Making Your Business Plan Work

"Plan your work and work the plan" is repeated rather frequently in the business world, almost as if all you need is a plan to succeed in the business world. Although a plan is one of the most effective ways to move forward in every field, a plan alone is not sufficient. One must be able to overcome the unexpected obstacles that appear in any location.

Problems, issues, and obstacles are our friends and our enemies in business. These things are enemies because they cause stress, frustration, and sometimes outright anger. At the same time, they are our friends; they force us to start thinking about new ways to perform a process, a new angle to approach the business, or maybe a new way to present sales techniques. Either way, they force us to evaluate what works, and what does not.

The obstacles are small things that can make a big impact on business, and Six Sigma has a plan to help remove the obstacles from the path. Part of this is the strict observation of facts and figures. The statistical analysis provides a starting point for fine tune business practices already in place, get rid of a practice that no longer work, and ideas for new practices that will help increase corporate profits.

Once it is known where a process is broken, it can be fixed. Any business leader will tell you that fixing a problem is 50% know-how and 50% creativity. Six Sigma provides the know-how, in the form of planning strategies, but the creative force behind that planning cannot be provided, and must be cultivated from within.

Keep emotions at bay. One of the biggest obstacles we have overcome themselves. It is easy to become involved in the work that emotions are beginning to play a role. This can lead to extreme frustration and depression, which is visible to your team, your boss and your customers. To avoid such obstacles must all be confronted with logic and confidence so that your image is not a defeat but rather to conquer.

6 sigma is a top ranking method in the business world. Log onto mbajournal.org to learn more about Lean six sigma.