Lean and Six Sigma methodologies have developed to the point where, in many companies, they have been combined into some type of operations excellence function, typically headed by a manager, director, or vice president. There is often a small group of lean experts (Lean Sensei, Lean Black Belt/Green Belt/White Belt) and Six Sigma (Master Black Belt, Black Belt, Green Belt and Yellow Belt).

This role is called the Kaizen Advocacy Office…a group of experienced facilitators who can help anywhere in the company with their Lean and Six Sigma activities. Its purpose is to provide the resources for continuous improvement. Ideally, this would always be in the context of a value stream.

The two types of activities supported by the KPO are:

1) Lean Kaizen events (with Lean training)

2) Six Sigma Projects (with Six Sigma training).

The Kaizen Promotion Officer, as the leader of this group, usually reports directly to a senior manager, someone like the COO or perhaps the CFO.

If companies have developed both of these methodologies to this point, they are in very good shape for the challenges and opportunities they will face in the future. If not, there will be problems.

Some (many?) companies still have only one Six Sigma function. Some (fewer?) only have a lean function. Some (even fewer?) have lean and six sigma, but they operate separately and often fight each other over who is more important. Some companies (still too many) do not have Lean or Six Sigma capabilities. Enough already! Something has to change!

The Kaizen Promotion Office is the integrative body that ends disputes and aligns Lean and Six Sigma people for a common cause… to help the company with continuous improvement.

So if you don’t currently have a KPO, how do you get started? Good question.

First, you’ll need to train some people in Lean and others in Six Sigma. There are many resources (books, seminars, trainers, consultants, colleges and universities, the Internet, etc.) available for that. You just need to budget some money and time and start building your own internal resources.

Second, you need to identify a leader for this emerging KPO. This will need to be a person with the technical skills (Lean and/or Six Sigma) plus a passion to change the business.

Third, you’ll need to provide them with a home address… a place where they can reside together and work as a team.

Fourth, you’ll implement them in Lean and Six Sigma projects…it’s always best to do it in the context of value streams. If you don’t have value streams yet, this might be the first thing the KPO people work on.

Fifth, it will be necessary to take care of their “care and feeding”. They will need their own operating budget, training programs, and professional development process in order for them to be effective.

Sixth, senior management (CEO, COO, CFO) must be personally involved in promoting the use of the KPO. Middle management won’t do it just because the KPO is there.

Seventh, the KPO needs to get some short-term wins… some early wins in the business.

Eighth, the KPO must be actively advertised throughout the company. Put stories about them in the company newspaper, on billboards, in corporate communications of all kinds.

Ninth, the KPO needs to grow by adding new members and expanding its “reach” throughout the company.

Tenth, the KPO begins to work at the macro value stream level by integrating suppliers and customers in improving the entire supply chain.

So there you have it! Ten steps to launch a Kaizen Promotion Office in your company. Give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.