This may tilt the balance against the Green Belts, but there is an opposing view which states that given the right training and motivation, Green Belts may manage to acquire the right skills and knowledge that are necessary for ensuring the success of Six Sigma implementations.
Both views are equally potent, and it all depends how well an organization goes about converting these views into reality.
But Why Opt For Green Belts In The First Place?
Well, this one is not all that difficult to answer obviously because everyone in the industry knows that Six Sigma professionals such as Black Belts and Master Black Belts charge top dollar for their services.
Hiring the costly services of Black Belts may not be a problem for large businesses, but as far as small businesses are concerned, it certainly becomes a big issue for them. Small businesses do not have deep pockets like their larger counterparts, and this is the main reason these businesses try to improvise.
The thought of replacing Black Belts with Green Belts is the direct result of such improvisations; and considering the fair amount of success achieved in this direction, it wouldn't be wrong to say that if used properly, such improvisations can deliver very good results.
Providing the Right Training to Green Belts
Businesses that are planning to go all Green should first ensure that their Green Belts get the right Six Sigma training. Training should include both theoretical and practical training and should cover all the various topics that are generally a part of Black Belt training.
For best results, Green Belts should be allowed to choose their own area of expertise. This will make it easier for them to learn new concepts and techniques that they might be taught during the training period.
It will also keep them motivated and as a result they will not feel burdened by the additional responsibilities that they might have to shoulder in their new role.
Starting Small
To avoid risking it all on untested Green Belts, what businesses can do is start on a small scale initially. The best option would be to start with Pilot projects having limited liabilities. This way, the core business will remain unaffected even if something goes terribly wrong with the all Green Six Sigma implementation.
If however, the Green implementation turns out to be a success, it will prove to be a turning point for the business. The business can then opt for full scale Green Six Sigma implementations.
So, we can conclude that all Green Six Sigma implementations are certainly possible if the prescribed guidelines are followed. Now it's up to businesses as to how they plan to achieve the same.
Although easily possible, they somehow just fail to accept the thought that if proper training is provided, Green Belts can achieve the same level of success made possible by their more esteemed colleagues, the Black Belts.
Are The Green Belts Doing Well?
The overall progress may be slow, but the good news for Green Belts is that things have certainly started moving in the right direction. Having realized how prejudiced they actually were, some businesses have now started experimenting with this new concept. What's noteworthy is that most of them have been able to achieve their set goals and objectives, even when the implementations were carried out solely by Green Belts.
These businesses, no doubt, had to shell out some extra bucks on training the Green Belts, but that was easily compensated for since the majority of Green Belts were hired from inside the organization and also because these businesses did not have to pay the high pay packages normally demanded by Black Belts.
Factors That Businesses Need To Consider
The concept of utilizing Green Belts for Six Sigma implementations may be gaining prominence, but businesses still need to address caution simply because the risks involved have remained unchanged. If the prescribed guidelines are not followed, there is always the risk that the implementations may go haywire, something that would result in a complete waste of time, effort and money.
To ensure that everything goes as planned, businesses need to create a detailed roadmap of implementation projects. Roles and responsibilities also need to be predefined, so that Green Belts know exactly what is being expected from them. Last but not least, businesses should make the necessary arrangements for the training of Green Belts.
This is necessary because most Green Belts are hired from inside the organization, and it's highly unlikely that they will have the requisite expertise, skills and knowledge as is required for Six Sigma implementations. For best results, training should include both theoretical and practical lessons.
The training should cover all the various concepts and methodologies related to Six Sigma and also the common tools and techniques that are normally utilized during Six Sigma implementations.
Apart from these, businesses should also encourage Green Belts to take on leadership roles and develop problem-solving abilities. These are some of the skills that will allow them to successfully overcome the challenges that they are most likely to encounter during the implementations.
They will thus be in a better position to ensure the success of Six Sigma implementations and in the process, augment their own professional careers.
Tony Jacowski has sinced written about articles on various topics from University, Six Sigma and Information Technology. Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online and certification classes for six sigma pro. Tony Jacowski's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.