Why are Six Sigma Black Belts Good Leaders?
Finding innovative ways to grow your business. Adopting a participative management style that promotes collaboration, autonomy, and accountability. Continuously improving processes and solving problems in a fast-changing environment. Ensuring your company’s financial health. These are all skills that a good manager must possess.
To develop these skills, LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt certification is just what you need. Let’s see why.
Black belts take a systemic and holistic approach.
In the course of their training, managers will develop their systems thinking. That is, they gain a macro and micro understanding of all the processes, interactions, and interdependencies in the organization where they work.
They will also adopt a holistic approach, letting them focus on the big picture rather than individual systems.
It is thanks to this global vision that they will not only be able to improve performance within their organization, but also ensure that the changes they make will be sustainable and beneficial in the long term.
Six Sigma black belts can steer large-scale, complex projects.
After earning first their Six Sigma green belt, then their black belt, these managers become true leaders in continuous improvement. They have comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of the company’s history, culture, processes, systems, products, and services, as well as its target markets. They also master LEAN Six Sigma tools and techniques.
Thanks to their skills in continuous improvement and the systemic, holistic approach they learn, Six Sigma black belt managers can successfully lead large-scale continuous improvement projects.
Six Sigma black belts develop strategic thinking.
During their training, aspiring leaders hone their ability to analyze complex data, identify the root causes of a problem, and develop solutions that take into account process efficiency, product or service quality, and company profitability.
As they have developed their strategic thinking, they are able to align improvement projects with the company’s overall objectives. What’s more, they are the ideal facilitators and contributors when it comes to developing the organization’s strategic planning.
Six Sigma black belts act as leaders in the implementation of a continuous improvement culture.
Continuous improvement becomes part of these managers’ DNA. They are constantly looking for ways to optimize performance and reduce waste.
Good managers always look far, far ahead. They know where they want to take the company in terms of continuous improvement, in addition to knowing how to motivate management and employees to move in this direction.
Six Sigma black belts focus on the customer AND their colleagues.
Six Sigma black belt managers are undeniably both result- and customer-oriented. They advise other managers and help them achieve the objectives and targets set out in the strategic plan.
Resolutely focused on employee well-being, they do everything in their power to offer an enriching experience to everyone involved in a continuous improvement project. By listening to their needs and concerns, they ensure that their partners become ambassadors of change for the next project.
In fact, LEAN Six Sigma black belts wear many hats: business leaders, continuous improvement leaders, and coaches to managers and employees. Seeing the people around them grow and develop is a great source of motivation and satisfaction. They trust others, and others trust them. If your company has such a manager, they are an invaluable resource.
At Bernard Gagnon Group, we’re delighted to train managers to become black belts and help them develop, among other things, the distinctive qualities of a black belt manager: the ability to anticipate, adapt, and be resilient.
