If you are deploying a Six Sigma quality program in your organisation, you should be aware of the pitfalls that any aspiring Six Sigma manager can fall into. The first of these is trying to run before you can walk – trying to implement profound change in an organisation without doing the groundwork to build support and secure consent. The second is appearing to be overly fervent and evangelical about the change methodology you are espousing. People are naturally suspicious and cynical of new-fangled management jargon that appears “too good to be true”. It is better to gradually implement change in an almost under-stated fashion, and allow people to be pleasantly surprised by success. This is far better than announcing a new quality initiative such as Six Sigma in a blaze of glory and then backtracking if obstacles come up along the way. Deliberately lowering the expectation of your managers and workforce in terms of deliverables can sometimes be an astute strategy. Under-promise, then over-deliver.

A third deployment mistake is trying to skimp on training. Yes, Pareto or 80-20 thinking implies that short-cuts can be found to the “vital few” points or kernel in every quality program. Yet education is an iterative change that needs to happen at a deep level. Cutting corners on the initial training budget will only cause more problems later on. Another mistake is not setting aside an adequately large deployment budget or devoting sufficient personnel numbers. Six Sigma projects work best when there is a fully diversified team of Master Black Belts, Black Belts, Yellow Belts and Green Belts. Every element needs to work harmoniously to deliver the tangible results that every Six Sigma deployment manager is looking for.

So what tips can an experienced Black Belt offer? First, be prepared for resistance within and without the organization. This is only to be expected and how resistance to quality change programs like Six Sigma is an important barometer of the health of the company. Above all, keep your customers – internal and external – fully engaged at all times.