3 Things I’ve Learned as a Lean Six Sigma Professional

  • The path of least resistance rarely stays that way

What was once cutting edge & revolutionary yesterday could be outdated tomorrow. It is critical to continually review how you’re doing business & how you could be doing it better.

  • “Comfort food” isn’t always the answer

What do people love to eat? Food that is familiar, tastes good, & is still cooked using the original recipe. If we apply this logic to organizations, the familiar & comfortable may feel like the best choice, even if your data proves it isn’t.

  • People can be stubborn, but that doesn’t give you the right to bulldoze through their opinions

Even if you know people are working less efficiently & can prove it with solid data, be careful how you proceed. If you speak to your stakeholders by flat-out telling them they’re wrong for working this way, they will not take kindly to your improvement suggestions.

You need to collaborate with your stakeholders & gather their feedback to understand how this change can be made effectively from their perspectives. If they see that your idea will genuinely make their lives easier & you present it in a way that makes them feel like a partner in the change, then the adoption rate for your improvement will skyrocket.

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Carrots & Sticks: A Look at Management Styles

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to manage change. Not just in organizations, but in life. I keep hearing stories of people using “a stick” more than “a carrot”. For those who aren’t familiar with this concept, it’s basically that you can either threaten others with a stick or tempt them with a carrot to get them on your side. To bring this idea to life, think about it in the context of raising a teenager. If you’re constantly looming over them in high school to get good grades, they may focus on it then to avoid punishment. But, when they’ve gone off to university and you’re no longer there to intimidate, they’ll lose that fear and with it the motivation to progress and succeed.

“The Stick” approach may work in the short term, but will have detrimental impacts in the long term. And, especially in these trying times, I’ve heard of companies that are investing in people who employ these methodologies out of desperation. Considering the pressures everyone is under, this approach will most certainly backfire.

On the other hand, “the carrot” never runs out. People will be grateful & more willing to work together to succeed. But what really makes this approach work is being able to clearly articulate WHY working together benefits everyone. This might be the reason why most people eventually switch back to “the stick” approach. It’s not always easy to articulate why change is needed but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile.

Clearly articulating your idea is key.

But, while “the carrot” approach might sound like the harder option, it is by far the better option in the long term. Especially now, people understand the risks associated by not working together for the long term. You as a leader are in a uniquely advantageous position right now to use “the carrot” methodology. You just need to clarify your position & trust that everyone else wants the same success that you do. Going back to our teenager, once you’ve explained clearly how getting an education will be a stepping stone towards professional success (the carrot) , they’ll be more inclined to continue learning long after the stick is a distant memory.

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