Like all other project deployments, a system must be in place for it to work. Part of this system is what management groups call job description. Organizational roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined and aligned.
Same is true with a Six Sigma project, which should have a strong and clear support structure. The relationship between Master Black Belts, and Green Belts clear because of the intuitive nature of the titles. The structure is completed with the Champions on board.
In the Six Sigma parlance, what the Champions do is to remove roadblocks. “Champions need to be in a position to defuse any issues that may arise between a Black Belt and another person in the organization, particularly if the issue is with someone with a higher formal position in the company. The Champion should be the buffer that keeps a Black Belt out of a head-to-head confrontation with Managers, Vice Presidents and Directors in the company, allowing Black Belts the freedom to focus on the problem, not engage in some inane territorial dispute. This is the most fundamental function of the Champion.”
One critical characteristic for successful Six Sigma Champions is that they are some hybrid of Henry Kissinger and Xena, the Warrior Princess. It may actually be easier to find the mutant offspring of these two leaders than it is to find the complete Champion. Being the complete Champion requires more than diplomatic and warrior skill sets.
Champions must be proficient in four other areas:
1. Business and operations interface
2. Project selection
3. Pace mediation
4. Results implementation
Obviously, Champions have a much larger role in deploying Six Sigma or any other initiative than just removing roadblocks. The job requires more than just this single task. Champions must be integrated into the business, select projects accurately, adjust the speed of the deployment as necessary, and take responsibility for implementation.
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