Chapter 18
Comprehending the People Issues
In This Chapter
Gaining buy-in from others
Tackling resistance to change
Clocking the culture of your organisation
Six Sigma and Lean originated from industrial manufacturing backgrounds, with early emphasis on tools and techniques. Now, however, most managers accept that recognising and handling the people issues is the biggest challenge in implementing Lean Six Sigma successfully.
Lean Six Sigma aims to make change happen in order to improve things. Human beings, like most creatures, are cautious and sceptical about change – it spells danger. Humans have an inbuilt resistance to change, especially when it’s ‘being done’ to them and particularly if somebody tells them that it’s going to be ‘good for them’. Most people fear losing something they have as a result of change. Dealing with personal fear and loss is another big challenge in implementing Lean Six Sigma, but few enthusiasts in statistical theory cover this in their extensive training.
Understanding people is key to implementing a Lean Six Sigma project. Almost always, if Six Sigma and Lean projects fail, people issues of one form or another are the cause. In this chapter we offer ...
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