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Public Knowledge® (PK) management consultant Stephen Forrest completed his Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. According to the Council for Six Sigma Certification, this accomplishment reflects an understanding of team leadership, team dynamics, and the ability to successfully assign roles and responsibilities amongst team members.
Almost all of the work we do with our clients revolves around processes. Creating them, changing them, improving them—it is a fundamental aspect of working in highly-regulated environments. Improve the process leads to an overall improvement of organizations as a whole.
A Passion for Process Improvement and Quality Management
After visiting the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality after an invitation to speak at the State and E-Enterprise for the Environment by the Environmental Council of the States, Stephen was inspired by its organizational structure.
He saw how the entire department was organized around lean principles. A concern could go from an employee to the director if needed in two hours. Upon seeing this, Stephen wanted to explore the methodology further.
“Lean and Six Sigma concepts fit in so well with what PK does, helping our clients solve tough problems and thrive in complex environments. Both lean and six sigma have a devotion to increasing operational effectiveness, either through reduction of waste or errors.”
Stephen Forrest
When groups are implementing new programs, new systems, or transforming their culture, finding ways to become more effective increases the impact of the changes.
Implementing Six Sigma Practices is Simpler Than You Think
Looking at the initial statistics can be intimidating, according to Stephen. However, at its core, it is incredibly straightforward.
“It’s about figuring out a new way of doing things, doing them, checking to see if you were successful, and then enculturating that change.”
Stephen Forrest
In his experience, he has seen many organizations rush to implement a new computer system or enact a new program when a few small changes would have made a more significant impact. The secret is making the process changes and implementing a new computer system or program to see more effective results.
Dedicated Professional Development Time to Cross the Finish Line
PK prioritizes providing our people with a well-rounded employee experience. One of the ways we do that is by providing PKers with an allocated professional development budget where they can explore their chosen goals. In Stephen’s case, he had completed coursework towards his Six Sigma Black Belt Certification before joining the firm, but the dedicated time allowed him to reach his goal.