There’s a difference between reading about process improvement and actually seeing your business become measurably better. Over the past 25 years, advising and operating alongside executive teams, I’ve learned that success comes from two things: a disciplined approach and the willingness to get genuinely involved in the day-to-day.
Six Sigma provides a comprehensive toolkit for process improvement. But the outcome you get depends on who’s driving, and whether they stick around until the change is ‘in the bones’ of your business.
What Actually Moves the Needle?
Let's skip the buzzwords for a moment: if your operations have been “optimized” three times in the last five years and nothing lasting has changed, you’re not alone. Most process projects fail because:
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Everyone’s polite, but nobody is truly accountable
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The changes aren’t mapped to a real business goal or metric
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Execution falls off after the first town hall
That’s why, when I step in as a Fractional COO, I tie every improvement to a result you’ll see in the actual numbers—operational, financial, or both. It isn’t about the thick report; it’s about daily habits and measurable progress.
Six Sigma Basics—When It Works and When It Doesn’t
You want a reliable result? You use the DMAIC method: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.
No rocket science, just discipline. Here’s where companies run into trouble: they jump from Define to “fix everything at once,” skip controlling for real-world habits, and the initial gains melt away.
On projects I lead, the measurement and control part matters as much as the improvement piece. See examples in Six Sigma for Business: Kamyar Shah’s Consulting Approach.
What a Fractional COO Does Differently
A Fractional COO isn’t a consultant who tells you what you want to hear, leaves, and hopes for a five-star testimonial. I’m there to anchor these steps:
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Link process changes to outcomes everyone in the C-suite cares about.
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Build routines—reviews, follow-up, training—so gains don’t evaporate a month after kickoff.
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Make sure someone inside “owns” every change before I leave.
Want the blow-by-blow? Process Consulting: Improve Operations with Expert Guidance walks through these stages.
A Real-World Example: Execution Beats Intention
A mid-sized distribution company consistently missed its fulfillment windows and incurred losses due to errors. Their team was well-intentioned, and “process improvement” had been tried twice before.
The difference? I tied the project to one key metric: orders fulfilled on time with no rework, which was tracked weekly by the COO and department leads.
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We mapped the value chain (the traditional way: using whiteboards, sticky notes, and other tools).
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Found that “exceptions” were 40% of the volume, not 5%.
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Trained team leads on a new order review system and ran weekly progress checks.
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Within 90 days, error rates dropped, on-time delivery shot up, and cash flow improved because invoices weren’t stuck in dispute.
If you want to know the how, not just the results, read Business Process Improvement: Tools & Strategies for Success.
How to Make Process Improvement Last
Here’s what I’ve learned:
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Assign real ownership: No improvement survives without someone being held accountable.
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Tie improvements to numbers: “Work faster” isn’t a goal—shave X days off, drop Y dollars in waste.
Continue to review: Quarterly check-ins help prevent backsliding.
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Train people as you go: A process only improves if the front line buys in.
There’s more tactical detail at Process Consulting: Optimize Your Business.
Is Your Business Ready for Real Change?
If you’re after “a report,” your desk is already full of them. If you want an actual shift in results—fewer errors, better speed, more profit—it takes method, discipline, and someone who actually finishes what they start.
That’s been my focus across more than 650 consulting engagements and $300M in measurable improvements: tie the method to the business reality, and don’t stop until it sticks.
For more, explore:
About the Author
Fractional COO, Fractional CMO, and Executive Coach — Kamyar Shah, founder of World Consulting Group, with over 25 years of experience helping organizations achieve operational excellence and sustainable growth. He has led 650+ consulting engagements, producing more than $300M in measurable results.
Learn more at Fractional COO, Fractional CMO, and Executive Coaching.
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