What Qualities Make for a Great Lean Six Sigma Project Champion

or Sponsor? Some Traits and Attributes that Can Help!

Andrew John SlaneyPrincipal Consultant, Coach and Trainer in Business Improvement Techniques and Lean Six Sigma (at BSI Group)

DMAIC

Thinking of sending someone who works for you on Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training or are you being asked to sponsor or champion projects in your area or department?

Typical Process WasteTransportInventory

MotionWaiting

OverproductionOverprocessing

DefectsMaster Black Belt

– programme and scorecard management, strategy, technical innovation, coaching and teaching across the organisation, leadership of macro-projects, identification of cross-

functional opportunities (full or part time role).

Black Belt – project leadership, delivery of improvements and ROI, coaching and teaching of Green/Yellow

Belts and others, identification of significant improvement opportunities (typically full time role).

Green Belt – project leadership, delivery of improvements and ROI, coaching and teaching of Yellow Belts

and others, identification of local improvement opportunities (part time role).

Yellow Belt – project team member or leader of small improvement activities, support of Black/Green Belt projects, identification of local improvement opportunities, use of tools in daily work (part time

role).

Champion/Sponsor – senior level oversight, strategy, leadership and advocacy, programme management,

corporate improvement goal setting (part time role).

White Belt – project team member, support of Black/Green/Yellow Belt activities, employee advocate for continuous improvement, identification of local improvement opportunities (part time role).

In Lean Six Sigma programmes the role of a Champion or Sponsor is a significant one that can ultimately have a large impact in either enabling or stifling success.  

The Champion or Sponsor may not be directly responsible for running the day to day project based activities, but he or she should ultimately be held accountable for whether the work is successful. 

Unfortunately, many Sponsors and Champions don’t see it that way!

From Lean Six Sigma Project and Green Belt selection through to sign off of Control Plans the Champion or Sponsor needs to be engaged and continuously involved.

The equation often works out to be very simple: 

• Passive Champion or Sponsor = Project Failure

• Proactive Champion or Sponsor = Project Success

The following slides show what I’d suggest are 10 qualities that successful Lean Six Sigma Champions and Sponsors should possess.

If you're involved in a Lean Six Sigma programme (especially if you are a Green Belt).

Let’s see if you agree?  

10 Attributes and Traits of Great Lean Six Sigma Project Champions and Sponsors

1. A passion for developing people and actively helping them use and broaden their skill set to help both the organisation and the individual succeed

2. An understanding that formal training is just the first step in developing new competencies and that ‘learning by doing’ is key.  Which of course, takes time, needs to allow for set backs and requires management’s patience

3. A genuine interest in process and firm belief that ‘go see’ and ‘management by walking about’ is not a ‘nice to have if I had the time’, but a keystone of good leadership

4. An objective, systematic and factual approach to making and justifying the integrity of decisions 

5. A need to be challenged and a view that controversial concepts and ideas, including those counter to current beliefs, are an opportunity to learn 

6. An ability to clearly link strategy to tactics - understanding the bigger picture, but being equally comfortable in discussing the detail

7. A knowledge and sense of when and how to intervene and also when to take a step back and remain on the sidelines

8. A desire to ‘roll up the sleeves’ and lead the way using supportive actions and not just 'the right words' 

9. An ability to influence within the organisation and a genuine concern about the achievements of all of the individuals in a team that is looking to deliver business success

10. An understanding of the common sense, systematic and objective approach that Lean Six Sigma brings and a passion for using the tools involved

 

And 5 Things a Successful Champion Will Never Say!

A. ‘Once you’ve had the training find yourself a project and off you go.  No need to check back if you think it will be beneficial I’m happy‘

B. ‘You’ve had ten days out to do the training and now you want more time to do the project work?!!  Sorry, you must concentrate 100% on your functional role for the next 4 to 6 weeks’ 

C. ‘I know department X / manager Y are not cooperating, but what do you expect me to do?  You’re the Green Belt, you’ve been trained, just get on with it and use your new change management skills to get them on your side’  

D. ‘I don’t have any specific ideas of what you need to work on, but I do know we need to reduce costs.  That’s why I sent you on the training to help us reduce costs - I don’t really care how!’ 

And ‘Best’ of All!

E. ‘Sorry, I don’t have time!’

Real statements?  In terms of sentiment expressed, even if not recalled verbatim, I’m afraid to say yes! 

Please comment and also share your stories of success and failure and importantly how the Project Champion or Sponsor role in Lean Six Sigma programmes can influence outcomes.

Personal Website: https://andyslaney.wordpress.com

Social Media:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyslaneyhttps://twitter.com/aj_slaney

BSI Website Lean Six Sigma Consultancy: http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/our-services/professional-services/Lean-Six-Sigma-consultancy/;

BSI Website Lean Six Sigma Training: http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/so-13053-lean-six-sigma/lean-six-sigma-training-courses/

Winning Lean Six Sigma Programmes