SECURE YOUR ORGANIZATION’S FUTURE BY

DEVELOPING “BLACK BELTS” TO SPEARHEAD
LEADERSHIP
   
    
 
Executive Summary

There  is  an  acute  shortage  of  good  leaders  in  Indian  business.  With  the  ambitious  growth  rates  
that  we  are  expected  to  see,  the  future  of  many  companies  depends  upon  their  ability  to  have  
the  right  leaders  to  make  their  visions  a  reality.  The  time  to  invest  into  building  capable  leaders  in  
now  and  using  Black  Belts  will  provide  the  companies  with  leaders  with  balanced  understanding  
of  all  aspects  of  business.    
 
 
Six Sigma (6σ)– Proven Path for Business Success

Over  the  last  twenty  five  years,  Six  Sigma  has  moved  on  from  being  just  a  concept  and  a  goal.  It  is  
`now  a  business  necessity  to  deliver  operational  excellence  and  customer  satisfaction.  The  hard  
benefits   of   Six   Sigma   have   been   well-­‐documented;   several   companies   across   the   globe   have  
reported  savings  of  billions  of  dollars  from  their  Six  Sigma  implementations.  Lead  implementers  
such  as  GE  have  benefited  beyond  the  financial  returns  from  Six  Sigma.  They  have  succeeded  to  
integrate   the   methodology   as   part   of   their   operating   culture.   More   importantly,   they   now   use  
the  process  as  a  key  input  to  building  future  leaders.  
 

 
 
In   India   many   leading   Indian   companies   have   registered   growth   rates   in   excess   of   20%  
compounded  annually  over  the  last  three  years.  Today  these  companies  have  aggressive  growth  
plans  within  the  country.  They  are  also  scanning  new  opportunities  across  the  globe.  However,  
the  one  factor  that  can  limit  the  rapid  future  progress  of  such  organizations  will  be  the  ability  to  
identify,   train   and   groom   future   leaders.   Many   of   these   companies   have   an   active   Six   Sigma  
implementation  process  that  has  delivered  substantial  financial  savings.  Learning  from  the  best,  
they   can   now   leverage   this   success   to   overcome   the   shortage   of   talent.   They   must   invest   into  
leadership  development  as  part  of  their  Six  Sigma  implementation  and  count  on  Black  Belts  for  
future  leadership.  
 
Black Belts – Traditional Roles and Beyond
 
The  role  of  the  Black  Belts  has  been  well  documented.  They  are  full-­‐time  personnel  responsible  
for  leading  improvement  projects  within  the  business.  They  are  carefully  selected  and  nurtured  to  
serve  this  role.  After  two  to  three  years,  they  are  then  reassigned  meaningful  operational  roles  
within   the   business.   Equally   important,   if   not   more   so,   while   benchmarking   the   best  
implementations,  companies  have  effectively  used  this  two  year  tenure  as  a  key  intervention  to  
groom  future  leaders  for  their  businesses.  It  is  not  surprising  that  Jack  Welch  while  Chairman  at  
GE   said   that   he   would   not   be   surprised   if   the   next   CEO   of   GE   after   Jeff   Immelt   would   have  
tenured  as  a  Black  Belt  some  time  in  his/her  career.    
 

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  1  

 
    
 
Most  literature  on  leadership  focuses  on  the  attributes  of  a  leader.  Simply  defined,  leadership  is  
the  ability  to  influence,  motivate  and  enable  others  to  contribute  towards  the  effectiveness  and  
success  of  the  organizations.    
 

 
 

 
 
Managing Life Cycle of Black Belts – Keys to Future Leadership
 
Carefully   selecting,   training   and   mentoring   Black   Belts   is   therefore   a   two-­‐pronged   strategy   to  
generate  financial  gains  over  the  short  term  and  leadership  development  over  the  longer  term.    
What   are   the   best   practices   that   such   companies   actively   use   to   select   and   nurture   Black   Belts   to  
take  on  future  leadership  roles  in  business?    
 

 
 
 

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  2  

 
    
 
Black  Belt  Selection  
 
If   these   people   are   being   groomed   as   possible   future   leaders   in   business,   the   selection   of   the  
right   candidates   as   Black   Belts   is   crucial.   Many   companies   in   the   haste   to   get   their   Six   Sigma  
deployment  off  the  ground,  delegate  this  important  task  to  the  operating  managers.  This  may  be  
sufficient  from  a  Six  Sigma  perspective  but  not  from  a  longer  term  view  to  build  leaders.      
 
At   the   best   companies,   the   tenure   as   a   Black   Belt   is   assigned   after   careful   consideration   and  
active  selection.  The  criteria  are  well-­‐defined  and  communicated  to  all  within  the  business.    
 

 
 
The   process   of   selection   must   involve   people   from   senior   management,   HR   and   Six   Sigma  
deployment.  This  requires  detailed  planning  to  ensure  that  the  selection  is  not  compromised  to  
accommodate  the  speed  of  implementation.  Taking  time  here,  particularly  in  the  initial  years  of  
deployment,   sends   the   right   message   to   the   organization   about   the   importance   of   the   role.   In  
fact  selecting  the  right  people  also  ensures  that  the  Six  Sigma  implementation  is  successful.  
 
Training  for  Black  Belt  
 
Once  selected,  the  Black  Belts  need  to  be  provided  the  tools,  skills  and  knowledge  to  deliver  their  
role.  The  training  should  be  comprehensive  and  balanced  between  the  methodology  and  tools,  
team  skills  and  change  management.    
 

 
 
In   addition,   some   of   the   best   companies,   who   have   integrated   Leadership   Development  
programs,  insist  that  the  Black  Belts  must  complete  such  a  process  during  their  tenure.  
 

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  3  

 
    
 
 
Application  of  the  New  Knowledge  
 
As   this   training   is   new,   the   Black   Belts   need   to  
be   actively   supported   and   mentored   during  
the  process.  This  role  typically  is  owned  by  the  
Master   Black   Belts.     All   learning   converts   to  
competence   through   theory,   practice   and  
then  action.  While  acquiring  new  competence,  
people  move  through  a  cycle  of  subconscious  
incompetence   to   subconscious   competence.  
This   can   take   several   experiences   (projects)   to  
achieve.   This   in   turn   happens   through  
repetitive   application   of   the   learning   in  
different   assignments.   It   is   a   mistake   to  
assume   that   working   on   a   single   project   is  
sufficient   to   internalize   and   gain   expertise   on  
the   new   knowledge.   At   the   best   companies,  
Black   Belts   need   to   complete   at   least   four  
projects   over   their   tenure   to   demonstrate  
their  competence  for  leadership  positions.  
 
Organizations   should   plan   the   tenure   of   Black   Belts   carefully   to   ensure   that   their   initial  
assignments  are  in  familiar  surroundings  of  people  and  domain.  Later  in  their  tenures  they  could  
move   on   to   projects   covering   newer   domains   and   people.   This   provides   the   Black   Belts  
challenges   to   learn   more   about   new   business   domains   and   interact/   influence   newer   managers  
and   employees   with   their   ideas.   They   then   get   an   opportunity   to   hone   their   leadership   skills.  
After  all,  the  softer  leadership  skills  of  persuasion,  motivation,  influencing  others  and  leading  by  
example  are  more  significant  leadership  traits  than  the  hard  tools  of  Six  Sigma.  
 
Another   key   leadership   skill   is   the   ability   to   mentor   others.   This   can   be   effectively   achieved   by  
getting  the  Black  Belts  to  mentor  Green  Belts  on  their  respective  project  activities.  This  provides  
them   with   increased   responsibility   of   not   solving   problems   themselves   but   enabling   and  
motivating   others   in   teams   to   gain   competence   and   confidence   under   their   stewardship.   After  
all,  to  quote  Dwight  Eisenhower,  ‘Leadership  is  the  art  of  getting  someone  else  to  do  what  you  
want  done  because  he  wants  it’.  
 
Assessment  and  Reviews  
 
During   the   leadership   development   process,   quarterly   feedback   to   the   individuals   involved  
enables   them   to   make   behavioural   changes,   if   needed,   during   their   tenure   itself.   The   feedback  
sessions   should   be   a   mix   of   formal   and   informal   reviews.   These   should   encompass   all   the   leaders  
and  team  members  that  the  Black  Belt  has  actively  interacted  with  during  the  period.  Doing  the  
assessment   and   providing   feedback   at   the   year   end,   or   at   the   time   of   regular   performance  
appraisals   or   at   the   end   of   the   tenure   period   is   counterproductive.   This   will   only   serve   as   an  
evaluation  rather  than  a  process  of  change  and  competence  building.  Also,  the  assessment  and  
feedback   will   further   lose   relevance   if   the   barometer   of   success   is   the   project   completion   or  
results  only.  
 

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  4  

 
    
 
 
 

 
 
Post  the  Tenure  
 
Those  who  have  gone  through  the  process  and  have  demonstrated  enhanced  competence  over  
the  two  year  tenure  should  be  assigned  new  jobs  carefully.  Such  jobs  should  utilize  and  challenge  
the  skills  that  they  have  gained  during  the  training  period.  Challenging  roles  should  be  identified  
for  such  individuals  such  that  they  continue  their  development  and  are  able  to  interact  with  the  
senior  leadership  team  on  a  continual  basis.  The  temptation  to  get  them  back  to  a  senior  position  
in  the  same  areas  from  where  they  come  from  or  retain  them  to  continue  in  the  Six  Sigma  role  
will  not  benefit  the  organization  over  the  longer  term.  
 
In   many   instances,   managers   think   short-­‐term   and   are   not   willing   to   let   go   of   their   carefully  
selected   Black   Belts   to   other   functions   and   Divisions   of   the   business.   Even   the   senior   leaders   shy  
away  from  making  such  commitments  at  the  start  of  the  initiative.  This  becomes  a  deterrent  in  
the   growth   of   the   Six   Sigma   initiative   and   also   the   growth   of   the   individual.   It   is   not   surprising  
therefore   that   many   companies   see   several   of   the   Black   Belts   leave   the   company   during   the  
tenure  period  itself.  

Conclusion

For  business  growth  and  sustainability  it  is  extremely  crucial  that  management  realizes  need  for  
developing   true   leaders   to   drive   the   organization   to   next   level   of   growth   in   times   to   come.   In  
doing   so,   leveraging   well-­‐structured   development   path   prescribed   for   Six   Sigma   Black   Belts  
would  be  a  unique  strategy  on  one  hand,  to  ensure  leaders  have  developed  balanced  capability  
to  manage  and  anchor  business  growth  and  on  the  other  ensuring  a  culture  of  challenging  status  
quo  and  striving  for  perfection  is  ingrained  in  the  DNA  of  organization.    
 
Journey  of  adopting  Six  Sigma  principles  and  classical  components  of  Black  Belt  development  is  
difficult   but   extremely   rewarding.   Leadership   of   organizations   irrespective   of   industry   or   size  
should   lead   with   exemplary   passion   and   conviction   and   that   would   surely   assure   organizations  
secure  their  place  in  time’s  wall  of  fame  for  years  to  go.  

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  5  

 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
About  Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.  
 
Breakthrough  Management  Group  International  (BMGI),  is  a  global  consulting  firm  with  a  strong  
focus   on   delivering   results   and   partners   with   organizations   in   various   stages   of   their   business   life  
cycle   to   transform   their   business   performance.   BMGI   enables   businesses   drive   growth   and  
improve  profitability.  Headquartered  in  the  US,  BMGI  has  developed  a  loyal  clientele  that  today  
exceeds   200   active   clients.   BMGI   has   delivered   cumulative   benefits   to   its   clients   worth   several  
billion  dollars  with  an  ROI  of  5:1  to  20:1.    
 
BMGIs   services   to   enable   business   success   includes   strategy   planning   and   deployment,  
Innovation,  Problem  Solving  (Lean  Six  Sigma)  and  Business  Transformation.    
 
In  India,  BMGI  is  located  in  Mumbai.  BMGI  clients  are  leading  Fortune  1000  Global  companies  and  
leading   Indian   companies   from   diverse   industries   such   as   financial   services,   IT/ITES,   airlines,  
chemicals,   FMCG,   discrete   manufacturing,   telecommunications,   petrochemical,   textiles,  
biotechnology,  healthcare  &  energy.  Few  of  the  major  BMGI  global  clients  are  Hitachi,  Siemens,  
Philips,   Unilever,   DeBeers,   Avis   Budget   Group,   Grameenphone,   TNT   Express,   Brandix,   Hulamin  
and   General   Dynamics.   Indian   clients   include   ITC,   Reliance   Industries,   Vodafone,   HDFC   Bank,  
ThyssenKrupp   Electrical   Steel,   Arvind,   ICICI   Bank,   Yes   Bank,   Motilal   Oswal,   Asian   Paints,   Tata  
Chemicals,  Sudarshan  Chemicals,  Cognizant  and  Accenture.    
 
BMGI   is   known   to   be   one   of   the   most   effective   thought   leaders   in   the   Innovation,   Enterprise  
Process  Management,  Lean  and  Six  Sigma  space  and  has  gained  world-­‐wide  attention  through  its  
international  bestselling  books  such  as  The  Innovators  Toolkit,  Insourcing  Innovation,  Design  for  
Lean  Six  Sigma,  A  team  leader  guide  to  Lean  Kaizen  Events  and  many  more.    

 
 
Contact  Details:  
 
Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Private  Limited  
905-­‐906,  Raheja  Chambers,  213,  Nariman  Point,  Mumbai  400021,  India  
               Phone:  +91  22  400  200  45/46  
                   Email:  info@BMGIndia.com  
Web:  www.BMGIndia.com  

Breakthrough  Management  Group  India  Pvt  Ltd.   Page  6