Congratulations on earning your Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (LSSYB)! The skills that you learned during this course should be used in many areas of your life! But now what?! If you are being honest, you likely have a new skill set that you aren’t comfortable using… So how do you demonstrate your value as a Yellow Belt?
The first thing to understand is what does it mean to be a LSSYB? First and foremost, it means that you have been trained to think in terms of y=(f)x, or in English, outputs = inputs. My dad used to say that “garbage in equals garbage out.” The second implication of earning a Yellow Belt is that you understand the eight forms of waste, commonly called TIMWOODS – transportation, inventory, motion, waiting, overprocessing, overproduction, defects, and skills – and that you actively point them out! As a Yellow Belt, you should take every opportunity to use this language to standardize the errors you see in your workplace. The third implication is that you are expected to conduct root cause analysis in the form of cause-and-effect diagrams and 5 Why’s. Similar to y=(f)x, you seek the root cause, not the effects that are being felt.
Back to the language of Lean Six Sigma. In our current culture of words having very little meaning, it’s critical that we help to standardize verbiage to ensure everyone is moving in the same direction. Let’s prevent people equivocating on definitions, but instead ruthlessly encourage people to identify and attack TIMWOODS.
Now, what tools should you use as a Yellow Belt? As a LSSYB, you must be capable of using the various forms of process mapping, cause-and-effect diagrams, is and is not matrices, 5 Why’s, and data collection forms. We’ll talk more about LSSYB tools in future articles. You should also understand how to implement 5S (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) strategies in your local area and encourage others to do the same.
Finally, you should be the advocate for process improvement in your local area. Maybe you lack the authority to fix large scale problems, but you certainly have the authority to reflect on your actions and your workspace – leaders will notice. Don’t succumb to the “I’m only a Yellow Belt” victim mindset. The skills learned during a LSSYB course provides plenty of opportunity to succeed in various roles. Yes, the Green and Black Courses will further develop your ability to analyze and manage, but the Yellow Belt level sets most people apart from their peers. In one of my Yellow Belt courses, one of the learners was a lady that had been doing Six Sigma projects for over 20 years, but never took the time to be formally certified!
Now that you have this skill set, find ways to use it! Start by simply mapping and analyzing the processes you do (your managers may even award you). When you make a mistake or see a mistake, do a root cause analysis to understand what happened. Start looking for TIMWOODS. Basically, find ways to use and practice your new abilities!
What are your expectations for Yellow Belts? What about for yourself? What do you think is the most important part of being a Yellow Belt? Let us know and leave a comment below!
Prepare to Flourish!
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