09/24/2024
"Only knowledge put to use can create capital.” - Mikel Harry & Richard Schroeder
Successfully managing people can feel like a magic act. You see the results but can’t always pinpoint how it happens. According to Mikel Harry and Richard Schroeder, authors of Six Sigma, the real problems in business often remain hidden because people are reluctant to admit mistakes. Instead of addressing core issues, we sometimes rush to blame individuals, burying the root cause and creating new challenges.
The Six Sigma strategy pushes us to step back and analyze our processes — whether you’re managing 40 employees to run a restaurant, overseeing regional and district managers and 200 insurance sales agents in the Southwest, or managing over 600 people on the floor of a crude oil operation. The key is using employee knowledge to gain a true understanding of what's happening. But here's the challenge: when management has historically blamed the people, it’s hard to get their buy-in for oversight and process improvement.
"Knowledge sitting idle is untapped power—use it to turn potential into results." T.Yu
As a business turnaround professional, I know that finding the truth through data-driven insights and employee feedback is where real progress starts. The cost of doing business isn’t just measured in dollars — it’s in how willing we are to face the truth and act on it.
