====== Traditional Business Management vs. Lean Six Sigma Management Approaches ======

^  Traditional Management  ^  Lean 6σ Management  ^
|  Revenue Focused  |  Margin Focused  |
|  Processes - High-Level SIPOC Focused  |  Processes - Detailed to promote standardization & Consistency  |
|  Processes are loosely/informally defined  |  Processes are clearly defined and documented  | 
|  Managers primarily Supervise (direct) personnel  |  Managers mentor and develop personnel to constantly improve their process  | 
|  Responsibility is informally assigned and fluid  |  Responsibility is clearly defined, documented & communicated  |
|  Process documents require multiple approvals (for the [[articles:how_diffusion_of_responsibility_destroys_quality|diffusion of responsibility]])  |  Process documents are approved by the Process Owner  |
|  Reactive Problem Solving (Fire Fighting) Rewarded   |  Proactive Problem Identification and Prevention Rewarded (e.g., through implementing Risk Mitigation Controls or Process Improvement Activities)  |
|  Improvements primarily driven by Corrective Action - often ineffective due to [[articles:whac-a-mole|Corrective Action Whac-A-Mole]]  |  Improvements are proactively driven by monitoring data (e.g., KPIs)  |
|  Use a "Zero Defects" motivational management approach (blaming employees for defects while largely ignoring sub-optimal processes)  |  Focus on reducing the effects of "Common Cause" variations  |
|  Inspection viewed as a "necessary evil"  |  Inspection recognized as a Risk Control for a sub-optimal process  |
|  Place little or no emphasis on cleanliness and workplace organization  |  Use Visual Management & 5S  |