5 Myths About Six Sigma

There’s no doubt that Six Sigma is becoming a popular methodology in the business world. This is because it is known for producing great results. Specifically, people are able to improve processes in the organization by creating a seamless value chain that eliminates waste and increases customer satisfaction. All this improves the bottom line for any organization that implements the methodology.

With Six Sigma being talked about now more than ever, there are bound to be a few things said that aren’t quite true. And many of us are inclined to believe these misconceptions and misunderstandings without properly investigating their truth quality. Not to mention that they are so easy to believe.

So the next time you are having a conversation about Six Sigma in your organization or anywhere else, and you hear the five things below mentioned, just know you have heard a myth.

1. Six Sigma only applies to manufacturers

Many people are led to believe that Six Sigma only applies to the manufacturing industry. However, that is just where the methodology was first used by Motorola and General Electric. Even if an organization does not manufacture anything, they can still enjoy the benefits of Six Sigma.

Basically, Six Sigma applies to any organization with repetitive processes. This means Six Sigma tools can be used in almost every industry, such as construction, marketing, hospitality, health, management and marketing.

2. Six Sigma Green Belt certification is useless

If you are an individual seeking to take your career to the next level, you might have heard that organizations don’t value the Six Sigma Green Belt certification anymore. This might make you reluctant to get the certification, but this is a myth. With all the benefits that having a Six Sigma-certified professional on board brings, why would any prospective employer discard it?

The short answer is, they wouldn’t. Six Sigma is a gift to organizations that keeps on giving because of continuous improvement. And having someone with the analytical and problem-solving skills to pull it off is something that prospective employers value immensely.

3. Six Sigma requires a lot of time and money

As with anything in business, it requires resources to conduct. But some people say Six Sigma demands too many resources, timewise and moneywise. While this may be true, it is not true for all scenarios. It all boils down to sensible management of resources to get the most from the methodology.

For example, an organization can save in the long run if improvements are made in small incremental steps. Plus, with the benefits that Six Sigma brings, the return on investment (ROI) for implementing it is far greater than any time and money spent.

4. Six Sigma will result in job cuts

Since Six Sigma improves organizational processes through the elimination of waste, one can easily conclude it means people will get fired. While it is true that the defects of a process can be man-related, eliminating them doesn’t automatically mean firing anyone.

In fact, one can argue that Six Sigma actually allows employees to do their jobs more effectively. If the defect is due to poor skills, employers will more likely provide additional training for workers to make them better at their job. Ultimately, this will increase the value of employees in the eyes of the organization.

5. Six Sigma will just stress employees

This myth is the result of another myth that states organizational culture is difficult to change. Once employees adopt a certain mindset to working, changing that mindset, as Six Sigma demands, can put stress or pressure on the employees.

While it is true that people don’t immediately respond well to change, implementing change can be easy when it is properly managed. By communicating the changes gradually and giving the employees the tools to succeed, change can easily be embraced.

Sadly, misconceptions and misunderstandings spread faster than the truth. Anyone willing to give Six Sigma methodology a shot needs to understand that some things will be said that can tarnish its hard-earned reputation of success. These myths, however persistent, can easily be debunked, as you can see.