Solution Manual for Lean Six Sigma By Donna C. Summers

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Chapter 2 Questions

2.1 What is an organizational culture? What cultural aspects would you expect to

see in a Lean Six Sigma organization?

People who share the same culture share the same beliefs and values.

These beliefs and values provide members of the culture with rules of

behavior or accepted norms for conducting business. In a Lean Six Sigma

organization, the culture should reflect a focus on creating value for

customers. People should also be interested in seeking out and removing

sources of waste. Process improvement through reduction of variation is

key.

2.2 Describe each type of leadership style. Include a description of where you

have seen each of these styles used.

See Chapter figures.

2.3 What role does leadership play in running a Lean Six Sigma organization?

When running an organization, effective leaders communicate the values

of the organization to their employees by translating the vision and

mission into day-to-day activities. To do this effectively, leaders talk with

customers, identify the organization’s critical success factors, and share

this information about the things the organization absolutely must do well

in order to attract and retain customers. Creating alignment is essentially

policy deployment, the step-by-step process of translating the

organization’s vision and mission into strategies supported by goals and

objectives which in turn become work activities for the employees.

Leaders ensure that the organization’s vision, mission and strategies,

goals and daily activities remain focused on these critical factors. Without

this focus, the organization will not be as effective at creating and

maintaining a customer focus.

2.4 What does it mean to manage by fact and with a knowledge of variation?

The theory of profound knowledge involves using data to understand

situations. Dr. Deming encouraged the use of fact-based information

when making decisions. Effective leaders gather and analyze information

for trends, patterns and anomalies before reaching conclusions.

Managing by fact and with a knowledge of variation means being able to

distinguish between controlled and uncontrolled variation. This involves

using data to understand situations. Leadership must make sure that

employees in an organization are not blamed for faulty performance which

in actuality it is the system that is faulty. Managing by fact and with a

knowledge of variation enables companies to expand beyond small

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process-improvement efforts and to optimize their systems in their

entirety. Effective leaders have an appreciation for the systems that work

together to create their organization’s products and services. Effective

leaders also seek to create alignment between their customers’ needs,

requirements, and expectations, the systems that produce products and

services and their organization’s purpose. This alignment enables these

organizations to do the right things right.

2.5 What characteristics should effective leaders have?

Effective leaders share key characteristics. They are optimistic and kind,

with a preference for personal contact. While they display independent

judgment, they are loyal team players, backing up their employees.

Leaders display a characteristic calmness under stress. This trait

enables them to face bad news squarely. They are decisive, able to

combine a broad understanding of the whole picture and still see the

detail. They define their jobs and the cultures of the organizations they

work in.

2.6 What does a leader need to do in order to be a workforce motivator?

As a workforce motivator, leaders set performance expectations and

clearly communicate them. While tracking the progress being made, they

provide feedback.

2.7 What does a leader need to do in order to be a decision maker?

As befits a key decision maker, leaders also have an overall

understanding of the situation. They assess the situation and analyze the

associated problems. From this, they set a strategy that is aligned with the

goals and objectives of the organization. This strategy guides them as

they evaluate potential solutions and make effective decisions. They follow

through with their decisions and deploy their strategy. Achieving these two

purposes ensures that the goals of the individuals are aligned with the

goals of the job, which are aligned with the goals of the department, which

are aligned with the goals of the organization.

2.8 Research Dr. Deming’s fourteen points. Which of his points deal with

leadership? Give examples from your own experience.

Could discuss:

Create a constancy of purpose (only leadership can create and enforce a

focus on the customer)

Adopt a new philosophy (leadership sets the direction of the organization)

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Constantly and forever improve (leadership is responsible for guiding the

organization’s focus on customer, the organization’s processes directly

affecting the customer)

Institute leadership (managing with a knowledge of variation, creating a

focus on customer)

Remove barriers (making working with the company appear seamless to

the customer)

Eliminate slogans, etc. (institute leadership)

Eliminate arbitrary work standards, etc. (institute leadership)