Green Belt Mentoring – Black Belts Take the Lead
The Green Belts are working part time in their own departments and are needed to undertake projects for improvement with the expectations of achieving success in all such projects.
Six Sigma Training
Generally, Six Sigma Green Belt training includes basic tools, techniques training sessions that are combined into a training program of about two weeks.
After completion of the course, they are encouraged to go back to their areas of concern and undertake improvement projects. With a basic knowledge of tools and techniques with minimal experience of using them, the Green Belts find it difficult to achieve the expected results from the projects. This is where the Black Belts mentoring can play a crucial role.
They have to allocate some time to guide the lower Belts in the usage of the various tools and techniques and assist them in designing their projects. With some direction and assistance of the Black Belts, the Green Belts can take their project on the right track, which means ultimately achieving good results.
Even a few words of encouragement and guidance can be enough for them to continue working on the project.
How Can Such Mentoring Be Achieved?
Mentoring Green Belts need not be very difficult for Black Belts to undertake.
They need to take some simple steps and some time to provide guidance to the Green Belts. It could be simply done by way of weekly discussion meetings or through regular project meetings.
Discussion meetings can be arranged on a weekly basis. Having a long time between meetings may be less motivating for the Green Belt. Also, a short time between two meetings may also not be useful, as they may not be able to make any progress to that end.
Even an hour can prove to be enough to take an overall review of the situation, support issues and any guidance required from the Black Belts. Having a simple agenda like recapping the previous week’s meeting details so that the Green Belts can review if anything has been missed or anything needs to be done is helpful.
Similarly, it is necessary to give updates on the exact progress of the project. This gives them the opportunity to show their set of tools and techniques and the overall progress of the project. They should be able to freely express themselves and should not shy away in a difficult situation.
It is important that a review of the training material is also undertaken, so that the Green Belts can relate those tools in the current situation.
Additionally, Green Belts can find the tactical meeting very beneficial; Black Belts can provide them a scenario and ask them to come up with the tools in that situation and provide them any additional guidance on any other tools and techniques that may be used.
Such mentoring by Black Belts to Green Belts can be highly beneficial for the overall performance of the six sigma projects as well as the growth of the six sigma team. Mentoring can be highly beneficial in project completion at all levels.
By: Tony Jacowski
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