Making Six Sigma Last

Making Six Sigma Last
Managing the Balance Between Cultural and Technical Change

By George Eckes

John Wiley and Sons
May 2001
236 Pages

REVIEWS

Starting is Much Easier Than Staying the Course: Here's How

There are several outstanding books on the general subject of Six Sigma and Eckes has written two of the best. Previously in The Six Sigma Revolution, he examined major corporations such as Motorola and GE in which Six Sigma programs really did create revolutions which continue as I compose this review. These are properly acclaimed successes. Of course, little (if any) attention has as yet been devoted to those organizations which initiated and then later abandoned Six Sigma programs. The reasons for doing so vary, of course, but most can be classified within two categories of resistance to change: cultural and technical. As O'Toole brilliantly explains in Leading Change, it is a formidable task to overcome what he characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." In this volume, Eckes suggests all manner of strategies and tactics by which to overcome resistance and then sustain Six Sigma programs, once launched. Correctly, he stresses the importance to an organization of achieving a "balance" between its culture and its technology. Moreover, at a time when change is (literally) the only constant and occurring at an ever-increasing velocity, its is also a formidable challenge to maintain the proper balance of the two. For many years, I believed that most people fear change. I no longer believe that. Rather, I have become convinced that most people fear the unfamiliar. Hence the importance of constant and effective communication between and among everyone involved. Eckes suggests that this book will show his reader how to "Create the need for Six Sigma" but, in fact, the need probably exists already so there is a need to help everyone recognize that need and appreciate the importance of responding to it. Therefore, Eckes also shows his reader how to "Shape a vision of Six Sigma so that employees understand the desired results and new behaviors of a Six Sigma organization." Also, he shows the reader how to "Mobilize commitment to Six Sigma and overcome resistance" which is inevitable. Only then can any organization change its systems and structures "to support the new Six Sigma culture." Next: "Measure Six Sigma cultural acceptance" and "Develop Six Sigma leadership." All of these components are absolutely essential, difficult to integrate, and even more difficult to sustain in appropriate balance. In this volume, Eckes explains how and he does so with precision and eloquence. In recent years, I have become more involved in Six Sigma or process improvement programs which vary somewhat in terms of their design and scope but all of which encountered several of the "pitfalls" which Eckes discusses in Chapter 8:

Feeling obligated to achieve quick success

Clogging up agendas with competing distractions

Having unrealistic time frames

Ignoring previous quality efforts

Conducting poor Six Sigma cultural planning and follow-through

Delegating (i.e. dumping) cultural development or seeing it as a one-time event

Not having appropriate cultural goals or objectives

Not allowing for unexpected interruptions

Allowing false or cosmetic positive readings to suggest authentic cultural transformation has been achieved

Underestimating resource allocation

Of course, whether or not involved with Six Sigma initiatives, any organization can experience some or even all of these "pitfalls." In this book, Eckes offers sound, street-smart advice on how to avoid them. Time and again, he places great emphasis on the importance of cultural values by which everyone involved in a Six Sigma can be guided and, when under duress, sustained. Herb Kelleher has this in mind whenever he explains what Southwest Airlines competitive advantage is: "Maintaining excellent customer service involves a process of getting people to understand the importance of it to them in their daily lives as well as in others'. We were a little concerned as we go bigger that maybe some of our early culture might be lost so we set up a culture committee whose only purpose is to keep the Southwest Airlines culture alive. Before people knew how to make fire, there was a fire watcher. Cave dwellers may have found a tree hit by lightning and brought fire back to the cave. Somebody had to make sure it kept going because if it went out, there would be serious problems. That cave dweller was the most important person in the tribe. I said to our culture committee, 'You are our fire watchers, who make sure the fire does not go out. I think you are the most important committee at Southwest Airlines.' I really do believe that to be the case." This is precisely what Eckes means by "culture" in this book. For everyone in any organization already embarked on a Six Sigma program or now considering one, this is a "must read."

Robert Morris
Dallas, Texas
December 5, 2001

Highly Recommended!
No one knows Six Sigma, which seeks near perfect customer satisfaction, like George Eckes, the consultant who literally wrote the book on it (The Six Sigma Revolution: How General Electric and Others Turned Process into Profits). In his second book, Eckes emphasizes the importance of molding organizational culture to generate broad acceptance of a Six Sigma initiative, using illustrative examples from his workshops. He describes ways to overcome internal resistance to change, to sell the program's benefits and to get key people as well as the masses on board. If you are launching a Six Sigma program, Eckes provides many specific suggestions of strategies you can employ. But because much of Eckes' wisdom can be applied more generally to organizational change efforts, we at getAbstract.com recommend this insightful book to any executive, whether or not Six Sigma is your strategy of choice.
Rolf Dobelli
Switzerland
August 7, 2001

Best people-oriented book for Six Sigma practitioners

Ken Pipke
June 9, 2001

If you like the psychology of business, read this book

What I enjoyed most about this book was the applied "psychology of business" in other words, how to get people (organizations)to do what you want them to do and like it!

The book gives you answers to the "what if" questions that anyone trying to succeed in changing their corporate culture has. The examples and the personal tone of the book make it a fast, informative and easy read.

A Reader
Long Beach, CA
June 12, 2001

BESTSELLER LIST APPEARANCES

Of the 40 books on Six Sigma it has consistently been on the top 10 Best-Sellers list since its May 1, 2001 publish date

Fatbrain.com featured book-July 2001

13th Best-Selling business book in the U.K.-August 2001

6th Best-Selling book on organizational change of the 411 tracked by Amazon.com

4th Best-Selling book (out of 474) of those tracked by Bestbookdeal.com

One of 35 management books recommended by Process Associates of America (2001)

Business choice book on Business and Information Technology Bookbuzz

5 Star (out of 5) rating on Amazon.com

4th most popular match (out of 863) for books on "Corporate Culture" on Amazon.com

Completebook.com featured book of the month

21st Management Best-Seller tracked by International Association for Management Technology (IAMOT)