Graduate Organizational Management Course: Case Study Week 2 Launching Six Sigma Way

  Graduate Organizational Management (MGMT) Course: Case Study Week 2 Launching Six Sigma Way:

Valerian B-K. Masao II

 

Dr. Dr. Jerome Pionk

MGMT500 B001 Spr 12 - Week-2 Case Study - Valerian B-K. Masao II

April 15, 2012

In pretense that I’m promoted as a new manager for a large corporation that does not use Six Sigma; I will follow the 8 steps explaining on how I would go about this potential “launch” the Six Sigma and keeping it running successfully. First of all I will need the competence of key concept of Six Sigma practices and role models. This is to acknowledge that Six Sigma is not just a notion without realistic human capital investment. Because human capital investment is depending on human and human are unique one another, so as the key practices and rode models of Six Sigma in any business bare the same unique status as human capital because businesses and organizations are made up by unique individuals. This is to say that what is working at a Wall Street Corporation certainly might not work at any or some Main Street Banks although both corporations they may have similar goals, objectives and mission, investing capital, selling stocks, creditors and so on. Nevertheless, what a new manager who want to launch Six Sigma and lead it run successfully is apply successful best practice benchmarks that have been used by other businesses in similar scenarios, themes, problems or business practices and personalize them as list of key leadership actions to Six Sigma as successful start-up in building a long life integrated management system. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 109 and 110}

To better launching the Six Sigma Way as leading managers/leaders I ‘am advised to use the eight very important responsibilities for top managers to deal with the primary stages of launching the Six Sigma Way process. i.e. managers/leaders should develop a strong rationale, plan and actively participate in implementation process, create a vision and  a marketing plan, become powerful advocates, set clear objectives, hold themselves and others accountable, demand sold measures of results and communicate results and setbacks. In order for Six Sigma to be successful it is to be done at all levels of any business and organization without boundaries. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 110 to 114}

First and fore most, as a new manager, I agree with the leading the Six Sigma launch that I will have to develop a strong rationale {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 110}. In this case in establishing my strong rationale on launching the Six Sigma I will apply what Fitz-Enz called the “Best Human Asset Management” (BHAM) as driving forces that make up the context of the best-practice benchmarks. Fitz-Enz furthered that he has evidence that company that appling these contexts as best practice characteristics progressively outperform the rest on human and financial success in the long run; i.e. value, commitment, culture, communication, partnering with stakeholders, collaboration, innovation/risk and competitive passion. {Fitz-Enz, 1997, p. 13 and 14}.

Secondly, in launching Six Sigma Way I will plan and actively participate in implementation of the Six Sigma process because in order for Six Sigma to work well all across the board need to be committed for its launch and long run success to be feasible. I will be that link to the Board/Leaders and line managers to staffs. The vivid example here is GE Chairman John F. Welch process of being convinced by Six Sigma managers and his admission and commitment to Six Sigma way. I believe that I can be that Six Sigma manager to convince my Leaders to what is functional in my company just like the GE example. Also I will take a note on the failures of Total Quality Management (TQM) failures, most importantly, leadership indifference and lack of integration that disconnected TQM leaders and managers that made it difficult to solve problems. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 4, 43, 110}

Third, I will create a vision and “marketing plan” because studies shows that marketing strategy gets weaker during management change, I believe that it is due to uncertainty of what will the new manager do and it is more psychological by nature.  Fitz-Enx is underlining what is already common sense that change is always scary and traumatic to some people and that sometimes the way change is handled can amplify pessimism and worries of change or convert the energy of fear of change into a positive force. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 111} As new manager I will have a vision and market plan that can alleviate fear of change. I believe that a change that has no vision or clear answers can lead into answered or misleading questions that capitalize in the energy of fear negatively. I clearly understand that first impression is the last impression and the FDR say that “fear is fear itself”.

Fourth, as new manager in launching Six Sigma Way I will become powerful advocate for this process. I will use Jack Welch of GE, Bob Galvin of Motorola and Larry Bossidy of AlliedSignal examples as precedent and role models of my commitment to the long run of Six Sigma Way in my company. These gentlemen have set a path to us that Six Sigma is the path toward successfully manager in almost any business. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 112}

Fifth, will be implementing launching of Six Sigma Way by setting clear objectives of what is it I would like to achieve and then build a communication plan toward these objectives (p. 112). It is always a good idea for any new manager, let alone launching new plan like Six Sigma Way, to start with their objective, scope and time line as management strategy (p. 95). In this case I will choose either my objective is toward business transformation, strategic improvement or problem solving as a way to clarify my objective (p.96); whereby assessing my scope will depend on resources, attention and acceptance (p. 97); and my time line would be measured by issues individually depending on whether the issue needs sense urgency, patience or degree of panic (p. 98). {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 95, 96, 97, 98 and 112}

Sixth, I will lead the Six Sigma Way launch by kind of manager that holds my-self and others accountable. This will help me to communicate all other responsibilities (p. 112). As Sam Walton leadership style teaches us that “Self-criticism with the worst criticism” as a way to successfully for managers to hold themselves accountable as a way to lead by examples or walk the talk (http://www.tarponline.net/sam-waltons-success-secret-as-leaders-figure-of-wal-mart.html). I solemnly agree that that a successful manager in launching Six Sigma will start by leaders who holds themselves accountable in a responsible way. Also this can be done by having as incentive system that can reward success and calling-out for improvement those who fail short (p. 113). {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 112 and 113}

Seventh, when managing launching of Six Sigma process I will demand solid measures of results in order to build a better organized team. This process will help me to confirm that the results I and my team gets are factual and truly measured, and in the process will improve confidence that I’m serious and confident with Six Sigma progress (p. 114) {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 114}

Lastly, eight launching Six Sigma process, as manager I will communicate results and setbacks. This will help me to promote accountability and honest dialog about the achievements that my company has is gaining as results of launching Six Sigma, likewise the shortcoming as challenges we encounter, yet amending necessary changes while matching ahead. As leader I will set the tone and direction of the company and I will recognize key sponsors because I believe that these assist to build confidence and enthusiasm, reward system. Also I will be a leader who recognizes problems and address them in a timely fashion because persistent problems undermine the implementation of Six Sigma and manager’s credibility as whole. I believe that effective committed Six Sigma managers are to be credible; a precedence set-forth by Jack Welch of GE, Bob Galvin of Motorola and Larry Bossidy of AlliedSignal. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p. 114 and 115}

Conclusion:

I believe that in the occasion that I become a company manager in launching Six Sigma Way I will then use the BHAM as context with its forces by training and demanding value over activity or quantity. Implementing launching Six Sigma Way and BHAM as best practice benchmarks will be facilitated by starting with training as a way to introduce, inform and equip employees because I believe such employees are most productive team (p. 19). I will make sure that through training and everyday theme I will be reinforcing the established attitude that value is the number one consideration before any activity is started (p. 20). This is to be done by finding connections between the internal system, process, policy or program and an external effect such as customers; I will demand it to be fundamentally structured to either add value or abandon it (p. 20). {Fitz-Enz, 1997, p. 19 and 20} 

Reference:

Fitz-Enz, J. (1997). The 8 Practices of Exceptional Companies: How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets. New York, AMACOM. {Fitz-Enz, 1997, p.}

Sam Walton’s Success Secrete as Leaders Figure of Wal-Mart.

http://www.tarponline.net/sam-waltons-success-secret-as-leaders-figure-of-wal-mart.html

 Pande, N. a. C. (2000). The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance McGrow-Hill. {Pande, Neuman and Cavanagh, p.}

The Fatherhood Life Reader(s) Signature and Disclaimer. Content of this Blog (The Fatherhood Life) is intended for reading use only and may contain privileged, confidential, or proprietary information that is exempt from disclosure under law. Reader(s) discretion is required of essence. If you have received this link in error, please close the window and inform us promptly by profile e-mail and or comment line. Content of this blog are protected under the privacy, 1st amendment and private property laws. Do not distribute, print, download and or copy content of this Blog without Blog Administrator’s permission or proper academic references to Fatherhood Life Blog. Also contents of this Blog are personal opinion, views, perception and private or Public observations of the Blogger(s). Thank you and may God bless you and The United States Of America. "In God we Trust" and "United We Stand".