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Six Sigma Black Belts is one of the significant key roles, identified for the successful implementation of Six Sigma as they are highly skilled in the use of the Six Sigma methodologies and tools. They are often referred to as Change Agents.
A Black Belt not just demonstrates team leadership, but also understands team dynamics and assigns roles and responsibilities to the team members. Black Belts are proficient in all aspects of the DMAIC model in accordance with Six Sigma principles. They also understand Lean methodology, therefore identify and eliminate waste elements and activities to make the process efficient.
Responsibilities and Roles: Black Belts are result driven go getters and possess various qualities that enable them to perform their role. Some of those qualities are mentioned below:
- Customer Support: Black Belts know that the customers are always the final judge and understanding customers is the key to product/process improvement.
- Change Agent: Black Belts perform as a change agent and have a knack of changing the organization or the business process by engendering support for the change without upsetting the employees.
- Communication: Black Belts perform various roles viz. trainers, coaches, and mentors for which effective communication is essential. Black Belts should be able to communicate to all audiences (from blue collared employees to white collared executives).
- Project Management: Black Belts are project leaders and knowledge of project management fundamentals is expected of them.
- Business Acumen: Black Belts need to have a broader perspective industries and marketplace. Understanding the big picture in terms of finance, marketing etc generates more beneficial results.
- Technical Aptitude: Although Black Belt may come from a non-engineering or non-statistical background, some amount of computer literacy and analytical skills will make the work easier.
- Interpersonal Skills: As told previously, Black Belts are leaders and therefore they need to know people management skills. Black Belts must possess the ability to lead, work with teams, be part of a team, and understand team dynamics. In order to effectively lead a team, a Black Belt must be likeable, get along with people, have good influencing skills, and motivate others.
- Diverse Work Experience: A diverse work experience enables the Black Belt to address issues in a more holistic manner.
Certification: To become a Black Belt, one has to typically complete four weeks of Six Sigma training, demonstrate expertise of the subject matter through completion of projects and an exam. After finishing their assignment, Black Belts are expected to graduate to more significant business roles or to a Master Black Belt within a period of three to five years.
Certification can be provided by companies or by third party vendors. The level of quality varies drastically and is perhaps inconsistent. Some people get certified by simply taking an online test and absolutely no Six Sigma experience or classroom attendance. On the other hand, there are professionals who have tons of experience, weeks of classroom attendance and exceptional scores.
Thus, being a Black Belt is not just about getting a certificate rather it is the level of perfection attained by an individual in terms of leadership and project management in compliance with the Six Sigma methodologies.
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