Chapter 3: What to Do at the First Six Sigma Project Team Meeting

Reality Check

Over lunch one day, we were listening to a friend complain that he had been asked to be part of a Six Sigma team, and that he’d had to reschedule work in order to attend the project kickoff meeting the following week. The banter was lighthearted, but it became clear that he resented being asked to take on additional work when he already had more than enough to do.

When we asked for details about the project, and why the Black Belt who was leading the team might want him to join, we learned that he didn’t have any of this information. Nor did he know what kind of time commitment was involved... though he felt sure that it would be a huge inconvenience. Our suggestion, “Why don’t you speak to the Black Belt and get more information?” doesn’t seem like rocket science, but it honestly hadn’t occurred to our friend.

The next day our friend was able to track down the Black Belt and discuss the project. He learned from the draft team charter that the team would be working on problems with the customer invoicing process.

As it turned out, our friend had an interest in ensuring that this process worked well. He supervised a group that deals directly with customer complaints ... many of which involve invoice problems. Further, he had previously worked in the accounts receivable department in a company that had a nearly flawless invoicing process.

As he talked with the Black Belt, it became clear to our friend that he could play a dual role on the team: as a representative of the Voice of the Customer and as a source of ideas on invoicing best practices. He and the Black Belt also negotiated the amount of time our friend would need to commit to the team. Our friend went to his boss with a good case for off-loading some of his work. He joined the team and was able to make a significant contribution to the project’s success.

If our friend had used the Team Member Checklist: What to Do Before the First Six Sigma Project Team Meeting, he wouldn’t have waited passively for his involvement to be made clear. He would have approached the team leader to find out what was expected of him so he could carve out a role that made sense.