Nayism 42: Why does every department have to have their own Black Belt? Let’s just pick some people to be Black Belts, give them a job title, put them in a separate department and be done with it.

Sound like a good idea? Here’s what I say. . .

One of the most important aspects in allowing Six Sigma to become engrained in an organization is that each and every employee must feel like they are responsible for continuous improvement. When Black Belts report to a separate department, improving processes maybe viewed as “their” job instead of everybody’s job. This may cause employees to feel less responsibility or ownership for improving their processes. Keeping Black Belts aligned with and reporting into the line organization sends a clear message that their role is a part of how their department operates.

So, don’t exile your Black Belt to the quality department abyss. Welcome them as part of your department’s team and you may find that the only things that get banished are defects and problems.