What about Coaching and « Lean Six Sigma?

This article is a short summary of research done for HEC Business School concerning the coaching approach and the added value it could bring to Lean Six Sigma, and more precisely, to the Lean Six Sigma project manager.

We will not redefine the well-known Lean Six Sigma methodology which focuses on process efficiency, stability and capability.

The focus of the Lean Six Sigma approach is the process, and its main goal is design or optimization. The point of this article is to share how a project coach could help the Lean Six Sigma project manager, take part in the same DMAIC* “journey” and, be a “kind of mirror”, asking powerful questions during the main stages of a project. This would be, in order to help the project manager find answers and solutions throughout the project.

A geography of « DMAIC »: a journey in Lean Six Sigma Land

In the foreground of the picture, there is the "frame," the backbone of the optimization project, the five steps of the "DMAIC", which gives formality and rhythm to the method. As structuring elements, they provide guidance to the project leader and call for orderly implementation, one step after the other. In my experience as a project manager, I found this approach "structured and reassuring," leaving, at least in appearance, little room for improvisation. Each stage provides a set of tools which, depending on various situations, can be utilized by the project manager at the most appropriate time.

I propose an illustration of what I think could be a journey through the “DMAIC:” its milestones, key challenges and the related issues, in sync with the skill of coaching.

“Define” is for me the "Land of Discoveries", with the idea of a fresh, curious, without any pre-conceived ideas approach and in the spirit of discovering a new culture. The Lean Six Sigma project manager opens up his/her eyes on the problem, shares it with all, formalizes it, expresses intentions and objectives, ensures the understanding by all concerned. This part of the journey, as in any project, questions the legitimacy, accountability and commitment of the project manager. This is what seals the "pact" with the sponsor and the other stakeholders.

Now it is time to go through the "Land of challenges:” Measure. It is a difficult land, as it requires facing the complexity of the "real process" and the underlying data. The risk of “drowning" threatens the Lean Six Sigma project manager, who could be quickly overwhelmed by the huge quantity of data, thus losing the initial understanding of the process. This is, at this level, an important stake, consisting of understanding and describing the good, exhaustive, accurate current process “reference”. Hence, all further improvements and optimizations will be compared to this reference. At the edge of this land, the project manager must have the "keys" to the existing process, that is to say knowledge of its operation and performance.

Next, the project manager enters into the "Land of mysteries", - “Analyze” – to embark on a quest for finding and identifying causes inherent to the process dysfunctions. This is an arduous task, including exhaustive questioning for the project manager: "Have I identified the right causes?" "Am I on track?" Curiosity is required and “mechanics” are not enough: you have to question, analyze, and connect the “soft as well as the hard”, e.g. the human factor...

These causes and their analysis are the gateway to another land, the "Land of Diversity" - “Improve” - which is the quest for effective solutions. This is a mandatory period of the journey, which can be long and tedious, ending at times in deadlock. During the experiment, the factors identified for improvement can be numerous; their combination very difficult to organize and to test.

Finally, the journey ends with the crossing into the "Land of Eternity", - “Control” - which raises equally-great challenges. It is the role of the project manager to ensure the sustainability of the proposed improvements by successfully handing over the improved process to the process “owner”.

Coaching and Lean Six Sigma: Perspectives

In terms of journey, I propose to imagine what the journey of the coach, traveling and crossing over all these lands, side by side with the project manager could be. Thus, making the connection to the lands described above, putting myself in the shoes of the coach. I try, at the same time, to imagine this journey as a coach. Should that coach be the “mirror” in terms of encountered issues, questions and the stakes raised by the project manager.

If so, this coaching may take the form of a question-based approach defined around the major steps and challenges of the optimization project and based on the main phases of the "DMAIC."

Below is a first framework of questions, elements and themes to be considered. These questions are built around the major phases of “DMAIC” with the goal being to support the Lean Six Sigma project manager and provide clarity during times of doubt, and awareness when faced with difficulties.

« Define », (Land of discoveries, « discovering »)

Coach acting as the mirror for the emotions:
- How do you view this moment? What are you feeling?

Coach acting as the mirror for meaning:
- What meaning do you give to this first stage of the journey?
- What is your vision of the project you are in charge of?

Coach acting as the mirror for the vision:
- What is your vision of the main success criteria for the project?

Coach acting as the mirror for implication:
- What are you responsible for today?

Coach mirror of attitude:
- What are your attitudes, your behaviors?

Coach acting as the collective mirror:
- Who is on this journey with you? What are the needs of each one of you?
- What is the vision of the project’s stakeholders?

Coach acting as the mirror for doubts and difficulties:
- What are your doubts and difficulties at this stage? Meaning? Confidence? Management? Legitimacy? Vision?

Coach acting as the ending mirror:
- How do you feel and perceive this first stage of the journey? What vision do you have of the “what to do” and of the “why change?” What vision do the other stakeholders have?

« Measure », (Land of challenges, « facing »)

Coach acting as the mirror for emotions:
- How was the previous stage of your journey? How do you view this moment? What are you feeling?

Coach acting as the mirror for implication:
- How are you approaching this new stage?

Coach acting as the mirror for vision:
- What is your understanding of the current situation, of how well the current processes are working?

Coach acting as the mirror for attitude:
- What is your attitude, your behaviors?

Coach acting as the collective mirror:
- What vision of the current situation do the other stakeholders have, in particular of the process pilot?
- At this stage of the project and journey, what forms of inter-actions have you observed among the various stakeholders?
- What communication do you envisage around the determined process reference?

Coach acting as the mirror for doubts and difficulties
- What are your doubts, your difficulties at this stage?

Coach acting as the as ending mirror:
- How do you feel and perceive this second stage of the journey? What did you realize? What understanding do you have of the current process, of “your reference”?

« Analyze », (Land of mysteries, « Understanding »)

Coach acting as the mirror for emotions:
- How was your previous journey stage? How do you view this moment? What are you feeling?

Coach acting as the mirror for implication:
- How are you approaching this new stage?

Coach acting as the mirror for attitude:
- What are your attitudes, your behaviors?

Coach acting as the collective mirror:
- How were the various stakeholders involved?
- At this stage of the project and journey, what forms of inter-actions have you observed among the various stakeholders?

Coach acting as the mirror for doubts and difficulties
- What are your doubts, your difficulties at this stage?

Coach acting as the ending mirror:
- How do you feel and perceive this third stage of the journey? What did you realize? What is your understanding about the “what to change?” What is your understanding about the current process dysfunctions?

« Improve », (Land of diversity, « choosing efficiently »)

Coach acting as the mirror for emotions:
- How was your previous journey stage? How do you view this moment? What are you feeling?

Coach acting as the mirror for implication:
- How do you approach this new stage?

Coach acting as the mirror for attitude:
- What are your attitudes, your behaviors?

Coach acting as the collective mirror:
- How do you view change? How do you anticipate the “how to change?”
- At this stage of the project and journey, what kind of inter-actions have you observed among the various stakeholders?
- How were the various stakeholders involved in solutions decision-making? How do you envisage their reaction with regards to the upcoming changes in terms of potential constraints but also opportunities? How did you prepare yourself for that?

Coach mirror of doubts and difficulties
- What are your doubts, your difficulties at this stage? Coach as ending mirror:
- How do you feel and perceive this fourth stage of the journey? What did you realize? What is your understanding of the “how to change?” What is your understanding of the solutions to be used and their relevance? How involved were the various process stakeholders? How will they react to the implementation of the solutions?

« Control », (Land of eternity, « lasting »)

Coach acting as the mirror for emotions:
- How was your previous journey stage? How do you view this moment? What are you feeling close to the end of the journey?

Coach acting as the mirror for implication:
- How do you approach this new stage?
- How do envisage the next step, once the project is finished?

Coach acting as the mirror for attitude:
- What are your attitudes, your behaviors?

Coach acting as the collective mirror:
- How do you envisage the “how to change” and its implementation?
- How do you envisage the transition phase with the process pilot?
- At this stage, what understanding do you have of the acceptation of the process changes by the different stakeholders?

Coach acting as the mirror for doubts and difficulties
- What are your doubts, your difficulties at this stage

Coach acting as the ending mirror:
- How do you feel and perceive the end of this last stage of the journey? What did you realize? What is your vision of the general meaning? What did it change for you? What lessons did you identify for you?

A clear sighted Lean Six Sigma project manager: benefits of an individual coaching approach

I believe coaching is an efficient way of providing help, a kind of “ear” or “mirror”, for any Lean Six Sigma project manager. It also helps to open up new horizons. It offers a different way, through questioning, to understand complexity at every stage of the journey: challenges, responsibility, commitment, legitimacy, meaning, ways, data, relationships with others and many other questions the project manager will encounter.

Coaches can shed light on Issues, questions and various areas for the project manager to help them be more "clear sighted". Hence, in daily life and during all the situations encountered the expression of feelings and emotions in relation to the method and the data. The coach can help the project manager rediscover each dimension and every nuance of what is really happening. This approach to coaching may be new and different, but I think it can be a very useful addition to the Lean Six Sigma project manager by helping them grow and by extension, develop the capabilities of its team members. More generally, it is contributing to the project's success: "cold method," "warm relationship," "operational excellence” and “emotional excellence" are inseparable components.

* Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma#DMAIC

© 2011 allPM.com

Jean-Roch Houllier (PMP, MGP, SSCBB) is a Program Line Manager (PLM), consultant and trainer working for Thales University (Thales Group), who benefits from more than 15 years of project management experience in multicultural environments. His expertise covers various types of projects including research and development, operations and maintenance as well as subcontracting. Jean-Roch is passionate about teaching and professional learning, he likes to share his experiences and encourage his students.

Artykuł opublikowany dzięki uprzejmości International Institute for Learning, Inc.

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What about Coaching and « Lean Six Sigma?