Which has served you more, Lean or Six-Sigma?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:53:54 -0400

Haven't heard many talk about this at the lower levels. I know it's in our military. I am Interested to hear people's thoughts.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 4:44 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:44:32 -0400

Back in my day it was ISO-9000 (is that still a thing anyone cares about?) Tangentially, there was also something called Value Star (to really date myself).

What I'm getting at is over my years I was attracted by various certifications and qualifications to add to my resume. There was CMA, CPA, CFA, CFP, CIMP, and it goes on and on and on. All of those are just finance and accounting related. I only carry CFA.

I did a graduate paper on ISO-9000, and at the end of it I discovered it was a self perpetuating credential. Success in ISO was basically an end user determined benchmark and the success of compliance was merely staying within that benchmark (which the user determined). Yes, read of it what you may.

So............ a few decades later........... I've come to the conclusion there are some certifications and credentials that will ALWAYS be worth more in the job market.

They are EASY to figure out.

Which credentials do regulators and licensing agencies us as a process of their regulatory authority to issue to the holder of said credentials the means to do business in any specific vocation? Otherwise, said credentials or certificate value goes no further than the inner circle it serves, but if you have something that allows you to put yourself in the economy as an expert in the field only granted by regulatory agencies then you have something.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 6:28 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 18:28:46 -0400

In my civilian career, Ive regularly used LSS.

Response by CSM William Everroad made Nov 4 at 2022 11:19 AM

CSM William Everroad — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:19:04 -0400

I have pulled a lot of both. Most of the tools you get are incorporated into everything you do unconsciously as a matter of efficiency improvement.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2022 11:45 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:45:04 -0400

My thought is if the training will benefit you extrinsically by improving your marketability, go for it. As for me, LSS offers zero value in my current military and upcoming civilian career path. Best of luck to you!

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Nov 6 at 2022 2:24 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 02:24:14 -0500

My systems post grad, experience, and military viewpoint is sure to torque the Brass off. LSS had merit as it pushed the process people to focus on minimum inputs, hence eliminate waste in all forms. Then it was pushed outside the valid process limits it was designed for and used for things it wasn't designed for. Then it got weaponized internally and then politicized. Having been in from 'Nam to Sandbox, the services institutionalized the Whiz Kids mentality into an onerous system that removed the trigger puller further away from anyone that might care. Then the topic infiltrated promotion boards (sat many early '2000s) and almost set up a two class system of have and have nots. The general drift is people started using LSS and other process notions as a substitute for leadership, and the rest is history. Not like I have formed an opinion over 42 years dealing with the thing of the moment. Pro tip: "A Man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry.