The short answer is, “Yes!”
The longer answer is, “Yes, and here’s why.”
Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of working where
management does not fully realize or understand the value of
investing the extra time and effort required for quality
improvement? Such an experience is certainly not uncommon. You
really know the value of upper management support if you are in
a corporate climate that doesn’t support process improvement
from the top on down.
Upper management support for Six Sigma is critical in two areas.
First, the power and scope of Six Sigma demands a significant
commitment from the organization. This requires support from
management to transcend departmental barriers. Second, any type
of change in an organization will meet some resistance, either
intentional or just by virtue of inertia. When upper management
is behind that change, resistance can be countered and overcome.
You can’t take on Six Sigma with a lackadaisical attitude. You
can’t implement it piecemeal. Six Sigma is not for dilettantes.
If you’re in, you’re in deep, and you’re in for the long haul.
Of course, for real and lasting process improvement, that is how
it should be. Without a 100% management commitment to the Six
Sigma program, Six Sigma turns into just another “management
program.”
There will always be resistance to changes brought into an
organization, and change requires continuous support,
encouragement, and monitoring from top management to overcome
that resistance. There are plenty of ways for projects to fail,
and it is always convenient to blame the new tool. If you look
hard enough though, if Six Sigma fails, the failure is clearly
the fault of management. If management truly has their eye on
the customer and is intent on providing quality products and
services, then Six Sigma has a good choice for keeping everyone
focused.
Everyone can agree that continuous process improvement is
worthwhile, but obtaining the dedication of time and money to do
it is often difficult. The support of upper management is an
absolute requirement for quality. The organization’s leaders set
the agenda, make the rules, and authorize the resources. Without
management’s genuine commitment, your company’s Six Sigma effort
will find it difficult, if not impossible, to achieve lasting
improvement. Management buy-in is necessary but not sufficient.
Leaders must literally lead the way and inspire people to engage
and play their role.
When your senior management leaders are onboard, they can
oversee the implementation of the Six Sigma effort. They can
respond appropriately both to successes and to roadblocks. Six
Sigma cannot be the silver bullet alone; it has to have complete
support and commitment from all levels of the organization.
There are many other quality improvement methodologies that have
the capability to help organizations. One of the crucial
differences between them and Six Sigma is that Six Sigma
recognizes the requirement for complete organizational support
and dedication.
Thus, Six Sigma is ideal for projects that require
cross-functional groups, and the solution is not apparent up
front. Upper management needs to understand that implementation
of Six Sigma needs to be more widespread in an organization than
isolated projects. Management also plays a crucial role in
focusing Six Sigma toward broad application. Management trained
in the essentials of the Six Sigma methodology select the
projects that are aligned with Business goals. Then, these
managers must select and mentor Six Sigma project leaders called
“Belts.” Belts in turn are mentors to others who share their
skills and seek to continually improve themselves, those around
them, and the organization as a whole. The Six Sigma mentoring
concept and the insistence on senior management buy-in are
excellent ways of focusing issues related to the implementation
of Six Sigma throughout the organization. When upper management
holds up Six Sigma as the method by which an organization
defines and implements change throughout its structure,
significant and lasting change ensues
Peter Peterka
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/does-six-sigma-need-to-have-the-support-of-upper-management-3212.html