SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

DMAIC is a six sigma term that stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. One of our consultants recently used this term in the context of a process improvement project, and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about it before! It is certainly strongly rooted in the six sigma and lean concepts, but the fundamental principles apply to any problem solving approach. Define : This is where you identify what the real issue is. What is important? What is the key problem, the key process we are looking at? When I do the standard problem solving training, I always spend a lot of time on the first step – problem definition. Really step back and define the problem clearly, force yourself to fill out a “problem statement worksheet.” Other elements that are also part of this critical problem definition phase: Who are the customers? What are the critical outputs / deliverables? What is the goal of the project? What are the boundaries of the process or ...

The GROW model is a technique that has been historically used in coaching, The model goes back to the 1980s and 90s. There is no clear originator, but a number of authors have popularized it, among them Graham Alexander, John Whitmore, and Max Landsberg (whose book „The Tao of Coaching“ is a great reference). While the applications in coaching are well know, I believe the model is actually quite helpful also in a project management and problem solving context. For example, it’s a good interview guideline as you scope out a project: You’ll ask some questions about goals, reality/situation, obstacles/options and the way forward. So in the explanation of the model below, rather than using a coaching example (e.g. a client wants to lose weight), I included some examples related to this broader problem solving application. Here is what the model stands for: G – Goal Define as clearly as possible the goals and objectives. Questions to ask: How will success look like? What ar...