Improvement Insights Blog
One and Done
This phrase popped up at the Lean Six Sigma World conference. Here’s what it means: Don’t be a “one-trick pony.”
“Hi, this is Jay Arthur, author of “Lean Six Sigma Demystified” and the QI Macros [software].
“I was down in San Antonio for the Lean Six Sigma World Conference and I heard a phrase that I don’t think I’ve ever heard before. The phrase was, “One and done.” “One and done.”
“Now, it turns out what they were talking about was people were getting their Green Belt training and guess what? They do one project and then they’re done. They got their certificate… you know, they’re certified, and that gives them a little bit better job, but then they don’t go on to do any more projects.
“Now truthfully, I hate to tell you this, but if you’re only going to do a “one and done,” save that seat for somebody else, right? If you’re not going to use this forever to improve things throughout your career, then I think it’s a waste of time for you to go learn it. So that was what I heard this week: “One and done.”
“So let’s be unlike that, and let’s go out and improve something this week. “
