MBA Journal October 2011

U.S. Rep. Inslee Touts Six Sigma in Wash. Governor's Race Announcement

Lean Six Sigma has been used to improve processes in the private business and non-profit sectors, and if Jay Inslee has his way, will soon play a prominent role in government as well.

Inslee, a Democratic candidate for governor in Washington, is running on a platform of job creation and improving the business climate in the state, and central to those goals is his belief in the process improvement method Lean Six Sigma. Inslee’s background gives him a unique perspective on the workings of different sectors. As a young man he worked with his father as a painter, also working in construction jobs and as a community college professor. He later became a lawyer and prosecutor, and won a seat in Congress in 1988, where he served until losing office in 1994. Inslee again ran for, and won, a seat in the House of Representatives in 1998, and has served there since.

His experience with private business led Inslee to learn about the practice of constant improvement and the results it brought companies like Boeing and Virginia Mason Hospital, which was named the top hospital in the country thanks to its use of process improvement. The tenets of Lean Six Sigma have worked well for the private business sector, and this approach will work for the state of Washington as well with a committed executive, Inslee said.

Though the public sector has been seen as slower to accept the process improvement principles embraced by private business, Inslee’s proposal would not be the first use of Lean Six Sigma in government. The U.S. Navy hired consulting firms to train officers in Lean Six Sigma, formed a task force to find and support lean projects and started a full-time lean office. In three years since implementing the system the Navy has been able to improve its efficiency and reduce costs. Six Sigma principles have also been used by the U.S. Army, which used the approach to devise a more efficient system for delivering payments.

For Inslee, a more efficient government in Washington would bring immediate savings in health care costs, which the state could then re-invest in education. His approach would evaluate the many layers of government and eliminate redundancies, creating a more streamlined system that Inslee said would be “not quite so ossified.”

Six Sigma Then And Now

So many companies have hopped on board because they know that Six Sigma can help to bring about the changes they desire for their company, yet there is an entire group of other companies that really know very little about Six Sigma and think that it is just an antiquated way to manage your business. Because Six Sigma is an approach that has stood the test of time in no way means that it is out of date or irrelevant in today’s business world. Many think that the changes in the world have made 6 Sigma a thing of the past but perhaps the most wonderful thing about this management program is that it offers a great deal to companies from all different industries and can be adapted to fit any business and is consistently proving itself more and more effective over time.

Six Sigma was developed out of all the incredible aspects of the many management techniques that were available back in the 1980’s but it is a program that was well ahead of its time and many companies steered clear of the Six Sigma approach assuming that just because their businesses were very profitable at the time that a change was not necessary. Fortunately for the business world the Motorola Corporation was thinking well ahead of the curve, realizing that within just a few short years they were probably going to need some innovative ways to improve their business and thus setting the wheels in motion for staff members including Bill Smith, the developer of 6 Sigma.

The Six Sigma program is one that began in manufacturing and has expanded itself to health care and customer service as well as to taking both a lean and a green approach to big business. For the most part there are many different ways that this management process can be used to help increase the success of many businesses across the board. It is incredible to think that this program has been around for the past 4 decades but it has and has continued to grow in popularity in the business world during that period of time. It is interesting to see how something so antiquated is just what most companies are looking for in the current economy.

Just because something has stood the test of time doesn’t mean that it is no longer relevant. As a matter of fact, 6 Sigma is extremely relevant in the current marketplace and is excelling due to this fact.

Gathering The Information You Need To Make Six Sigma Decisions

For years many companies have been driven to the Six Sigma methodology out of desperation. Many came not because they wanted to but because they truly felt that they needed something to help them keep their business afloat. The results were in and many companies were boasting that they had gotten significant results by utilizing the 6 Sigma program.

Many today, however, still struggle to understand 6 Sigma and while they do believe that the big companies that have been so successful such as Bank of America and GE for example are onto something they also realize that they need just a bit more information before moving forward. Fortunately since six sigma came into existence approximately a quarter of a century ago, there is a good a amount of information available for those business owners who wish to take a closer look at it and find out if they feel that Six Sigma is something that will work well for them in their current business structure.

As a result many are turning to the Internet to accumulate information about what options are available to them as far as training and certification are concerned. While this may seem like a good way to go about gathering information this can sometimes be a bit misleading because many of the companies that are providing information about Six Sigma Online are trying to sell you something and this may make it difficult to discern fact from fiction when accessing a variety of different information sources.

There have actually been several books written about Six Sigma and many business owners find it more pleasing to sit down and read a book and gather information about the program in this way verses on the web. While the World Wide Web has much information on it all this information must be collaborated in order to truly reach the truth about anything.

Reading and gathering information about Six Sigma and finding out not only where it began but also the different ways in which companies are utilizing it to full success is the best way to discern the best course of action for your business. When it comes to managing your business you are best off taking the time to find out what will work best in your current structure because sometimes revamping the entire system is not an option and in this case if 6 Sigma is not a good fit for you than perhaps something else will work better. It just makes sense to choose what will be most successful for your business.

Becoming Black Belt Certified

Being able to make the most of Six Sigma essentially means starting with the basics to gain a better understanding of exactly what 6 Sigma can do. So many people are of the mindset that Six Sigma is a methodology that can only fit into a manufacturing scenario and while this may have been true back in the 80’s, nothing can be further from the truth today. As a matter of fact Six Sigma has proven itself so effective that it has been adapted and changed to fit a broader scope of businesses from those in the health care industry to those in customer service based industries.

Perhaps the changes that Six Sigma has seen stem from the effectiveness of the program itself and its ability to produce significant, long term, measurable results. Any company that wants to use 6 Sigma can pretty much find a training and certification course in their area and can get their employees trained and ready to go in no time.

It is important that both companies and individuals take this type of certification seriously because it is through correct training and implementation that a company can attain the high level of results that they are looking for. Six Sigma is not unique in the concepts and ideas that it brings to the table but instead works tried and true concepts together in such a fashion that outstanding results are inevitable.

Six Sigma is highly effective because it provides a balance in industry allowing companies to equate a good customer experience with a successful company. When it comes to big business there is no better way to be successful then with happy customers who are not only willing to stick by your company but to talk it up to others and hence your business grows.

Business managers and owners stand their greatest chance of growing and developing a successful business very simply by taking a Black Belt Certification class. Even in a companies where Six Sigma is not the primary management technique, managers and owners can still greatly benefit from the business management techniques and skills that they can acquire by taking a 6 Sigma certification course. Understanding the principles of managing a successful business will help managers to make the businesses they are in more successful and this training is something that every good manager wants to have in their bag of tricks.

Business Management Techniques That Have Stood The Test Of Time

Business is business and when it comes to business management most people think that the new wave of Internet business must have spawned a wide variety of new business management techniques when in fact most of the oldies but goodies are still around and they are the type of management techniques that are flexible enough to apply to many different industries and in a variety of different settings. Even though times and some issues that businesses face have changed the basic management principles remain relatively the same.

The reason is actually quite clear as when you look at businesses you can still see how the basic principles of business management apply. In other words run a good business and you will reap the benefits of such. There are some basic principles that apply to all businesses and include foundations such as customer experience is key to a successful business and happy employees are productive employees. Even those who have never before taken a business management class are well aware of these basic business rules and know how to use them to their advantage.

Business management programs are relatively adaptable to the business structure of today even though currently businesses face many different challenges then they have in the past. Many in the form of long distance employees and online business which definitely adds new challenges but also enhances the ability for those in less than thriving countries to expand their businesses into an international marketplace helping to keep business afloat through some trying economic times.

Getting back to basics however is what can make or break a business and for those who are struggling with some difficult times it may just be time to invest in something that can help you push your business venture forward and to attain a greater level of success. The good news is that management training programs such as Six Sigma for instance are available in a wide variety of formats that can be easily adapted to fit a wide variety of business structures and can allow for training both through online and on campus classes. This allows each company and individual to tailor make their experience to their own needs.

As a business owner, even of an entrepreneurial internet business, you will likely need to make sure and structure your business so that it is both profit and customer service based. Profitability in all realms of business can be directly correlated with positive customer experiences and therefore creating these is the job of all business owners if they plan to succeed in business.

Problem Solving Methodologies

Problem solving techniques of the 1980's and 1990's have changed. With continual research to improve problem solving methodologies, professionals are introducing new ways of solving problems. New techniques are tested to see what works best, and changes are made to support more modern methods of problem solving, thus improving the effectiveness of the organization.

Strategies once used to solve problems were pretty much set in stone. They consisted of the following steps: 1.) Define the problem 2.) Gather data that caused the problem 3.) List possible solutions 4.) Test the solutions 5.) Define the best source of action. There were time limits set that caused stress for the participants and often resulted in finding that the solution they tried didn't work. Each step was followed before going on to the next, and many times participants were unwilling to keep trying because they were often faced with failure. This method did not allow the participants the freedom or the time to try different solutions.

New and different techniques are now being tested. Research continues, and new methods of problem solving are introduced. The old ways were kept in perspective, but time limits were lifted, failure is now looked at as part of the learning process, and strict rules are lifted, giving participants the freedom to redefine the problem, to gather more data, and constantly recalculate and reevaluate the problem. They are given greater flexibility when solving a problem. Organizational problem solving has changed; both the internal and external environment is evaluated, and what wasn't working before is either restructured or completely done away with.

With a continuous problem solving process in place, participants are less likely to avoid working on possible solutions. Once the need for change is determined, different solutions can be put into place. What no longer works is released and new ideas are tested. How do organizations know that it is time for change? By use of a variety of evaluation tools. They may utilize satisfaction surveys, test scores, safety records, complaints, and the high turnover rate of employees within the organization. Practices that used to support the vision and values of the company may no longer work and it is time for change.

Advantages To Online Six Sigma Certification

For over two decades, Six Sigma has been changing the business world works. In addition to the practical benefits of adopting lean principles, Six Sigma certification is a powerful resume addition, and caan lead directly to job offers and promotions. Many companies pay top dollar to hire in-house Six Sigma training for their staff. For those who don't have access to subsidized training, online Six Sigma certification is ideal. By shopping carefully, interested parties can find online certification programs that are equal to or better than any physical training class. These online programs are usually very flexible in nature, allowing workers to fit Six Sigma training into a harried schedule.

Although full Six Sigma certification costs money, Six Sigma education can be freely had on the Web. It doesn't cost a penny to start learning the basics of lean business principles. While it can be difficult to sort out commercial promotions from truly educational sites, the Internet contains many free resources for the budding Six Sigma professional. The world of online Six Sigma training is as broad as it is deep, providing Six Sigma training that is specifically tailored to any industry. During times of economic crisis, many professionals reflexively turn to training and certification for safety. While this is generally a wise move, only a few certifications offer real and lasting value in the marketplace. Six Sigma certification has proven marketability across many industries, making it the certification of choice for the conscious modern professional.

As time passes, technology that was once considered exciting becomes commonplace and pedestrian. In our own time, the World Wide Web has gone from a world-shaking innovation to a universally accepted tool. Unfortunately, far too many businesspeople only use the Web for communication and networking, while ignoring the broad world of Web certification and training. As we weather a time of change and uncertainty, we know more professionals will take advantage of Web certification, particularly Six Sigma certification. Without the ability to adapt and change, workers become captive to the whims and dictates of the market. Six Sigma certification is the key to stability and independence any any market climate.