Organizations of every size, in almost every industry, are beginning to focus on how they can become better at applying Continuous Improvement methodologies. Why? Because organizations have the potential for incredible value and savings, employees have the chance to improve and optimize their environment and their customers ultimately reap the benefits of a more efficient and effective company. The journey of Continuous Improvement is one well worth taking, but is far more effective when it is headed by a Lean Six Sigma Champion.
Who is a Lean Six Sigma Champion? Typically, there are 3 types of people who fall into the category of a Champion; those who are or will become a Champion of a company-wide Continuous Improvement program or deployment, those who have been designated as a Sponsor of a Lean Six Sigma project, and company leaders who want to learn more about the management side of Lean Six Sigma. Regardless of how you have come to the Lean Six Sigma Champion arena, there is value in ensuring you are adequately equipped to handle the role, and Acuity Institute has recently released a new course that is targeted towards the needs of a Champion.
A well-trained Champion can add tremendous value to any Continuous Improvement program. They are responsible for choosing the leaders who will be running the projects and unlike other job functions that may be based on seniority or titles, Lean Six Sigma Black Belts and Green Belts are roles that can make or break a project’s success. Choosing the right leaders is essential and having a methodical approach to this makes evaluating those candidates clear. Once you identify the candidates, a proficient Champion is also able to sift through a pool of potential projects and identify and select the best Lean Six Sigma projects.
A Lean Six Sigma Champion is also responsible for the high-level management of their Continuous Improvement program’s change and leadership commitment. Part of a Champion’s role is also knowing how to manage project tollgate reviews and what questions need to be asked. As the Champion of the program, your project leaders are looking to you for guidance and a good Lean Six Sigma Champion will require adequate training to ensure they are well equipped to support their leaders.
A Lean Six Sigma Champion is not the person leading projects, rather they are the advocate, supporter and sponsor that Project Leaders rely on for guidance. A Champion sets the tone of how to build the foundational skills needed to support a deployment and once the Continuous Improvement program is underway, they become the helm of the ship, steering and guiding the organization through their improvement journey. Because this is such a vital role in the success of a Continuous Improvement program, ensuring your Champions are adequately prepared will make all the difference in the success of the deployment. Acuity Institute’s Lean Six Sigma Champion course can help ensure you are ready to become a Lean Champion. Take a few moments to view our demo and see how this course can help you become a Lean Six Sigma Champion.
