I always get this question from my Six Sigma students: "What is the most important quality of a Six Sigma professional?"
Some say its the Six Sigma technical skills
On one of my first few posts on this blog, I shared one meeting with a Quality Director of a US Health Care company that recently set-up a shared services company in Taguig. Our meeting went from a casual dinner to the Director asking me to apply and work for him. He was like my Advanced Statistic PHD professor who quizzed my knowledge about advanced statistical tools. I was not surprised since he was an Engineering graduate and spent most of his career in a manufacturing company doing Design of Experiments as part of their Research and Development (R&D). The problem is, Six Sigma projects in the service industry (which includes Banks, Insurance, BPO, Call Centers, etc.) rarely needs advanced statistical tools like DOE.
Others say its the leadership skills, facilitation skills, presentation skills, level of support from the management team, and the list goes on and on.
For me, everything is important. A Six Sigma Black Belt should have a working knowledge in Six Sigma tools-methodologies and minimum level of the mentioned skills. But to pick one most important quality, its TENACITY.
Without it, skills and knowledge will lead you nowhere. Around 95% of the hundreds of six sigma projects I have led and coached, at least one point in time on the project duration, the project team and I thought we hit a dead end. Persistent determination, or tenacity would drive your team to success and hit your goal. Just like what you see on the illustration above, your plan is very different from the Universe's plans for you and your project team.
Tenacity is the lifeblood of a Six Sigma professional.
Some say its the Six Sigma technical skills
On one of my first few posts on this blog, I shared one meeting with a Quality Director of a US Health Care company that recently set-up a shared services company in Taguig. Our meeting went from a casual dinner to the Director asking me to apply and work for him. He was like my Advanced Statistic PHD professor who quizzed my knowledge about advanced statistical tools. I was not surprised since he was an Engineering graduate and spent most of his career in a manufacturing company doing Design of Experiments as part of their Research and Development (R&D). The problem is, Six Sigma projects in the service industry (which includes Banks, Insurance, BPO, Call Centers, etc.) rarely needs advanced statistical tools like DOE.
Others say its the leadership skills, facilitation skills, presentation skills, level of support from the management team, and the list goes on and on.
For me, everything is important. A Six Sigma Black Belt should have a working knowledge in Six Sigma tools-methodologies and minimum level of the mentioned skills. But to pick one most important quality, its TENACITY.
Without it, skills and knowledge will lead you nowhere. Around 95% of the hundreds of six sigma projects I have led and coached, at least one point in time on the project duration, the project team and I thought we hit a dead end. Persistent determination, or tenacity would drive your team to success and hit your goal. Just like what you see on the illustration above, your plan is very different from the Universe's plans for you and your project team.
Tenacity is the lifeblood of a Six Sigma professional.
