Are your intentions what you are stating? Do you want to achieve quality improvement over the long term, or are you seeking some quick cost cutting opportunities to bolster the bottom line? Fact is, across some organizations, the idea of quality improvement is just a disguise for identifying cost cutting initiatives. It is more palatable to present quality improvement, in the form of Lean Six Sigma than to be direct about the need to implement cost cutting efforts.
Quality Improvement Matters
Whatever is driving or motivating your organizational intention, begin the journey to quality improvement with integrity and good intentions. Understand upfront that true quality improvement requires time, patience and integrity. Lean Six Sigma practices demand that they are to be based on fact, determination and integrity. If any of these elements falter, the practices will surely fail. Roll out your initiatives in a professional manner. Leaders must be very clear on what they want to achieve and must clearly communicate those goals. This is where the processes of developing trust and the integrity of the initiatives begin. As the practices develop, lean on the professional practices of Lean Six Sigma and use them to build trust and confidence. When hard decisions have to be made, employees who trust the intentions of the program will be supportive of them. With that support, logical and fact-based decisions can then be made and implemented. Over the long-term, cost savings in the organization will be organically realized without the caustic effects of arbitrary cost cutting efforts. Be an organization of integrity and character. Make sure quality improvement initiatives are implemented for the right reasons. Organizations that seek long term quality improvement initiatives will consistently find greater levels of success.
