Improvement Insights Blog
Create a Safe Space for Lean Six Sigma
Some people lord their knowledge of Six Sigma and statistics over those who don’t have their depth of knowledge and that’s bad for the planet. Here’s why:
“Hi, I’m Jay Arthur, author of “Lean Six Sigma For Hospitals” and QI Macros [software].
“One of the things I see out there in the world is people want to lord their knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma and statistics and whatever over those people who were unwashed and uneducated. That’s bad, right?
“We want to be an invitation; we want to get everybody doing it, right? Those people that do that, I call them ‘Stat Bastards’ because… what are they doing? They’re trying to show that they have something special. Guess what? Yes, you do, but just share it, you know? Don’t be arrogant about that.
“Let’s bring everybody along. Let’s help people, right? People are afraid of math, statistics and stuff, right? They’re afraid of technology, they’re afraid of whatever.. but if we run them off by making them feel stupid, that’s bad.
“I think there is more than enough room for all the Improvement Agents on this planet. Not everybody is going to be a statistician, but if Joe or Susie can use a control chart, a Pareto chart and a fishbone diagram to make improvements and they have a high school education, I think that’s fantastic. I want to help everybody.
“So that’s my Improvement Insight for this week: Don’t be a Stat Bastard. Start educating, start training, start bringing on your padawan apprentice to learn how to use the force of quality. Let’s go out and improve something this week.”
