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"The real power of Six Sigma is simple, because
it combines People Power with Process Power. Six Sigma
companies focus on both people and process sides. Good
companies focus on not making mistakes," says Subir Chowdhury,
in an interview with Sini Joseph. |
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Q.What is the basic premise of your
book The Power of Six Sigma?
Six Sigma is a
statistical measurement of only 3.4 defects per million
opportunities. That is the origin - that's the way
statisticians look at it! But it is more than just statistical
measurement. Organisations which look into Six Sigma as just a
statistical measurement have been missing the point. Six Sigma
is a Management Strategy that has been at the core of improved
productivity, and has dramatically increased profits and
improved customer service. Corporations which have been
effectively deploying Six Sigma management strategy are
experiencing radical improvements in every facet of their
business.
Q. What prompted you to pick up the case
studies you have discussed in the book?
A common
mistake senior leaders make is that they feel just introducing
some tools or strategies like Six Sigma, their organisations
will achieve dramatic results. These leaders are missing the
point. Achieving any significant improvement starts with
acceptance – at every level of the organization. That's where
the two characters (Joe and Larry) of the book step in - to
deliver the message of The
Power of Six Sigma: An Inspiring Tale of How Six Sigma is
Transforming the Way We Work. My book is unlike any
other book on Six Sigma. This fictionalized tale simplifies a
complicated topic and, through dialogue between Joe and Larry,
explains the way Six Sigma works in an easy-to-understand
format. I picked up the story of a Pizza company to make it
easier for readers to relate to and help them grasp the
essence of the Six Sigma.
Q. How did these companies
achieve a turnaround using the Six Sigma?
The real
power of Six Sigma is simple, because it combines People Power
with Process Power. Six Sigma companies focus on both people
and process sides. Good companies focus on not making mistakes
- not wasting time or materials, not making errors in
production or service delivery, not getting sloppy in doing
what they do best. When someone heads a Six Sigma project,
he/she gets a lot of authority, recognition, and most
importantly, the support he/she needs to succeed with his
project. On an average, the Six Sigma project saves millions
of rupees. Six Sigma companies financially reward (may be 2 to
5 percent of the savings) the person who leads the Six Sigma
project. That is the true power. If employees, irrespective of
their positions get rewards for their performance, they put
more than 100% for their organization.
Q. How is the
management philosophy different in the American and Indian
context?
In the US as well as in India, I find both
good and bad organisations. The management philosophies
practiced in both countries range from excellent to below
average. It would be a biased and baseless comment if someone
said all organisations in the US have better management
or strategies than Indian organisations. The ideal question
that should be asked in any country is - how a bad company can
transform itself into a better one? A good company treats its
people equally – from workers to middle management to the
senior most level. A good company treats its customer as king.
The company must always focus on Fire Prevention i.e. make
better products (defects should not exist in the first place)
rather than Fire Fighting (constantly trying to solve a
problem). A good company embraces creativity and rewards
creativity.
Q. Have any Indian companies adopted the
Six Sigma and if they have, has there been any turnaround in
their functioning?
I don’t know for sure. But
several articles in respected Indian business magazines
suggest that Wipro and GE India have achieved positive results
after adopting Six Sigma. I strongly believe that Indian
corporations must pursue the Six Sigma management strategy.
The only caution is that they must hire effective people to
lead these efforts - not just hiring 4 or 40 Black Belts from
the US. Even a number of US consulting firms are not aware of
the true secrets of Six Sigma. So don’t be too surprised if by
2005, US corporations coin "Six Sigma" as another fad. It is
nothing to do with Six Sigma- it is how you deploy
it.
Q. What lessons can Indian organisations learn
from the US management model?
Indian companies must
focus on Customer Satisfaction. They must make extra efforts
to understand the true voice of the Customer and take it
seriously. The reason for the global dominance of Japanese
companies is their total understanding of customers' needs.
Indian companies must also focus on Prevention Strategy and
practice Robust Engineering methodology. Indian companies must
re-evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Organisations
must continuously strive for transforming their weaknesses
into strengths.
Q. What are the other books you have
written?
I just released my sixth book titled
"The
Talent Era : Strategies for Achieving a High Return on
Talent" (Financial Times Prentice Hall, December 2001)
on December 15 in the US. In this timely book, I present a
complete strategy for leveraging talent to increase business
value. I have also focused on the real issues facing
organisations seeking to utilize talent more
effectively. You'll discover why there's more to attracting
talent than inflating salaries, how managers handle talented
subordinates, how to measure the value of talent and ROT, and
much more.
My previous books are: Management
21c: Someday We'll Manage This Way (1999), I also
co-authored 2 books with Japanese Quality Guru Dr. Genichi
Taguchi titled Robust
Engineering (McGraw Hill, 1999) and
Mahalanobis-Taguchi System (McGraw Hill 2000). And my first
book was QS-9000
Pioneers (1996).
Q. How and when did you
start writing?
I used to write poetry while in
school and college. Most of them have been published in
newspapers and magazines. After I immigrated to the US, I
focused on 'business management' writing as I believed I could
educate global corporate citizens through my books. My first
book was published in 1996 for which I got international
recognition from the automotive industry to the honorable US
Congress. The success of that book motivated me to concentrate
more on writing.
Q. Any important aspect of your
childhood or family background that has influenced your
writing career?
I have always embraced literary
works – be it fiction or non-fiction. In fact, while I was a
student at I.I.T. Kharagpur, it was at my instance that
the first literary magazine "Panchajanya" was
introduced. In my formative years, works of Rabindranath
Tagore and Satyajit Ray greatly inspired and influenced
me.
Q. Any book/author that left a deep impression
on you?
I am a big fan of Peter F. Drucker and W.
Edwards Deming. Also Dr. G. Taguchi's work on engineering
inspire me.
Q. What are the kind of books you
normally read?
Bengali poetry is my first love. I
regularly read poetry - though now, most of the time, I read
business books. I love reading all kind of books, irrespective
of the subject. Most recently I finished reading " Stolen
Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail " by Malika
Oufkir.
Q. Is your writing aimed at a target
audience?
My most recent book is targeted at
organisations - small or large. However, The Power
of Six Sigma is not targeted at anyone in specific.
Virtually anyone any can go through the book and appreciate
the values of the Six Sigma.
Q. Who are your
favourite writers?
In fiction I enjoy reading works
of Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Joy
Goshami and Elisabeth Bumiller. In non-fiction I admire Peter
F. Drucker, Anita Roddick, Dr. W. Edwards Deming, Warren
Bennis and Alvin Toffler.
Q. What are you reading at
the moment?
Currently I am reading Jack:Straight
From the Gut by Jack Welch.
Q. What are you
working on?
I just finished writing "Design for Six
Sigma" to be published in April 2002. And I am currently
working on "Organisation 21C: Someday All Organisations Will
Lead This Way" (September 2002).
Q. Anything else
you might wish to tell the readers.
I want to thank
all my readers in India. I would also like to thank http://www.firstandsecond.com/
for supporting my work. All my readers would be pleased to
know that the author royalties of any Indian edition of my
books are donated to the benefits of poor and blind children
of India.
Author
Description:
Subir Chowdhury is Executive
Vice President at the American Supplier Institute(ASI) - an
international consulting and training firm for Six Sigma and
quality management. Prior to ASI, he served as a quality
management consultant at General Motors Corporation. Hailed by
The New York Times as a "leading quality expert",
Chowdhury was also recognized by the Quality Progress of the
American Society for Quality as one of the 'Voices of Quality
in the 21st Century'. His work is frequently cited in the
national and international media. Chowdhury's most recent
international best selling book "The Power of Six Sigma" has
been translated in more than 10 languages.
Chowdhury
has received numerous international awards for his leadership
in quality management and major contributions to the
automotive industry. Chowdhury was honoured by the prestigious
Automotive Hall of Fame, and the Society of Automotive
Engineers awarded him its most prestigious recognition, the
Henry Ford II Distinguished Award for Excellence in automotive
engineering. He also received the honorable US Congressional
Recognition. Most recently the prestigious international
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) announced it would be
bestowing its highest honour - the SME GOLD MEDAL - to
Chowdhury in May 2002.
Chowdhury's major expertise is
in the field of quality strategy, management and leadership.
His most recent book "Management 21C: Someday We'll All Manage
This Way" (Financial Times - Prentice Hall, 2000) is a
major contribution in the field of management and praised by
the best business thinkers and CEOs, and taught by top
business schools worldwide. He co-authored two books on
Quality Engineering with Japanese Quality Guru Dr. Genichi
Taguchi titled Robust Engineering, and The Mahalanobis-Taguchi
System. In 1999-2000, he served as Chairman of the American
Society for Quality's Automotive Division. He is also a fellow
of the prestigious Royal Statistical Society.
Chowdhury
lives with his wife Malini and daughter Anandi in Novi,
Michigan.
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