Six Sigma

Six sigma is an indicator of quality.All the good companies lay a lot of emphasis on quality, because according to many experts on quality, it comes free. You have to pay a price for quality in the short term, but in the long term, it more than pays you back.You avoid the cost of rework or reacquisition of equipment.In quantitative terms, six sigma quality is the probability of having just 3.4 defective parts/ processes in a million processes.Many organisations have achieved this level of quality or are trying to reach there by following strict procedures.While it is relatively easy to acheive quality till about 3-4 sigma by following qualitative techniques, it is not possible to do so as you go higher without objectivity and quantification of performance.The processes that are needed to be followed are as given below:

• Define
• Measure
• Analyse
• Improve
• Control
• Standardise

Are these processes being followed in your organisation?Have you defined the job of your subordinate in quantitative terms. Does she know the performance parameters being measured or is your organisation following fuzzy attributes of judging performance subjectively. Look at your Appraisal report and you will be amazed at the subjectivity in the whole process. You may be loyal in the eyes of one superior because you are ready to do all his bidding at an operational level, but not so to another who expects you to participate in psuedo welfare activities.In the context of my previous organisation, a commanding officer should be hauled over the coals(figuratively speaking) for

• Operational inefficiency( Just effectiveness is not enough)
• someone commits suicide in his unit
• For cases of fragging
• Increasing accidents/ incidents
• Low level of personnel motivation
• Increasing applications for release from service
• Disinterest amongst personnel towards professional courses

There could be negative/positive points for all these and many others that are applicable.Only a quantitative technique of performance measurement and analysis can save an organisation from a slow death.