Category: Communication
See Long and Short-Term Results with a 3-6-12-24 Plan
Published:A major dilemma companies face today is the pressure to deliver short-term improvements and benefits while still contributing to longer-term breakthrough objectives. The 3-6-12-24 planning tool helps practitioners find a way out of this predicament.
Read more ยปThe Eight Elements of TQM: Supercharge Your Management With This Flexible Approach
Published:TQM, or Total Quality Management, is a management approach that originated in the 1950s and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980s. This approach encompasses the culture, attitude, and organization of a company. Further, it helps to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. However, the culture requires […]
Read more ยปThe Importance of Vision Casting
Published:Need help setting a vision for your team? Read about how a new leader found inspiration through a phone call to his local fire department, and learn the five practical steps to casting a vision.
Read more ยปUnderstanding Thulla and Its Impact on Team Dynamics
Updated:When workers lack motivation, this can be incredibly frustrating. There can be a temptation to address these frustrations using terms that one has heard elsewhere. Take care to keep criticism constructive, to be very aware of how certain terms are used culturally, and to avoid them if they could be inappropriate. When workers have used […]
Read more ยปMaximizing the Telecosm: Strategies for Effective Communication
Updated:Do you remember the days of having to get off the internet when your mother had to use the phone? How about waiting to watch a video while an advertisement seems to buffer endlessly? Advancements in the telecosm have made the amount of bandwidth across all mediums feel infinite in comparison to the early days […]
Read more ยปThe Danger of Instant Pudding in the Workplace
Updated:Instant pudding may make a great snack, but itโs a terrible approach to managing quality and productivity in business. Unlike the average domestic kitchen, there are very few things that you can simply whip together in the business world. Overview: What is instant pudding? In the context of business and process management, the term “instant […]
Read more ยปInformation Communication Technology: The Tools for Building a Stronger Business
Updated:The landscape of how business is done is ever-evolving. The way that businesses interact with customers and how those customers purchase goods and services is unrecognizable from how things were done just a couple of decades ago. A big component of these changes is the rise of information communication technology. Any time you make a […]
Read more ยปThe Power of Effective Communication in Business
Updated:Good communication is one of the most important qualities to have if you want to succeed in business. For various reasons, this quality is often overlooked. None of us exist in a bubble. All of us find it necessary to communicate with others in our business lives at some point or another. Communicating well is […]
Read more ยปThe Secret to Leadership? Enable Joy
Published:We are all members of teams of one type or another, but have you ever stopped to think about how to lead a team well when you arenโt the boss? Thereโs a plethora of advice about being a better boss and the like, but how about a team that will only be together for a […]
Read more ยปGive Your Elevator Speech a Lift
Published:Imagine you run into a senior leader in your organization in the elevator or while walking down the hallway. The leader asks, โWhat are you working on?โ You could say, โOh, you know me, Iโm keeping busyโ or perhaps โIโm working on a few new projectsโ or even โIโm making great progress on my project […]
Read more ยปYou’re Coming in Broken and Unreadable
Published:Communication can make or break a relationship, an organization or even a company. The next time you are writing a mission statement for your new project remember to think about how you plan to communicate.
Read more ยปEnhancing Work Practices: How Lean 5S Improves Efficiency
Updated:Lean 5S (sort, simplify, shine, standardize, sustain) are about organizing work space so we can be more efficient, effective and productive. All Lean concepts are about how work gets done. There are many benefits Lean 5S can provide including improving safety, decreasing down time, raising employee morale, identifying problems more quickly and establishing convenient work […]
Read more ยปIntegrate Values into Business Processes
Published:The intent of any organizationโs process improvement efforts is to improve the effectiveness (e.g., reduce defects) and efficiency (e.g., cost cutting per transaction) of the business process. What one often does not see as part of the effectiveness definition, however, is the expectation that the newly redesigned or improved business processes need to reflect the […]
Read more ยปCommunicate Change Throughout the Value Stream
Published:I was recently asked, “What is the most efficient way to communicate change throughout the value stream?” What I am about to propose does not need to take the place of other methods to communicate change. Historically, email, newsletters, video or updating policies all have had their place. I have had good experiences using a […]
Read more ยปCrafting a Vision: Who We Are, What We Do, Where We’re Going
Published:The second part in this series on culture change focuses on the importance of developing and maintaining a clear mission for your Lean enterprise.
Read more ยปSpreading the Word Throughout the Supply Chain
Published:In a recent survey, iSixSigma gathered data on how organizations communicate about their Six Sigma efforts โ data that reflects a lack of communication both within and outside of Six Sigma programs. A resulting iSixSigma Magazine research report, โSpreading the Word,โ examined internal communication. Externally, the flow of information โ or at least the knowledge […]
Read more ยปA Project Charter Communication Strategy Is Essential
Published:Six Sigma Black Belts, Master Black Belts and project Champions, when embarking on a DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), DMADV (Define, Measure,ย Analyze, Design, Verify)ย or process management project, need to be aware of the importance of establishing a communication plan when developing and validating a team charter. A finely executed Black Belt project can suffer […]
Read more ยปThree Deadly Sins In Strategic Planning
Published:When clients are not getting the results they expect from their strategic plans, there are usually three overlooked causes โ incomplete planning, inadequate links between strategy and action, and poor communication. Are you getting enough from your Six Sigma strategic plan?
Read more ยปThe Role of Human Resources (HR) in Six Sigma
Published:Chances are you’ve heard of Six Sigma, perhaps in connection with General Electric, the company that made it popular in the 1990s. You may even know that Six Sigma uses statistical techniques to improve processes in both manufacturing and service industries. But did you know there is an important role for Human Resources (HR) in […]
Read more ยปCommunication Strategies for Six Sigma Initiatives, Part 2
Published:Making the decision to bring Six Sigma into your organization is just the first step on a long journey. Although this approach has proven successful for a variety of industries (including manufacturing, transactional and professional services), the best-laid plans may go awry if the focus is solely on the technical side, without considering the cultural […]
Read more ยปGenerating Support for a Sales Quality Initiative
Published:A quality initiative in sales โ an impossible dream? With the right proposition and simple techniques, not only is it possible but it can also be a successful venture. The goal is to achieve performance improvements similar to those achieved in manufacturing and elsewhere using quality-oriented techniques. Unfortunately, these initiatives often produce nothing but resentment […]
Read more ยปA Project Charter Communication Strategy Is Essential
Published:Six Sigma Black Belts, Master Black Belts and Project Champions, when embarking on a DMAIC, DMADV or Process Management project, need to be aware of the importance of establishing a communication plan when developing and validating a team charter. A finely executed Black Belt project can suffer disappointing results if an efficient mechanism is not […]
Read more ยปSix Sigma Via Context
Published:I’m sure all of us experience daily memos, emails, voice mail, procedures, forms, and reports that are nearly meaningless due to lack of context. Some ramble on with obvious passion but fail to explain what the heck they’re talking about. Some are very beautiful with lots of statistical charts and graphs yet without simple contextual […]
Read more ยปWords of Advice for Frustrated Black Belts
Published:“I entered the Six Sigma program with our organization in May as a BB candidate. Since then I have encountered a number of setbacks and frustrations. They aren’t unique to me, either. Many other BBs at my company are experiencing the same things. I’m hoping for some general advice. What can you do (as a […]
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