaders with expert Six Sigma knowledge and skill that can then lead the organization to excellence through Six Sigma.
Having a great Black Belt is a real asset to the organization.  Having a great leader with Black Belt skills is even better!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2006 16:45:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Incentives: Yeah or Nay?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_incentives_yeah_or_nay.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success. Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge. What do you tell them?
Nayism 20: Why are black belts getting monetary rewards?  The rest of us are working just as hard.  Why should they be treated "special"?
The topic of monetary incentives and rewards is highly debated.  Arguments on behalf of both sides can have merit.  So what’s the answer?   Here’s what I say . . .
The decision on whether to use monetary incentives to reward BBs, champions, teams, etc., is not a "one size fits all" answer.   It has been proven that incentives can drive behavior.  Many companies offer bonus and incentive programs that reward employees for meeting operational goals or profit targets.  When all employees get rewarded, it seems to be generally positive.  Issues arise when a certain group of employees (such as BBs) are rewarded above and beyond the rest of the organization.
The decision to use incentives should be based on the need to use them.  In a perfect deployment where some of the "best and brightest" are picked for the BB role and their "term" as a BB is viewed as a career enhancer, the effects of monetary incentives are minimal. These folks are being driven by another incentive  . . . career growth.   If on the other hand, the top leadership is luke warm about the "whole six sigma thing", champions are not as engaged as needed and/or top performers view the BB role as a potential career risk, properly designed monetary incentives for BBs, teams, champions, etc. may help drive the behavior change that’s needed to prove that six sigma can and does work.
Cultures that tend to reward everyone alike, regardless of performance or contribution, are more likely to scoff at BB incentives because it doesn’t fit the norm.  In this case, anything that is done ’extra’ for a BB or their team may spark push-back.  If your culture really needs incentives to help change behaviors that will drive Six Sigma success, you should take this spark and use it to ignite a whole new way of thinking.  After all, being a good change agent is what Six Sigma is all about!]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 06:24:24 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Overwhelmed by Too Much Training?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/overwhelmed_by_too_much_training.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 19:  Our department is getting overwhelmed by all the Six Sigma training.  I’m afraid that if you don’t back down, it will spark a "mutiny".
Sounds like this "crew" has got its sails in a knot.  The first step in situations like this is to look at the data and measure Six Sigma training time as a percent of productive time for the department.  This will provide an objective look to see if a real issue exists.  If so, action to correct the situation is in order.  Sometimes, due to our urgency to get the organization moving, we might tend to over do it.  If so, measure, adjust and move on.  If it turns out that the percent of time in training is reasonable (operational definition of "reasonable" is needed) then here’s what I say . . .
Thanks for your feedback.  I’ve obtained and analyzed data related to the time that your department spends in training and it is x.x%.  This is consistent with the proportion of time spent by other departments who are successfully integrating the training and methods in their department while continuing to meet operational objectives and customer needs.  
The training is important so that you and your department can begin to understand the new way that our company is doing business.  The faster we can effectively integrate the methodology, the better.   So if possible, please try not to let your ’crew’ fall behind in training because many times those who ’fall behind get left behind".  (and that’s the pirate’s code mate!)]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2006 04:53:33 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma in the Communications Dept.]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_in_the_communications_dept.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 18:  I don’t see how Six Sigma will help the Communications Department.  They need to know how to write, not how to do statistics!
At first this might make sense but after you peel back the layers in this onion, you might find something to cry about.  I think Six Sigma is a perfect fit for the Communications department.  So, here’s what I say . . .
I agree that it takes a special talent to be a good communicator.  I also believe that how well you communicate is not measured by how talented your writers are but how effective your messages come across to your audience (aka customers).  Did the audience get the point?  Were you able to persuade or motivate or instill the wanted reaction?  The effectiveness of communications can and should be measured.  A classic method of measuring the effectiveness of communication is through feedback from a survey (i.e. data).  Survey results take on a whole new meaning when analyzed with Six Sigma tools.  Survey results are frequently shown by reporting the average score.  The down side of this is that if half the audience really gets the message and the other half doesn’t get any of it, the average score is "middle of the road" and may not get the attention needed.  So pull out the Minitab, do some basic stats, understand your standard deviation, plot a boxplot to show variation, run a hypothesis test to find out if there is any difference in understanding between different types of audiences and unlock the door to a whole new way of understanding the effectiveness of your communication.
So next time someone says that the only application of Six Sigma in the communications department would be to improve the cycle time it takes to get the newsletter published, I’d rate that comment as a ’strongly disagree’.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2006 07:42:22 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Hard Core Nay-sayers]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/hard_core_nay_sayers.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 17:  "You can say that Six Sigma improved production but we were going to make those changes anyway."
If you hear this, then you’re probably dealing with a "Hard Core Nay-sayer".   These nay-sayers are labeled "Hard Core" because even after many successful Six Sigma projects, with measurable and validated improvement and financial contribution, these folks still continue to refuse to acknowledge the goodness that Six Sigma brings to their organization.  Sounds like the prognosis for these nay-sayers is hopeless but the only hopeless case is the one that we give up on.   So, here’s what I say . . .
"Dear Mr. Nay-sayer, Your point is interesting.  Let’s take a look at your performance improvement record before and after the introduction of Six Sigma.  By applying our six sigma tools, we can statistically validate if the rate of improvement since we’ve been using Six Sigma is better that the rate of improvement before Six Sigma methods were applied.  Let’s go get the data.    Oh, I see, You don’t have any data or measurements before Six Sigma was deployed.   Well then, it’s great that at least Six Sigma has provided you with a good way to measure your success."
Make your point, but in the end, try to find something that the "Hard Core Nay-sayer" is willing to acknowledge as a positive contribution from Six Sigma.  Any positive acknowledgement should be considered a success.  Keep in mind that "Hard Core Nayism" is hard to treat.  Periodic shots of Six Sigma success may be the only way to try to  relieve the symptoms until a real cure can be found.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2006 08:02:43 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Project Wheel of Re-invention]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/project_wheel_of_re_invention.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 16:  We’ve been working projects on the same processes for the past 5 years.  Just how many times are we going to re-invent the wheel?
This type of statement is frequently heard from folks that view improving a process as a one-time deal.  It may be indicative of the "I’ve fixed everything there is to fix so can I go home now?" syndrome.  You can approach this thinking by introducing the "Project Wheel of Re-invention" because it’s not about re-inventing the wheel; it’s about working your way through the "wheel of re-invention".  So, here’s what I say . . . 
At a macro level, a company or corporation has one huge process that begins with an external customer and ends with the shareholder.  This huge process is made up of an infinite number of sub-processes that span across numerous functions.  An organization is usually segmented into functional areas (i.e. IT, Accounting, Operations, Maintenance, etc) to facilitate the segmentation of work.  Initially, Six Sigma projects begin at the functional level.  This is usually the case because ’functional silo’ thinking still exists in many organizations. Processes within a function are improved to the point that additional improvements can only be obtained by addressing cross-functional interfaces. The cross-functional aspects of a process are then improved until the process is performing near entitlement.   The only way to get the next step of improvement is to redesign the process with DFSS.  Once redesigned and implemented, improvements to the new process again begin at a functional level.  Next cross-functional processes are improved and then they are again re-designed and then the functional processes are improved  . . . are you dizzy yet?  
This "Project Wheel of Re-invention" is constantly turning and must turn in order to move the organization forward.  The constant cycling of projects that address functional and cross-functional process improvements and then re-design the process only to have functional and cross-functional projects again improve the re-designed process is necessary in order to keep up with changing expectations.  Customers consistently expect more, technology facilitates better and faster results and expectations from shareholders constantly rise.    If your project wheel of re-invention is not keeping pace with these changing expectations then you should brace yourself for that big "whoosh" sound as your competitors pass you by.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:35:31 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Why So Many Belt Colors?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/why_so_many_belt_colors.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 15:  Black Belts, Green Belts, Yellow Belts, how many different colored belts does it take to change a process?
If an organization is planning to engrain Six Sigma as a way of thinking, why not just have Black Belts and Green Belts?  What’s the value of training Yellow Belts?  When first deploying Six Sigma, the number of different belt colors can be daunting.  So, here’s what I say . . .
Reskilling an organization takes time.  It may be several years before the desired level of Black Belts and Green Belts are in place.  In the meantime, there are some concepts related to customer requirements and process thinking that everyone in the organization needs to understand.  Basics of these two concepts can be effectively relayed by the CT tree, SIPOC and process map.  Yellow Belt training, which usually takes about a day, provides employees with a basic understanding of how to use and apply these tools and accelerates the re-skilling process.  Employees begin to understand their job in terms of process inputs and outputs, obvious "just do its" can be identified and lead to quick improvements and workforce process knowledge is captured in a standard format that can be used for training new employees or retaining corporate knowledge.
Additionally, potential gaps are sometimes identified that can pinpoint key areas for six sigma project work. Employees with these basic skills also provide additional value when participating on BB/GB project teams.
But the biggest benefit of having Yellow Belts is that it provides an accelerated path to get everyone involved.  This helps create more buy-in which, in turn,  can help transform some "nay-sayers" into "yeah-sayers"!  And to that I say "Yeah!"
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 17 Dec 2005 07:26:28 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Lack of Six Sigma Buy-in or Is It Something Else??]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/lack_of_six_sigma_buy_in_or_is_it_something_else.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 14:  Although we’ve had successful Six Sigma projects for over two years, the organization is still resistant.  I don’t think Six Sigma will ever be accepted.
In some organizations,  even after proven successes, implementing the results of a Six Sigma project continues to be a constant battle.  Often mistaken as a "lack of Six Sigma buy-in", this resistance may just be a by-product of change that needs to be better managed.  So, here’s what I say . . .
Don’t be too quick to jump to the conclusion that the resistance encountered is aimed at the Six Sigma methodology.  The DMAIC approach is sound and it’s difficult to refute the results.  Maybe what you are experiencing is the natural resistance that comes from the introduction of change.  Six Sigma is all about change - changing the way you look at things, changing processes and the way people think.  Introducing change management techniques and developing a strategy to effectively deal with change may help counter this resistance.   Sometimes belt training does not provide enough focus on things like stakeholder analysis and developing effective change plans that complement the project results and provide the ’sales and marketing’ that is needed to gain organizational buy-in.  All of these things are necessary to obtain successful change.
Overall, black belts and champions should not get discouraged.  Stay the course.   When faced with resistance, look at it as a sign of success - a sign of introducing real change in the organization and then search for change management techniques to help you get through.  If you’re not getting any resistance then you may want to take a look at your ’change-odometer’ and see if it’s moved lately.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 2005 11:37:16 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Running Out of Projects?  Never!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/running_out_of_projects_never.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 13:  We’ve been working six sigma projects for over four years.  We’ve run out of  project ideas.
If your organization is telling you this, then running out of projects is the least of your worries.  Truly understanding your business and where the next step of improvement lies is key in maintaining a healthy backlog of project ideas as well as institutionalizing the concept of continuous improvement.  So, here’s what I say . . . 
Sometimes the diminishing list of potential projects stems from the lack of a systematic process for drilling down into a business segment to identify potential improvement areas.  Brainstorming techniques may have identified all the ground fruit.  Now it’s time to meticulously find and pick the next project using a more methodical approach.  (more on that next year).  
The fact is that no matter how may projects you have completed, there is always room for more.  Even if you’ve reached the point of ’excellent operations’, however you may define that, continuous improvement is needed to maintain this status.  What was excellent today may soon be second-rate tomorrow without a constant focus on improvement.  New technology, changing customer needs, and the competitive market will drive a constant need for improvement and therefore a constant need for six sigma projects.    
Still feel like you’ve improved your existing processes to the max, then you are ready for process re-design (DFSS) because once you’re as good as you can get with what you’ve got, it’s time to re-invent yourself . . . again.
 
 ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Dec 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Are Belt Exams Overkill?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/are_belt_exams_overkill.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 12:  Are Black Belt and Green Belt exams really necessary?  It’s not like we’re getting a college degree.
This is a common question, especially from those who may have attended various professional training classes that did not require successfully passing an exam after completion.   Exams are a vital element in any credible Black Belt or Green Belt certification process,  So, here’s what I say . . .
Exams confirm that an individual understands and can apply the basic principles of DMAIC and statistics to solve business problems.  It can be a risky situation if someone misapplies concepts and draws wrong conclusions which results in making an incorrect business decision, especially if that decision has a major negative impact on employees or the company.
It is the responsibility of the training and certifying organization to assure that individuals who obtain ’belt’ certification understand concepts and tools and apply them appropriately.  This is usually accomplished by several items including completion of training, passing an exam to ensure understanding of concepts, and passing a technical proficiency review of completed projects to substantiate proper application of concepts.  
So Yes, exams are necessary if you want to make sure your belts know what they are doing.  If they do, then passing an exam should not be a big deal.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 26 Nov 2005 04:32:13 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Financial Goals - Needed or Not?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_financial_goals_needed_or_not.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 11:  If Six Sigma is truly supposed to be embedded in the business, why do you need to have a separate Six Sigma financial goal?
Good question.   The answer depends on what stage of the Six Sigma life cycle you are in.   As I see it, there are four basic stages:  Deploy - Integrate - Sustain - Institutionalize.  In the first three stages, having a financial goal for six sigma projects is important because it sends the message that you expect to get savings from improving processes in lieu of using classic "slash and burn" methods to achieve savings.  So, here’s what I say  . . .
Goals, in general, translate an organization’s strategy in terms that the organization can understand.  For example, if organic growth is a business strategy, goals are defined to drive behavior in ways that support organic growth.  It’s no different with Six Sigma.  If you want your organization to use Six Sigma to improve your processes and bring financial value to your bottom line, then having improvement and financial six sigma goals sends a message that you want to achieve this bottom line value by improving processes.  Most of the time the improvement goal is better understood and accepted than a financial goal - having both (especially in the earlier stages) are important.
By achieving financial targets through six sigma projects, the organization learns that improving your processes directly translates to positive financial return.  This is repeated over and over through thousands of six sigma projects until it becomes second nature to an organization or in other words the ’way they work’.  Once this happens, six sigma starts to become ’institutionalized’ (stage 4).   At this point, having a separate six sigma financial goal may not make a difference because the organization is going to maximize the financial contribution of six sigma projects and methods because they want to, not because they are driven by a goal.
So, when does all this happen?  Ask your ’naysayers’.  Can’t find many around  . . . then it’s time.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 12 Nov 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Black Belts - Full-time?  Yes!]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/black_belts_full_time_yes.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 10:  Why can’t we just have part-time black belts.  I can’t afford to have a full time resource dedicated to Six Sigma project work.
When someone asks this question they may be looking for a good compromise between letting their folks work projects and having them do ’other’ things that are part of their job.  If that is truly what the organization needs, then green belts may be the answer.  But this should not be decided ’on-the-fly’ but rather as part of the overall deployment strategy.  It’s difficult for some folks to see the advantage of a full time black belt because they are overwhelmed by the thought of not having that person available to fight fires.  So, here’s what I say . . .
Most jobs have two piles of stuff to do.  One pile includes improving the business.   The other, fire drills.  Fire drills are defined as responding to customer complaints, stock-outs, billing errors, late orders, product defects, reliability problems, the list goes on.  Resources are usually stretched thin and the ’fire drill’ pile always seems to get them because that’s what the business needs today.  Day after day, the ’improving the business’ pile is put on the back burner.   A black belt who is dedicated full-time has the time to address the ’improve the business’ pile.  As this happens, the fire drill pile starts to disappear because the processes that caused the fire drills were  fixed.     
Having full time Black Belts as part of the Six Sigma deployment strategy requires the organization as a whole to make the tough decision and commit the resources needed.  Although painful at first, the long term payoff is worth it.  ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Won't Work For Me]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_wont_work_for_me.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of  Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 9:  Six Sigma won’t work for my department because we really don’t have standard  ’processes’ and every client, customer or situation is different.
Process thinking is a new way of viewing how products and services are actually produced.  Sometimes, due to the type of product or service, people have difficulty visualizing that they actually have a process.  Many times this is caused by process steps that are done in parallel or in no specific order so it’s difficult to visualize a process.  But as you start looking more closely, there are steps and requirements.  Sometimes asking a series of questions can help people visualize their processes and understand how Six Sigma can help.   So, Here’s what I say (or rather ask) . . . 
What is your end product or what do you provide to the corporation?  Who’s your customer?  Does your product or service meet your customer requirements?  How do you know?   What are the critical aspects of providing an excellent product or service?   What do you measure to better understand how well you are doing? How do these measures compare to benchmarks?  What does it cost you to produce your service?  What drives this cost?  How many resources are involved?  How long does it take?  How does your product or service impact your organization’s bottom line?  Will improving your product or service quality or delivery reduce cost or improve revenue?   . . .
These types of questions are aimed at helping organizations understand what they produce (product or service) in quantifiable terms and to better understand the drivers of service quality and cost.  Drilling into how their product or service is produced (steps, inputs, etc.) helps define the actual process.    Once a process and a possible ’defect’ or improvement opportunity in the process is defined, a Black Belt can describe how the Six Sigma methodology can be applied to improve the outcome .   "Taa Daa’, instant buy-in.   OK maybe not, but at least an incremental learning activity that can position the organization to be willing to try it.  If tried and successful, the probability of buy-in should go up.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management&nbsp;,&nbsp;Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Oct 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Do Leaders Really Need  to Learn Statistics?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/do_leaders_really_need_to_learn_statistics.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 8:  I know that leadership needs to understand Six Sigma but is learning all these statistics really necessary?   We’re not all statisticians nor do we want to be.
When leadership is first faced with Green Belt training, the statistics can be overwhelming.  This may frustrate some leaders.  A common reaction is to disclaim any applicability to their current function.  Approaching the answer to this question from a ’business knowledge’ perspective may be helpful.   So, here’s what I say . . .
The purpose of learning and understanding statistical analysis is not to make everyone a statistician but to make everyone a better business leader.  The topic of statistics and analytical thinking is part of almost every MBA curriculum and widely accepted as a fundamental skill in shaping a business leader.   Green Belt training takes these fundamental analytical skills and applies them to improving business processes which, in today’s world, is every leaders job.   So Green Belt training is not about "learning statistics". It’s about helping leaders use data, statistics and analysis to make better business decisions.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Leadership]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 22 Oct 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma &amp; TQM]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_amp_tqm.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 7:  Six Sigma looks like repackaged TQM.  What makes you think its ’staying power’ is going to be any different?
When people first hear about Six Sigma, some may see it as repackaged TQM.  Skeptics frequently draw conclusions based on ineffective TQM efforts. There are notable differences that should be discussed.  So, here’s what I say . . .
Although there are many similarities between TQM and Six Sigma, there are several standard and required key attributes that give Six Sigma more staying power.  These include having a more structured step-wise methodology, rigorous financial validation and documented accountability for process improvements.  
The structured methodology of Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) provides an organized method for applying tools and statistics to identify the root cause of problems.  The tools and statistics are not new, but the organized consistent methodology brings a more systematic approach to the problem solving process.
The intense involvement of the financial department in validating savings has added credibility to the hard savings that can be achieved by Six Sigma projects.  Done properly, this validation substantiates that savings are measurable, tied to the actual improvements and to the bottom line.  There are no smoke and mirrors here.
Control plans assure that gains are sustained.  Periodic monitoring of key variables is required by the "control phase" of a six sigma project and is an ongoing verification that process improvements are actually being maintained.  
Although some TQM initiatives had pieces of or possibly all of these attributes, an effective Six Sigma deployment will assure that these items are deployed with the rigor and standardization required to assure continued success.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 Oct 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma Project or Just Do It?]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_project_or_just_do_it.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 6:  I already know how to fix the problem.  I really don’t need a Six Sigma project to tell me what I already know.
Sometimes people get confused between what’s a real six sigma project and what’s a "Just Do It".  Since they already have an answer to the problem, they believe that doing a Six Sigma project may be a waste of time.  So here’s what I say . . .
There are many answers to every problem.  The real question is have you identified your customer requirements and measured and validated data to identify the root cause of your problem?  If not, a Six Sigma project can accomplish this for you.  In addition, the project can provide a viable answer and validate that the answer will make a ’real’ difference (statistically).  And, by the way, the project can establish a control plan to make sure your fix stays in place.  If your answer does all this then I’d say, "Just Do It" !]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 08 Oct 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma &amp; Business Success]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/six_sigma_amp_business_success.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 5:  If Six Sigma helps businesses be successful then why have some businesses that have implemented Six Sigma not done well?
This question is quite typical of questions you get at initial deployment.  Skeptics and "nay-sayers" are always looking for examples to challenge the effectiveness of Six Sigma.  It’s important to address these concerns head-on.   So, here’s what I say . . . 
Six Sigma is a business philosophy and methodology that contributes to a company’s success by providing the organization with new skills and techniques to better achieve their strategic objectives.  The Six Sigma methodology does this by looking at processes with a focus towards eliminating defects, reducing cycle time, improving customer satisfaction and bringing the benefits of these changes to the bottom line.  Deployed correctly, it also helps redefine the way people think, act and work.  It is not itself a ’strategy’ but a pathway for achieving a company’s strategic objectives.  If a company’s strategic direction is off target, Six Sigma may be of little help.
Here’s an example to help further explain this point.  If a company wants to make beepers, Six Sigma can help them make the best performing and cost effective beeper in the world.   But if everyone wants a cell phone, having the best performing and most cost effective beeper won’t help the company’s ultimate business outcome.     ]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 01 Oct 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Project Cycle Time]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/project_cycle_time.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify examples of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 4:  Six Sigma projects take too long to complete.  I need to get this fixed now.
Actually, they should have probably had the problem fixed 3 years ago.   And maybe they did.  A long-standing problem has probably been fixed a couple of times, but since the solution did not address the root cause, they get to fix it again.   So, here’s what I say . . . 
Properly scoped Six Sigma projects can be easily completed in 2-3 months if several things are in place including good data and team resources.  Good data is usually the culprit that drives up project cycle time.  Once an organization is using Six Sigma they frequently find that good measurements and good measurement systems are not readily available.  It may take some additional time to get these measurement systems in place but once established, data gathering, analysis and ultimately the right fix can be put in place in a relatively short period of time.  Need to get it done faster? Then you should accelerate the project time-line and resource commitment.  The bottom line is that it is going to take a certain amount of time and resources to gather and analyze data.  If you skip this step, then you can look forward to fixing the same problem next year.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Methodology]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Sep 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Selecting Black Belts]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/selecting_black_belts.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify critical factors that are needed to increase the probability of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 3:  When picking a Black Belt, I can’t afford to let one of my best people go.
Open any book about Six Sigma and it’s clear that Black Belt selection is critical to Six Sigma success.  Behavior characteristics, attributes, call them what you will, all lead to one place . . . picking some of the best and brightest to fill the black belt role.  The right black belt is a leader.  One who can lead people, projects and most importantly, change in the organization.  Everybody wants this person on their team because they can get things done.  They’ve proven their ability to perform.  If you put them in a black belt role, they will excel (no surprise here).  They sell the process change and they sell Six Sigma as a viable pathway to doing business differently.
So why is it so hard to get the right people in black belt roles?  The number one response is "I can’t afford to let one of my best people go".  This immediately triggers a reflex that makes me ’ga-ga’.  Let them go where?  If someone thinks that they have to let someone "go", then they don’t understand what it’s all about.  So here’s what I say . . .
This is not about you letting someone in your group "go".  It’s about providing some of your best people with additional tools and skills so that they can help you find viable solutions to some of your toughest problems.  It’s about having someone in your organization work with others from your organization to fix long term issues that ultimately will help your group operate more efficiently and better satisfy customers.  It’s all about you.  So whom else would you get to help you and your organization be more successful?  The answer here is obvious.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[General&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 17 Sep 2005 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Time Commitment for Championing Projects]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/time_commitment_for_championing_projects.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify critical factors that are needed to increase the probability of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.  What do you tell them?
Nayism 2:  I’m already working 60 hours a week, so how do you expect me to devote any time to champion a Six Sigma project?
Appropriate project selection can help champions realize that championing a Six Sigma project is not about doing more work.  A good Six Sigma project should link to a company’s objectives and goals and ultimately bring recognizable value to the business.  So here’s what I say . . .
If you think that championing a Six Sigma project is more work, then you haven’t picked the right project.  The "right project" is one that addresses a defect in a process that is critical to achieving the company’s objectives.   Whether it’s a Six Sigma project or not, you would be spending time on this because fixing the defect is important to your business.  So championing a Six Sigma project is not about spending more time or doing more work.  It’s about spending your time doing your work in a different way and with Six Sigma, getting better results.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:18:00 -0800</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: Training Sr. Leaders as &quot;Belts&quot;]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/training_sr_leaders_as_belts.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmarking results consistently identify critical factors that are needed to increase the probability of Six Sigma success.  Even so, getting "nay-sayers" on board is a continuous challenge.   What do you tell them?
Nayism 1:  Black Belts and Green Belts are actually doing the work, so why does the senior leadership team need to be "belt" trained?
At first, training senior leaders as belts may seem like over-kill.  How many projects are they actually going to work?   Well, it's not about how many projects they are going to work after training.  It's about helping senior leaders to think differently and to better understand the true power of Six Sigma for their organizations.   So, here's what I say . . .
Before Six Sigma, senior leaders used to ask the same old questions and get the same old answers.  After black belts and green belts were trained, senior leaders would ask the same old questions and get new answers.  After senior leaders get trained, they now ask new questions.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Leadership&nbsp;,&nbsp;Management]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Sep 2005 13:48:43 -0800</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six Sigma Blogs: About Blogger: Gianna C. Clark]]></title>
			<link>http://blogs.isixsigma.com/archive/about_blogger_gianna_c_clark.html</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
 
 
Gianna C. ClarkVice President Customer Service OperationsDominion Virginia Power
 
Gianna Clark is the Vice President of Customer Service Operations for Dominion Virginia Power.  She has operational and financial responsibility for the major revenue cycle and customer contact functions for Dominion's regulated utility customer accounts.   A native of Richmond, VA,, Clark is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. 
Gianna has more than 25 years of experience in the quality and energy business.   From 2002 to 2008, she was the Managing Director Six Sigma for Dominion Resources, Inc. and was responsible for defining strategy for institutionalizing Six Sigma throughout the company, providing leadership and mentoring for Managers Six Sigma, providing oversight of Six Sigma training, and monitoring enterprise-wide Six Sigma performance. 
She is a certified Master Black Belt.  She has published numerous articles, is active in industry forums and advisory boards, a frequent presenter at industry conferences and is a featured blogger for iSixSigma.com.  Her first book entitled "Six Sigma? Glad You Asked" was published in September 2008 and is available for download on iSixSigma Publications and in paperback on Lulu.com.]]></description>
			
			<author><![CDATA[Gianna Clark]]></author>
			
			<category>
			<![CDATA[Blogger Bios]]>
			</category>
			<pubDate>Sat, 01 Jan 2005 13:48:42 -0800</pubDate>
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