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Lani On Uprooting The Biggest Pain Point Of Shopee Philippines

6/26/2021

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Melanie Mojica, now a Supply Chain Technical Analysis Manager from Universal Robina Corporation used to clean up such a persistent mess in Shopee Philippines as their former Operational Excellence Lead.
​

Believe it or not, the biggest companies in the Philippines still suffer from recurring problems. Best believe, a tad inspiration from colleagues can solve this kind of issue. This is one of the reasons that sparked Lani’s idea of going through a Six Sigma journey.
 
What prompted you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
“I wanted to enhance my skills and make sure that I am equipped with the right tools especially in the nature of my work.” Melanie said.
 
What prompted you to start your project?
She answered, “My project is one of the biggest pain points in my previous company.”
 
What was your project about?
Melanie stated, “Reduction of Return SLA - returning of parcels to sellers.”
 
What were the results of your project?
“The project shows a considerable impact in the process and cost.” She added, “We were able to hit our target SLA and at the same time, minimized the cost incurred from this SLA reduction.”

How was it like for you, starting up and executing your own project?
Melanie confessed, “It was exciting and very challenging.”
 
Among the Action Items that were done, what were the key elements that led to the success of your project?
“The support of the sponsor/s and cooperation of the entire project team.” She mentioned, “Everyone is more than willing to help and exert extra effort to ensure that we will be able to achieve our goal.”
 
What was the impact of your project to your company?
Melanie revealed, “It decreased customer contact since we’re able to fulfill our targeted SLA of returning the parcels to the sellers. it also decreased claims amount by 1.7M after implementation of the project.”
 
What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Green Belt to you as an individual and as a professional?
“First of all, it added confidence and I’m inspired to share what I know to my colleagues, which I know will be helpful for them as well.” She shared, “And I received more offers from other employers with a more competitive salary.”
 
What would be your message to those who are currently taking the Green Belt Program and those who are currently conducting their own projects?
“Be open to ideas.” Melanie quoted. “Delegate tasks and always communicate. Involve the right people and ensure that everyone is aligned with the goal.” She emphasized, “Look for mentors inside or outside the organization to guide you and challenge your current ideas. This is exactly what I did.”

Contact us now and be a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy
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2020: A Blessing In Disguise To Heys’ Accomplished Green Belt Project.

6/19/2021

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Hazel Asutilla, Engineer 2 of Emerson Electric bagged her Green Belt Certification last August 2020 after making things easier for Engineering to understand the critical parts of her organization’s process.


We have seen massive companies rapidly revolutionizing the technological world. But we don’t really pay attention to the people behind that exponential growth. Today, we bring you one of them. A Filipina who chose to make a difference.


Which industry do you belong to?
“Emerson is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) whose products are being used as components in the products of another company. Emerson in the Philippines is a back office in which we are supporting the whole Emerson, Globally.” Heys began.


What is your current position in the company?
She replied, “Engineer 2, Component Engineering.”


What prompted you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
“Back in 2018, I was looking for Career Growth. That's why I’ve decided to take the Lean Six Sigma training. Years before that, I was also interested in process improvement. Making our day-to-day task easier and finishing our deadline ahead of time so we could also have a work-life balance.” Hazel explained.


What prompted you to start your project?
She disclosed, “After the training, I wanted to apply all the learning that I gained from the training. I also believed that if I did not start the project as soon as possible, I might forget those lessons and start at zero.”


What was your project about?
“My project is about the NPD projects we are receiving from our R&D. Our task is to scrub the BOM. Though the project is a new product, some approved parts in the BOM are already Obsolete/Declined and sometimes Non-RoHS during our initial assessment.” She added, “Also, this is an opportunity for us to have a cost reduction.”


What were the results of your project?
Heys cited, “We’ve been able to mitigate the risk of having shortages or production stoppage by releasing the Bill of Material to production that has EOL or decline parts. We’ve developed an automated tool to assess the health of the BOM and to make it easier for Engineering to understand the Critical Parts.”


 How was it like for you, starting up and executing your own project?
“To be honest, it was scary. I got pressured.” She confessed. But by having a very supportive Supervisor and a team that is very cooperative, we made it. By the end of the project, I realized that I really improved. There were things that I thought I couldn’t do, but through that time I did not realize that I was able to do it. Maybe it became easier because of my team.”


Among the action Items that were done, what were the key elements that led to the success of your project?
Hazel proudly answered, “Teamwork, Open Communication, and understanding the strength and weaknesses of each member of the team. I think this helped us to finish the project, successfully.”


What was the impact of your project on your company? 
“We’ve been able to decrease the average Single Sourced parts from 35% to 7%. We also have a Potential Cost reduction of $44 million with Realized Savings of $13,000.” She said with gratitude.


What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Green Belt on you as an individual and a professional?
“For me, it’s gaining the respect of my colleagues and the trust of my Superior. After the success of our project, I got promoted and another opportunity of leading another project came in.” Heys emphasized, “All the efforts and learning from the training didn't go to waste.”


 What would be your message to those who are currently taking or planning to take the Green Belt Program or those who are currently conducting their own projects?
“To those people who are planning to take the training, remove all your worries, because it's worth it. Let’s invest in ourselves, not just with other money investment. Our career growth is unto us and not from the company we are working for. Not even not from our Superior. They are just on our side to guide us, but we are the ones who will decide on where we will be in the next years of our career.” She wonderfully said.


 Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your experience?
Hazel ended, “At first, I was hesitant to take the training and it took me two years to finally take it. After finishing the project, I realized that I should have gotten my certification earlier if I weren’t afraid and trusted myself that I could do it. So, for anybody out there who is afraid to take the first step, trust yourself, and believe that you can.”


Take the leap of faith. You might be scared for now but it’s just a reminder that there are people who care like your team and Six Sigma PH who will guide you through the rough roads to success.


Contact us now and be a Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy

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“No Matter What The Obstacles Are, All You Have To Do Is Face Them…” Edward Ting, Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

6/13/2021

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Edward Ting, former Supervisor of Allis Cassava Cakes and Pastries Inc., seized his Green Belt Certification last March 2019’s Green Belt Workshop at One Pacific Place Serviced Residences.

It is humbling to witness someone so passionate deliver his message to the crowd. As Ting shares his Six Sigma journey to our aspiring class graduates, he was also feeding our ears with inspiration through the story of his successful project that molded his company and bolstered his professional growth.

What prompted you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
“Career Growth” He answered.

What convinced you to start your project?
Edward cited, “To be certified and increase my competency.”

What was your project about?
“Reduction of waste.” He mentioned.

What were the results of your project?
Edward boasted “The defects were reduced from an average of 500 down to 50.”

How was it like for you, starting up and executing your own project?
He exclaimed, “Challenging!”

Among the action Items that were done, what were the key elements that led to the success of your project?
“Proper, constant and consistent communication with all channels.” Edward recalled.

What was the impact of your project to your company?
He emphasized, “Roughly 8 million peso annualized savings.”


What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Green Belt to you as an individual and as a professional?
He stated, “I was promoted as a project manager in JP Morgan in a matter of 1 month.”


What would be your message to those who are currently taking or planning to take the Green Belt Program and to those who are currently conducting their own projects?
“Never give up. Monitor the results and escalate to your sponsor if needed.” He advised.


Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your experience?
Edward concluded, “No matter what the obstacles are, all you have to do is face them head on and think of all possible solutions and don't be afraid to test it and evaluate results.”
 
Let your impact change the way things work!
 
Contact us now and be a Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy

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The Road To ₱206,000 Annualized Cost Savings With Hamberto Real

6/5/2021

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Hamberto Real, a former Quality Analyst of West Contact Services, unveiled his secrets on bagging a Green Belt Certification with a victorious project through Lean Six Sigma.


Hamberto has been an advocate of continuous improvement and practical application of knowledge for the longest time. His commitment towards professional growth motivated him to finally grow through Six Sigma PH and it fueled him to launch a project that has massively improved the performance of his company. With an effective mentorship program and a first-class consultation, he successfully completed his project and garnered multiple promotions in just a short period of time.

What prompted you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
Hamberto answered, “It’s my personal interest in upgrading my skills and being able to apply the knowledge in the workplace.”

What convinced you to start a project?
“The practical application of knowledge acquired is the best way of learning post study.” He added.

What was your project about and were the results?
“It’s the Reduction of QA Evaluation Cycle Time.” He claimed “It was a revelation that capacity can be further maximized.”


How was it like executing your own project?
Hamberto recalled, “It was an exciting experience and petrifying at the same time.”

Among the action Items that were done, what were the key elements that made your project successful?
“The consultation provided by my Coach and Mentor, Rex “The Six Sigma Guy” Tuozo while this project was being implemented.” He cited.

What was the impact of your project to your company?
He proudly said “Approximately a total annualized cost savings of ₱206,000.”

What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Green Belt to you as an individual and as a professional?
“My confidence was boosted and I was able to keep up with the demand of Process Improvement” Hamberto pointed out.


What would be your message to those who are currently taking or planning to take the Green Belt Program and to those who are currently conducting their own projects?
He advised, “For those who are conducting current projects, always reach out to the coach, mentors, and alumni as they will always be there to give guidance and assistance. For those who are planning to take it, it’s a good learning investment and will provide an additional boost to your career.

Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your experience?
“Recently, Six Sigma PH launched their first ever Scrum & Agile Certification. My registration was committed with no hesitations and reservations. I am proud to be a Six Sigma PH Alumni and it's an honor and a pleasure to be certified first for Green Belt and Scrum Coach Asean.” Hamberto confessed.

He concluded, “Learning is a two way road. It all starts with YOU and your APPETITE for improving yourself. Six Sigma PH has various courses that will aid your current situation. Rest assured that the coaches and mentors will be there every step of the way until the finish line is reached.” 

Follow your gut. We would love to see you produce colossal amounts of results too!

Contact us now and be a Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy
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Rayza Flaunts $24K Sales Lead Plus Monthly Satisfaction Commendation Increase through her Six Sigma Project’s Ramification

5/29/2021

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Rayza Magsakay, Process Auditor for Ingram Micro Philippines obtained her Green Belt Certification last April 2019 as the aftermath of successfully carrying their VIP team’s monthly compliance rate from 76% to 85%!

As data-driven individuals, Rayza and her team value their process over everything else. They follow stern guidelines and establish frameworks that serve as their backbone to drive prolific efforts into a common goal. Since it is proven that most of the objectives are achieved systematically, these people stand out in a habitat that highlights consistency and order.

You might be asking, how can a VIP team of process specialists plummet on the compliance roster? Today you will know how a Process Auditor turned things around with immense focus and teamwork.

In an Interview prior to her graduation, Rayza cited, “Full solution approach means trying to understand the reason behind every request and being able to position other products that are needed to complete the solution based on the business need, aside from providing an accurate solution based on the customer's request.” She reminded, “Though this is the most critical, it has the lowest compliance out of 4 parameters we have in our call quality form, and the VIP team has the lowest compliance amongst the other teams for not fully executing the task.”

She was asked if this instance pushed her to learn Six Sigma and start her Green Belt project. “Yes! My previous quality manager, who is a Master Black Belt, introduced us to Six Sigma, together with other quality tools, and made us aware how beneficial the certification is in terms of solving our problem through the knowledge I’ll acquire from the training.” She quoted.

Rayza added, “It was easy and efficient for me because I was well guided by the methodologies, theories and the Six Sigma circuit that I got from attending the workshop. By improving the VIP team’s monthly compliance rate from 76% to 85% through my Six Sigma project, we had a 24K USD increase in sales lead from Q4 2017 vs Q4 2019, as well as an increase in customer commendation from a monthly average of 0 to 2!” Rayza smiled with satisfaction.

With conviction she stated, “You don't have to own all your action plans, just know who the right people to work with. Make sure the action plans are within your control and can easily be replicated to other teams within the department so it can easily be implemented should the issue occur to other teams. Furthermore, always provide visibility to your project sponsors, may it be progress or roadblocks.” She concluded, “This way, you can ensure that you are on the right path, and also for support that you need or will be needing. Lastly, do not hesitate to reach out to Rex or Art of Six Sigma PH for any help needed.”

Rayza gained her Green Belt Certification that day, and left us with a meaningful remark, 
“If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."

Do you have what it takes to entirely flip the game?

Contact us now and be a Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy
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Green Belt Certification: A Launchpad to Katrina Awing’s Milestone Projects

5/23/2021

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Katrina Awing, Operations Manager for Ingram Micro Philippines, unfolds a breakthrough experience with her very first project that earned her a Green Belt Certification last April 2019.

The acquisition of skills to utilize the tools and methodologies of Lean Six Sigma refine the caliber of professionals in almost any field. It holds a systematic approach in addressing process defects and accelerates exponential results. From practical training up to project execution, Six Sigma PH aims to provide a remarkable journey to its students. This ethos acted as a springboard to a myriad of careers and pivoted a countless amount of perspectives. As the saying goes, “Making the beginning is one third of the work” and the rest, we believe, is through proper knowledge and guidance only leading practitioners in the Six Sigma’s realm could bestow.

Katrina, pioneering her own project was an electrifying experience. She quoted, “Working on a project was not new to me however, leading a project was! I needed to be perceptive since, as a leader, I had to be open minded but still be in control in meeting the goal. Overall, it was an empowering and still humbling experience especially when associates in our team started to embrace the learning and be open to the change needed.”

What convinced you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
“I am a strong believer of continuous learning and based on my mentors.” Katrina stated, “Lean Six Sigma methodologies can help impact my career's future and drive for a more strategic mindset. I took their advice!”

What was your project about?
She confessed, “I chose a project that was very close to my heart. I asked and consistently got hounded by these questions ‘where is the highest pain point of my team, where & when does Overtime start to become a norm and have an increasing trend, where is the most “waste of time'' found and why do we get customer escalations?’ Then through data, I found what I was looking for. Hence, I chose to decrease the defects found on the quality attribute of ‘Ineffective use of customer's time efficiently’ calls of the Microsoft Licensing Team. Through this, we aim to provide better customer experience and make use of everyone’s time more efficiently resulting in lesser outside shift work needs.” She added.

Among the action Items applied, what were the key elements that led to the success of your project?
Katrina cited, “What I value the most is having a very supportive and collaborative project Sponsor & Team Members and having complete, dependable and accurate data.” She emphasized, “Having a good communication plan that gives the right, targeted and enough visibility for the audience of the project, team members and the Stakeholders. Last but not the least, is the Six Sigma Circuit created by the Six Sigma Guy, Rex Tuozo. This structured approach allowed me to be very precise on what steps to take and still be agile when a change of direction is needed.” 

What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Green Belt to you as an individual and a professional?
She recalled, “It was indeed a rewarding experience being a Certified Six Sigma Greenbelt. Personally, the concept of DMAIC has been ingrained in me and helped me address existing or potential problems in a more structured manner.” Katrina claimed, “I was happy that I learned how to be more systematic when approaching problems either in life or at work. Professionally, my confidence in articulating my thoughts when business strategies must be done has become better. A few opportunities to assist on other projects for Ingram Micro Go-To-Market group is something I have been blessed to be assigned to lead on for the last few months.”

What would be your message to those who are currently taking or planning to take the Green Belt Program and to those who are currently conducting their own projects?
Katrina explained, “Manage your time and lead your team well. Your team is your ally to make your project successful. Empower them and openly communicate often to ensure clarity on directions to take. The least we want to have is multiple people going in different directions due to uncertain action plans.” Katrina mentioned, “Document each milestone and challenges. Lastly, be brave, trust your team. Risks are fine and don't be afraid to go back to square one if needed. ‘Fail Fast, Fail Cheap and Fail often.”

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
“Through Six Sigma PH, my Six Sigma Greenbelt certification has been a great journey.” Katrina concluded.

Katrina Awing is a living by-product of excellence. Be the cause of your organization’s foolproof process and abundant results. With Six Sigma PH, we will lead you there!


Contact us now and be a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy
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A King Stands Tall Above Sales, Defects and Naysayers!

5/15/2021

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Freddie King Guerrero, an Engineering and Technical Services Manager at Zamony Venture Corporation proved that he doesn’t need a throne to be a change leader and spearhead his company into a huge leap - not just in sales but also into discovering a storehouse of solutions that they may utilize in perpetuity. On August 8, 2018, King was crowned as one of the Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in the Philippines.


It is disheartening to see Filipinos collecting certifications without application when we all know that they are capable of applying it. Unlike the rest, this CSSBB continuously pushes professionals to stick to their will of completing a project and actually making a change regardless of their risk appetite.

What encouraged you to take the Six Sigma Workshop?
“Way back 2009, when I first heard about Lean Six Sigma, I did research and found out that this program offers huge benefits to companies who are struggling in terms of product and process defects. I also learned that having this skill set boosts career growth especially when you get certified.” King started. “So I enrolled in a Lean Six Sigma White Belt program in Philippine Trade Training Center in Manila. To make the long story short, I joined Six Sigma PH’s Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (Wave 1) and continued to the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Program last 2013 in iAcademy.” He recalled. “I learned a lot about the tools and how to measure the issues and analyze the situation. I’ve decided to implement some process improvement initiatives for our company and the result is really good.” King remembered, “At that time, I didn’t have the eagerness to be certified as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt since what I initially wanted was to be a Certified Lean SIx Sigma Black Belt. I did not submit a Green Belt project thinking that if I get certified as a Green Belt, it may hinder me from pursuing my Six Sigma journey further. Then 2017 came, I finally joined the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (Wave 5) by the Master Black Belt, Rex “The Six Sigma Guy” Tuozo. In just one year, I already got certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.” He celebrated.

What prompted you to start your project?
“I knew that the window of opportunity had opened for me to become a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.” King explained, “I learned more of the tools and grasped extensive techniques from my Black Belt training such as effective implementation, statistical, and data driven application to the product/process improvement initiative, measurements, and analytics. They were far more advanced.” He ended.

What was your project about?
King said, “Improving the after sales service timeline.”

How was it like for you, starting up and executing your own project?
“It was hard!”, He exclaimed. “Gathering data was very difficult. Since the old system couldn’t even measure the performance, my big question was, ‘How can I even start not knowing where we are?’ Luckily, we were able to progress little by little. We had optimized the system and revised it to measure the performance.” King stated, “At first, I realized that there was a problem because a lot of our customers were unhappy. But how big was the issue? Informing our staff and stakeholders that there was a problem without knowing how big the issue was seemed unbelievable. However, the numbers were generated and poof! We can finally see what was wrong and the rest is history.”

Among the action items that were done, what were the key elements that led to the success of your project?
“Key elements?” He asked. “Of course it must start with your team. You should know how to convince them that there are issues to be resolved and processes to be improved. Involve them in the brainstorming, listen to their two cents and analyze it. Vote if you think a suggestion will be beneficial. You wouldn’t notice that some of the ideas that didn’t even cross your mind are brilliant.” King advised. “Not to mention, the support of the management. It is also important. Before you begin, you have to get their approval so that the resources will be available.” He added, “You have to be patient because not all the implementations will work smoothly. Be prepared, make contingencies, FMEA and Risk Management.”

What was the impact of your project to your company?
“More sales and most of all, happy customers!” King said in relief. “The financial benefit was improved sales by 11% as measured. CSAT surveys showed that customers bought their unit because we have a good aftersales.” King boasted, “How much was it? I won’t even tell. We also reduced the transportation and manpower after sales budget by 9% by minimizing backjob repairs (Repair Quality).”

What was the impact of being a certified Six Sigma Black Belt to you as an individual and as a professional?
King confessed, “Job offers came rushing and my confidence on what I am doing went up because I know what I know. I was surprised when recruiters started reaching out to me on Linked In saying that they were looking for a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.” He agreed, “It also earned me a lot of respect.”

What would be your message to those who are currently planning to take the Black Belt Program and to those who are currently conducting their own projects?
“For those who would like to take the Lean Six Sigma training: If the reason why you’re reading this is because you’re doing your research about Lean Six Sigma, just go for it because it will be beneficial for both you and your company.” King noded.

He believed, “If you’ve just finished your training, commit to your projects. It defeats the purpose of the training if you do not want to be certified. Don’t let it go to waste. I cannot see the point of not completing a project after the training. You have all the tools that you need, Six Sigma PH, is there to support you.” King reckoned, “Basically, while I was doing my project, Rex, “The Six Sigma Guy” and Arthur, “The Sprint King” guided me from start to finish; free of charge! I hope that this will inspire others to finish their project and get certified. Best of luck to you guys!”

If there’s anything else that you’d like to share about your experience?
King mentioned, “The teachings of this organization are the best and the first in the Philippines. The instructors were very accomodating. The execution was so simple that even people with no knowledge about Six Sigma would want to pursue a career in process improvement and they will surely understand and enjoy the training. Plus, it is not boring. I have already attended a lot of training and certifications by different organizations but Six Sigma PH knows what they do.” He concluded, “It is a blend of fun and learning in a nutshell. God Bless you Six Sigma PH team!”

“P.S. Six Sigma PH gives away Karate Belts with a Six Sigma PH logo to the ones who will get certified. Mine will be delivered soon. Thanks in advance!”

Contact us now and be a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certified!
www.6sigmaph.com | ask@6sigmaph.com | +63917-190-4511
#iAmMyCredentials
​#SixSigmaPH
#TheSixSigmaGuy
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How to Deal with Your Copycat Competitors

3/3/2021

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Cherry Gil's Famous LIne in Viva Film's Hit Movie Bituing Walang Ningning

How to Deal with Your Copycat Competitors

Rex "The Six Sigma Guy"
"Gaya-gaya Puto Maya!"

Filipino Gen X would remember this Pinoy limerick that kids would shout at play. We often teased playmates and younger siblings "gaya-gaya putomaya (copycat!)" until they run back home crying.

Fortunately in business, while it is so easy to copy the products, services, business models of other companies and individuals, it is difficult to replicate success by being a copycat competitor.

In the Philippines, the community quarantine brought out the 'entrepreneur-side' of Filipinos. Because everyone stayed home and many lost their jobs and businesses, people rushed to trade and sell different products and services to survive. It sparked both innovators and Copycat Businesses. After Juana's Instagram-based Japanese stone wares and ceramics shop became a hit, copycat businesses started selling the same items after a couple of weeks.

At Six Sigma PH, after establishing it in 2013, we are having our fair share of copycats. I saw (and still see) them liking and following us "see-first" on Facebook Pages. There are two owners of our competitors who even created multiple email addresses to join our mailing lists, workshops, and it reached a point where they copied our marketing copies, and pitches word-for-word.

I admit it used to annoy me, until I realized that they are always far away from Six Sigma PH because they are so focused on what they are doing- being mediocre.

Instead on being obsessed following your industry's leader, take time to assess the market, talk to your customers about their current needs and wants, and always be open in improving your products and services.

According to CEO Robert Glazer, here's what you should be doing instead of wasting your energy worrying about copycats:
  • Focus on your customers. A lot of companies waste more energy worrying about the competition than about their own customers and clients. Take care of the clients you have, first and foremost.
​
  • Create open channels for feedback. Great ideas often come from stakeholders, so listen to customers, partners, employees etc. They might key you into something they need that the market is not providing today.
​
  • Keep an eye on emerging trends. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain are transforming many industries. Consider how these and other trends might change your business and market.
  • Reinvent your own business before someone else does. Don’t assume that the competitive advantage you have today will last forever. Someone can always do better. Resting on your laurels is just as dangerous, if not more so, than resigning yourself or your company to the realm of pale imitation.

The next time you competitor makes another copycat move, look at them, then smile and say... "You are nothing, but a second-rate trying-hard copycat!".


​PS: Today is March 4, 2021. Six Sigma PH will launch its cute character "Sigmi" in the next few days. We expect our competitors to follow 🤣 🤣 🤣
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Which Money Heist Characters are your Six Sigma Project Team Members?

4/11/2020

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Which Money Heist Characters are your Six Sigma Project Team Members?

Rex Tuozo "The Six Sigma Guy"  |  www.6sigmaPH.com  |  ask@6sigmaPH.com


(Contains spoilers, read at your own risk).



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With many parts of the world in lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19, chances are, you have watched the Spanish series Money Heist (La casa de papel), which became an instant hit (Koblin, 2019) after Netflix picked it up to air internationally as a full Netflix Original on July 19, 2019 (Hopewell, 2019).
 
As I have binge-watched the series, I have recognized that the characters of the show appear very similar to the different types of persons I have worked with in the past 16 years of Six Sigma practice.
 
Let us look at them one by one:​
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The Professor (Sergio Marquina) = Six Sigma Black Belt

The Professor, similar to a competent Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, is a classic mastermind and strategist who is always 5 steps ahead of any situation he has planned.  He is disciplined, smart, meticulous and has laser-focused determination to achieve his vision. 
 
After crafting a plan, the professor recruited his dream team and rallied them towards a common goal.  He made everyone follow a strict schedule and carefully planned with the team all possible scenarios that could happen in the heist.  His competency and leadership traits-built trust to the plan.
 
The professor’s cool, calm, and collected attitude resolved team conflicts during the operation and brought everyone back to the plan.  The same enabled the professor to make important decisions when situations went wrong.

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Tokyo = Team Member

Many fans despise Tokyo and consider her as the weakest link of the group.  She is unpredictable, emotional, impulsive, and reckless that constantly placed herself and the team in trouble.  Right at the start, she was the first to break the rules when she had an affair with Rio which made things more complicated.  Her impulsive attitude resulted in the first shoot out with the cops that injured Rio.  She and Berlin did not go along well, often questioned his decisions and most of the time followed her own way.

Fortunately, I have worked with few “Tokyos” in my Six Sigma projects.  It is difficult to immediately detect if a team member is a “Tokyo” since they usually go along well with the team.  After a while, because of act-before-you-think mindset, Tokyos begin to deviate from the plan and follow what he/ she thinks is better.  Often it may result in problems since the Black Belt and other team members are not informed of the difference between what was planned and what the Tokyo implemented.
 
Despite having a negative image, a Tokyo truly cares for the goal and his/ her team members.
 
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How to Manage a Tokyo

The first important thing a Black Belt should do is to detect if a person is a “Tokyo”.  Once detected, the Black Belt should micro manage him/her.  The Black Belt should regularly communicate, ask for his/her insights, and have at least once a week calibration session to ensure that the Tokyo’s thoughts and actions are still aligned with the team.  A Six Sigma team could greatly benefit from an aligned Tokyo.
 
Leading and managing a Tokyo would definitely test a Black Belt’s communication, negotiation skills, and patience.  It would be challenging but worth it.
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Berlin = Six Sigma Green Belt
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A Berlin could be a typical Six Sigma Green Belt (on field Team Leader) who is competent, dependable, future-oriented, and could make immediate decisions that does not need inputs from The Professor.
 
He is smart, eloquent, calm, patient, and charming, which could make team members respect and follow his lead.  Despite being arrogant and a narcissist, Berlin respected his colleagues and will do everything to save them.
 


How to Manage a Berlin

Minus the psychopathic tendencies, I could take on Berlins as my Six Sigma Green Belts/ Team Members.  One important improvement of a Berlin is to work on their lack of empathy to team members and most specially process owners.  Filipinos value personal relationships at work, and empathy plays a big part.
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Rio = Team Members
 
Rio, a skilled hacker, and tech expert, is the youngest and most naïve in the group.  There was a part where he almost surrendered to the police but his feelings for Tokyo prevailed so he stayed.

 

How to Manage a Rio

Most Rios that I have seen in Six Sigma teams are millennials and rank and file employees.  They are talented, gets along well with other team members, and insecure yet promising.  They are your usual diamond in the rough.  Most of them focus in the present which make them fail to see the bigger perspective.
 
A Rio does not need to be micro-managed like a Tokyo, but periodic calibration and immediate feedback are necessary to keep a Rio in check.  A Black Belt has to make the Rio see how the Six Sigma project he is part of supports the strategies of the organizations.  The Black Belt needs also to develop the talents of the Rio by giving him/ her opportunities to apply his strengths.
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Oslo & Helsinki = Team Members
 
Both Oslo and Helsinki are war veterans and acted as the muscles of the group.  Their intimidating looks maintained the order of the hostages.  Both went along well with other team members.
 


How to Manage an Oslo & Helsinki

Both characters exude experience and dependability, a must for all Six Sigma teams.  They are your usual experienced employees who have experienced many initiatives of the companies throughout their service in the organization.  They have seen victories and failures which could either be an advantage or disadvantage to the team initiating changes.
 
A Black Belt must learn from the wisdom of the Oslos/Helsinkis but should not let past successes and failures dictate the directions of the Six Sigma team.  A Black Belt must first get the buy in of the Oslo/ Helsinki and then take advantage of the internal connections of this team member.  Assigning critical action items to an engaged Oslo/ Helsinki would almost always yield to a favorable outcome.
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Moscow = Team Members
Moscow became a father figure not only to Denver but also to other characters like Tokyo and Rio.  He was reasonable, voiced the truth, and acted as the conscience of the group.  The team liked Moscow very much because of his caring and gentle attitude.
 


How to Manage a Moscow

Moscows are the typical veteran employees of the company. They are full of wisdom, lovable, and everyone treats them with respect.  A Moscow may not hold a high position in the organization, but colleagues value their opinions.
 
A Black Belt’s first priority in managing Six Sigma projects is to get the buy-in of the Executive Sponsor.  The second is to identify and recruit your Moscows or opinion leaders (Rogers, 1962).  By enlisting and getting the support of a Moscow, a Black Belt could easily get the critical mass he/ she needs to implement the changes.
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Denver = Team Member
Denver to me is a male version of Tokyo.  His father, Moscow, complained in the beginning that his son is not clever enough and cannot spend his life making his own decisions.  He is the hot-headed and emotional person who fell in love with pregnant hostage Monica.
 

How to Manage a Denver

I have only met one Denver as a team member.  He told the team he was forced to join by his Manager and had multiple heated arguments with me and other team members.  My advice is to avoid having a Denver in your team.  Look for other resource persons that could replace a Denver and you’ll save significant hours of work.
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Nairobi = Team Member
Nairobi was the outgoing, street-smart, tough-talking forgery expert that was tasked to oversee the printing of money.  She was disciplined, empathetic, and showed impulsive behaviors by taking the lead from Berlin when things went out of control.
 


How to Manage a Nairobi
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I would always take a Nairobi as a Six Sigma team member.  She is dependable, practical and always deliver great work.  To manage a Nairobi well, a Black Belt should always display confidence, and make sure to show that he/ she is in control of the situation.  If there are conflicts with a Nairobi, a one on one candid conversation is a must to iron-out disagreements.  Otherwise, the Nairobi could slowly undermine the work of the team. 
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Arturo Roman (Arturito) = Executive Sponsor and/ or a Team Member

Arturo was the Director of the Royal Mint of Spain before the great robbery.  He is the most hated and most annoying person on this TV series which made him an interesting character.  He talked too much, and attempted several times to lead a revolt and escape the heist but failed and placed the other hostages in danger.  After the first season, he wrote a book, became famous by portraying himself as a hero.  Despite being an arrogant and self-centered person, Arturo was able to influence the crowd (co-hostages and later his book audiences) and made them act towards a common goal.
 

How to Manage an Arturito

I have seen many variations of Arturito in a Six Sigma team.  Multiple times as Project Sponsors, and often as team members.  Most Arturo are extroverts and master storytellers that charm and move people.  A Black Belt should capitalize on the influence of an Executive Sponsor Arturo by giving him/ her the spotlight to rally team members and process owners toward an objective.  This is very important specially in the Define phase.
 
Be cautious of an Arturito hi-jacking Six Sigma projects.  I have experienced it twice.  One time, an Executive Sponsor Arturito pretended to cooperate in a defect reduction project initiated by the company’s Management Committee.  When he was given control, he re-focused the scope of the project away from his Division.  He wanted outsiders out of his silo.  The second time, another Arturito Project Sponsor refused to sponsor a project I proposed.  A month later, he started an exact project and claimed as his own.
 
A team member Arturito could also undermine a project by agreeing on action items during meetings, but doing different things when back in the field.  This could be managed by the Black Belt by having informal meetings directly with process owners to validate action items being implemented.
 

In your Six Sigma or Project Management experiences, what specific Money Heist Characters have you encountered?  

Please share on the comments section.


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References

Hopewell, J. (2019, September 10). Netflix Launches Its First European Production Hub in Madrid. El Pais.

Koblin, J. (2019, October 21). Netflix's Top 10 Original Movies and TV Shows According to Netflix. The New York times.

Rogers, E. M. (1962). Diffusion of Innovations. Macmillan Company.
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Learning from Failures VS Learning from Successes

8/10/2019

1 Comment

 
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Over exaggerating Learning from failures vs Under valuing Learning from Successes

How often do you hear people say that you should learn from your mistakes? From your parents, boss, mentors, and graduation / commencement speeches, we ofter hear people highlight the value of learning from our failures?

What if we look at it in an upside down perspective?

Jason Fried, founder of Basecamp, wrote on his book "Rework": What do you really learn from your mistakes? You might learn what 'not' to do again, but how valuable is that? - You still do not know what you 'should' do next.

Contrast that with learning from your successes. Success gives you real ammunitions. When something succeeds, you know what have worked, and you can do it again. And next time, you'll probably do it even better (Fried, 2010).

Forbes article by Stephen Meyer concluded with the following quote, "Just as the failures of others teach us more than their successes, our own successes teach us more than our failures".

All this said, there’s no denying that people do learn from their failures. But here’s a thought: Maybe failure is really interesting to explore only after success has been achieved. Looking back on a successful life, or doing a post-mortem on an endeavor that ended well, incremental failures add texture and nuance to a winning story.

But if you’re still not on top of the mountain, maybe it’s best to figure out what you’re really good at, then focus like a laser beam on creating a success you can call your own (Meyer, 2014).

................
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    Rex Jayson Tuozo "The Six Sigma Guy"

    Rex is a Six Sigma Trainer and Consultant, theater performer, Suits & Game of Thrones fan, and the author of the 1st Six Sigma book in the Philippines

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