I have facilitated and experienced the benefits of Lean Six Sigma in both military and law enforcement. My experience tells me this. Everyone looking at making improvements, whether in the corporate setting, or in the public service sector, have one, and only one, main overarching project…figuring out how to get its workforce engaged enough to recognize opportunities for positive change on behalf of the customer, then being empowered to act upon those opportunities…in essence, it is the culture of the organization that is the project we should all be looking into making better. Every project I have been associated with, is really attributable to the main project…culture change. Certainly, not everyone will want to be a LEAN Facilitator or Six Sigma Black Belt, nor should they be. But, at some point, everyone seems to remember those days when we were all the newbies, sitting by idly as crazy things happened daily and made us go….hmmmmm, I wonder why they do that instead of just doing (insert your experience here). We then tell ourselves, I reckon they know what they are doing since they have been here the longest. From there on out, it became a shut up and listen, do what you are told atmoshere. This is the root cause of every project…A lack of a Continuous Improvement Culture…so herein lies the challenge for leadership. Are your people empowered enough to make change when necessary? Have you taught how to recognize when the need arises? Food for thought.

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