Lifelong Learning: Implementing Best Practice in Business
“There is a see-saw effect between quality and speed. We need a framework that improves both at the same time”
In this episode, we hear Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, talk to Dominic Harborne, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Coach, Trainer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Chief Examiner of APMG’s Lean Six Sigma certifications.
Listen in as Dominic talks us through the origins of Six Sigma, how its function has evolved over time, and how both Lean and Six Sigma together form an “exceptionally powerful combination.”Dominic offers an interesting thought experiment that demonstrates the fruitfulness of Lean Six Sigma. He explains that often, we see leaders asking people to work faster when the output is low, which results in more areas of defect and lower quality. On the flip side, when employees place all their attention on curating quality, everything slows down. Thus, a see-saw effect ensues, making it difficult for an organization to acquire a balance between quality and speed. He suggests that this imbalance often results in employee’s “firefighting” workloads, which can lead to burnout. So, we can begin to understand the increasing demand for a Lean approach in order to prevent this common cycle.
Dominic further explains how Lean Six Sigma is a transferrable framework that can be applied outside of manufacturing and has been picked up by a whole variety of industries, but stresses: "you absolutely have to introduce it as a whole approach in an organisation"
Next, Dominic and Richard discuss how and why the UK in particular suffers poor productivity, and how Lean Six Sigma could help in addressing this.
Finally, Dominic reveals where to start if you want to implement a Lean Six Sigma approach in your organization.
Listen in to our leading expert of the week, Dominic Harborne, to learn all about what Lean Six Sigma entails, and the benefits of adopting it within your organization.
