1. Develop a strong rationale. Leaders should be able to put forth reasons and intentions for the system. It has to be specific to the organization.
2. Plan and actively participate in implementation. Leaders should be there to see the project through for they will need to sell and defend it. Also, they need to be able to change the plan as the need arises. They are in the best position to balance all the priorities and challenges of the business with the Six Sigma process.
3. Create a vision and a “marketing plan.” Six Sigma initiatives will surely bring about changes. Changes are often treated with fear or uncertainty. If changes are however positioned or marketed properly, the “fear energy” will turn into a positive force. As soon as you have the rationale and the implementation strategy handy, your marketing plan should have these two elements. [a. The Theme or Vision – a name for your effort, a concise vision statement that will provide the guideposts. Some themes go: Completely Satisfying Customer Needs (GE), Creating a Culture of Continuous Renewal (Allied Signal/Honeywell), or in a service company, Measuring What the Customer Cares About.
   b. The Marketing Plan - the parameters. Your promotion of Six Sigma should fit your implementation. Who are your key audiences—internal and external? How do you best introduce your plans to ensure a positive reaction? It should include key terms and phrases such as “launch, “expansion,” and “ongoing support.”]
4. Become powerful advocates. Constantly push Six Sigma as both a vehicle for profits and a new but integral approach to running the business. The excitement and passion of your leadership will rub on the people, thereby pushing a big boost to your Six Sigma effort.
5. Set clear objectives. Specific objectives make the drive easier to do. They must be tailored-fit to your organization and they should be understandable, challenging, meaningful, and not impossible.
6. Hold yourselves and others accountable. Accountability starts with the leaders. This accountability will in turn fuel alignment of goals.
7. Demand solid measures of results. Involve financial experts who will quantify potential gains upfront and validate their achievement. As a result, this will help ensure that the results are real and that ensure the organization will stick with the system. Direct bottom-line impacts can be measured through the following metrics: DPMO, cycle-time improvement, and lower costs.
8. Communicate results—and setbacks. Make known the achievements both—good and bad—while doing the Six Sigma initiative. Issuing balanced updates is the best, most effective form of communication.

COMMENTARY

Without doubt, no other factor has so much influence on the success or failure of Six Sigma than the top management factor. For Six Sigma to succeed there must be a strong commitment from the leaders of the organization.

Commitment, in its real sense, means active and visible involvement of business leaders, from creating the vision and setting directions and goals to actively participating in project implementation. Unfortunately, in actual practice, many executives think that by simply proclaiming, “I support Six Sigma” is enough proof of his commitment. Such “lip service” will not hold. Nor delegating it to next-in-line leaders would do. GE would not have been very successful in their Six Sigma efforts had their CEO, Jack Welch, not been there to “walk the talk.” In short, top management should champion the efforts themselves.

It has often been emphasized that TQM and other quality management systems before it failed because of weak management support and commitment. The same could also happen to Six Sigma.

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