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There have been varying misconceptions about the SIX SIGMA breakthrough strategy since I have delved into this subject. Most guys have misconstrued the defect free mechanism of SIX SIGMA as a manual process of removing defects without a target customer in view. This is where SIX SIGMA differentiates itself from other quality programs; in SIX SIGMA, there is really no need for quality if it does not satisfy the customer. I feel most people are misguided when they compare the process of SIX SIGMA to sin.

 

 

In other quality programs like TQM, Zero Defects, etc; emphasis are on the defect but on the SIX SIGMA strategy, the main emphasis is on the relationship of the service/product to the target customer. I would attempt to use one of my recent trips to China to drive home this point; I visited a factory where electric generators were produced. One of the fastest moving consumer products in Nigeria is generator because of the insufficient and epileptic power supply. They showed me various qualities of generator of the same model series.

 

 

The samples were graded from Grade A to Grade G with Grade A being the generator with the highest quality. The sample of generator that my partners I supply wanted me to import into Nigeria was Grade F. I immediately called my partners in Nigeria and told them what I observed. They immediately told me to import Grade G if possible and I was bewildered; I told them again the quality implication of Grade G and the environmental hazards but they did not bulge; they wanted Grade F or Grade G or nothing else. At first, I thought it was the cost profile and greed for huge margin that was speaking so I declined importing generators all together.

 

 

I was dead wrong about the attitude of my partners; my partners have been in the generator business for as long as they could remember and they have made their mistakes and stuck to the winning formula. They have made huge losses on Grade A, B, C and D generators due to low patronage while Grade F and G receive high patronage. TQM and Zero Defect strategy may focus on Grade A to C but SIX SIGMA will neither regard Grade A to E as long as the Nigerian Market does not patronize the product nor will it regard Grade F and Grade G for its defective features. This is the foundation of SIX SIGMA.

 

 

It is entirely based on relationship: When Jesus told Martha that Mary has chosen the needful; he simply meant Mary prioritized effectively. For those who do not know the story, it’s the story about Jesus visiting two sisters – Mary and Martha – living in the same house. When Jesus came into the house, Martha immediately did what an average individual will do; she started cooking, cleaning and doing all the stuff to make her guest happy. Mary on the hand simply sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him. Mary got frustrated with her sister and asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her finish her chores. Jesus showed us the secret of success by telling Martha to stop encumbering herself and she should follow what Mary is doing.

 

 

Mary was bonding and forming a relationship with Jesus while Martha was working. If you want to remove a defective habit in your life, you simply need to form a relationship with someone with an effective habit. Trying to remove such habit in your life without a relationship will be cumbersome and if she achieves result alone, it is definitely going to be temporal. If you are on the obese side, and you want to slim down, you simply need a friend who is living a healthier life. This friend challenges you by going to the gym and eating healthy. Your relationship will give you the needed impetus to achieve your goal.

 

 

This is why the Christian faith promotes relationship rather than religion. If you want to stop a particular kind of sin, you do not will yourself to stop the sin; just move close to God through prayers, reading the bible and moving close to people with the same Christian culture. If you do this, you will realize that it is easier to stop the sin because a higher law starts working on you stronger than the law of the sin. The best way to overcome a law is to introduce a higher law not by physically resisting the law. This is the concept of the SIX SIGMA strategy by relating the process to your target market. It is easier to form a quality process based on your target market than to derive a quality process without the target market in view.

 

 

Relationships are thus the key to any breakthrough; there is no position or height, I want to achieve without a relationship connection. If I want to chat with Obama today and I am in Nigeria, all I need is to have my cousin in his campaign team. Because of the relationship I have with my cousin, I will be able to get to America, visit him in his office and may be fortunate to get introduced to Obama by my cousin. There is definitely no where you can’t get to as long as you are connected.  

 

 

The adage of “show me your friend” is thus justified because the upward spiral or the downward spiral of any individual is based on the relationship they keep. In part 2 of this series, I introduced the concept of intention, sowing and reaping as a prerequisite to manifestation but I failed to mention the elements that may deter or promote the three processes needed for manifestation to occur. Jesus was telling his disciples about a farmer that went to sow: He described four different scenarios; sowing on hard ground; sowing by the way side; sowing among thorns and sowing in good soil.

 

 

The story of the farmer makes us to understand that where, how and when we sow is of paramount consideration. The yield on the field is a function of the way we sow; the scenario of the thorns amongst your seed is a subtle scenario that can be missed by most people. The thorns represent toxic people in your life and they are ready to crowd and hinder every progress you make. It’s like gathering money and placing it in pocket filled with holes. There is really nothing as hindering as relating to toxic people but most of our hindrances come from within us.

 

 

As humans, we are basically social beings and relating to people is of paramount important for our well being. Our outcome in life is a function of the influences around us and there is no greater influence than the ones of those we are emotionally attached to us or those whom we feel a sense of responsibility to. It is therefore imperative we carefully consider those we allow in the inner circle of our lives because we become like those we surround ourselves with. There is also the challenge of separating ourselves from those that we feel use us as a crutch for their survival:

 

 

The bible depicts an interesting story about Jonah and a prospective capsized ship. The captain of the ship sensed that Jonah was responsible for the situation they were undergoing and the men on board had to throw Jonah into the sea. Immediately Jonah was thrown out of the ship, the ship was on course again. Every human being in this world has the capacity to sense the toxic relationships in their lives but emotional attachment hinders them from separating themselves from this toxic relationship. If Jonah had stayed in the ship, the ship would have capsized with all the people on board.

 

 

Imagine the inhuman feeling of throwing another human being to the sharks in order to save yourselves but that is what you must do in order to survive your journey on this earth. There is really no sentiment in this if you are prepared to fulfill your destiny, you must be ready to let go of the toxic relationships. Abraham had to cast out his own flesh and blood when there was contention between his wife and the bond servant, in order to bring the promise of Isaac to bear. This is what the SIX SIGMA breakthrough is all about; aligning the quality process to the customer preference.    

On a lighter mood, Ronaldhino’ s move to AC Milan instead of Manchester City was as a result of positive networking rather than money. Ronaldhino believes with the right motivation and friends, he will be able to rekindle his form. Have a wonderful day!