14.7 Conclusion

Building lasting momentum for lean six sigma, like all significant change, is a daunting, perhaps even overwhelming task. That said, any company can pull it off successfully—if it follows the proven path. One of the keys is to correctly gauge the magnitude of the challenge, which one change leader described as follows: “You have to understand what you are up against. You need to understand all the different things that can kill you!” Among the “things” that kill are a status-quo culture, autocratic leadership, scanty training, or meager measurement.

Ironically, past successes can stall or even derail a lean six sigma initiative. The prevailing attitude is often, “Leave me alone. What we’ve done in the past has worked, hasn’t it? Why should we change now?” You’ve probably heard some of the many voices that seek to avoid meaningful change. Do these statements sound familiar?

• If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

• We’re different.

• We’ve always done it this way.

• Your argument makes sense, but . . .

• Let me tell you why that won’t work here.

• We’ve never done it that way.

The mindset reflected in such comments can easily turn a lean six sigma initiative into a passing fad and threaten the viability of your company. Imagine these anti-change sentiments written on the sides of a six-sided die (see Figure 14.7). At many companies, whenever you suggest change, expect your colleagues to roll the die and respond with the words that are face up. The result is the same: Change is neither wanted nor accepted. That’s why you need to meticulously build momentum for lean six sigma change.

You need to set the “No-Change” dice aside. Continuing to roll it will lead to your company’s demise in the long term. You need to constantly seek innovation and renewal, two lean six sigma goals. Cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, leading the Cycle of Change, and consistently seeking to build and maintain momentum will help you deliver the goods as well as customer satisfaction and profits. You can leverage lean six sigma to create the adaptable supply chain. As you master the art of change management, you raise the competitive bar, forcing your rivals to adapt or die.