Preparing for Lean Six Sigma: 7 Proven Steps + A New Partnership with Hollinstic

orion
Jun 30
5 min read

Hello Everyone,

This newsletter is specifically designed for those who are not yet managers and wish to advance in their career development.

In this quarter's edition, you will find Podcast Episode 15, where I present a straightforward yet powerful 7-step approach that has been successfully utilized by employees preparing for their Lean Six Sigma training course. This episode will guide you on identifying a practical project where you can apply your new skills—ensuring measurable impact for your team and assisting you in earning a globally recognized certification.

This approach provides dual benefits: it enhances your capabilities and career progression, while simultaneously delivering tangible results for your company. Often, the impact of your project can offset the cost of the training itself. To achieve this, it is crucial to identify the appropriate project, which I will reveal in this solo episode.

This month, we will delve into the ORPI tool.

Why to use this tool?

To make sure we covered all important messages at the beginning of our kick-off session, workshop, new initiatives, or new corporate programs.

When to use this tool?

 This tool should be used in the define phase.

3 Do´s and 3 Don’ts:

Do: Integrate the ORPI tool into any situation, even if you feel you need to skip one of the 4 areas of the tool.
Do: Ask participants to paraphrase or rephrase key messages.
Do: Use the ORPI tool even when you are not doing Lean Six Sigma projects.

Don’t: Need to use the template as a survey at the end of the kick-off, it is only optional. As a facilitator, you can check that everyone understood the topics covered in ORPI. You can have them paraphrase or rephrase, to make sure everyone understood.
Don´t: Forget that you can use ORPI as your guideline preparation of the beginning of each workshop or kick-off.
Don´t: Need to inform your stakeholders that you are using this tool. They might not even notice that you are applying this technique. It is important to know that you have covered all 4 ORPI areas.

You can find additional information on how to use this tool in our tool vault. If you’re unable to access the Tool Vault, please consider registering first. Once registered, navigate to the Define phase and select the desired tool.

You’ll also find a 4-minute video where I explain about this tool.

Many of you are familiar with the high-quality courses offered by WAVE, including Lean Six Sigma White, Green, Black and Master Black Belt Certification Levels, Presentation & Communication Skills, KAIZEN Facilitator, Short Courses for those who are already certified, customized training & coaching and more.

Today, I am proud to announce that, as of July 2025, WAVE is collaborating with a new partner, Hollinstinct based in Switzerland.

Hollinstinct provides complementary courses that align perfectly with WAVE’s offerings. While my team and I focus on equipping you with tools and techniques to enhance your career development, Hollinstinct addresses an equally important aspect: maintaining your well-being.

Many of you who aspire to grow in the corporate world possess a high-achiever mindset—a fantastic trait that drives success. However, the downside is that some high achievers push themselves too hard, sustaining the stress response for prolonged periods. This can lead to health challenges and, in some cases, burnout.

At WAVE, our courses empower you to push your limits in achieving your career advancement and at Hollinstinct, you will gain the knowledge to manage stress and avoid burnout through neuroscience-based and holistic insights.

Click here to learn more about this exciting collaboration and explore how Hollinstinct can support you on your journey.

In the Projects section on the WAVE website, my team and I are engaged in 2 compelling long-term long-term projects:

Project: Sustainability for Companies:

If your company is committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reducing its carbon footprint, or enhancing its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, we invite you to explore our Sustainability for Companies project page. My team and I would be delighted to discuss these exciting topics with you. Learn more by visiting: Sustainability for Companies.

Many of you familiar with my courses know that Toyota has played a pivotal role in shaping the Lean methodology. Toyota is also renowned for its Toyota Production System (TPS), a world-class manufacturing philosophy. However, there is often some confusion about the relationship between TPS and Lean.

TPS is Toyota's acclaimed system designed to maximize efficiency, quality, and value while minimizing waste. It is built on two key pillars: Just-In-Time (JIT), which ensures materials arrive exactly when needed, and Jidoka, which empowers machines and operators to detect and address issues immediately. TPS emphasizes continuous improvement (Kaizen), respect for people, and the elimination of the "7 Wastes" (e.g., overproduction, waiting, and defects). While TPS is specific to Toyota, it inspired Lean methodologies, which generalize these principles across various industries.

To summarize: TPS is not Lean itself but serves as the foundational system from which Lean principles were derived. Lean is a broader framework, while TPS is a specific, highly successful application of those principles.

What Does This Have to Do with Sustainability?

Many of my students ask what Toyota is doing today regarding sustainability and whether they use Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methods to achieve their targets. After visiting Nagoya, Japan, and witnessing this firsthand, I can confidently say, “Yes, they do!”

One example is a Lean Six Sigma project Toyota implemented to minimize paint and chemical waste in vehicle assembly lines. This initiative is part of their broader commitment to environmental sustainability under the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, launched in 2015. This challenge includes numerous projects aimed at reducing waste, emissions, and resource consumption.

At WAVE, we teach other companies how to use LSS methods to achieve their environmental sustainability goals without increasing resources—just as Toyota does. The beauty of these methods is their adaptability across sectors, from manufacturing to banking, insurance, IT, and beyond.

If you’re curious about how this works, feel free to reach out to my team at contact@wave-bef.com. We’d be happy to guide you on your sustainability journey!

Internal WAVE Project: Health, Happiness, and Planet:

At WAVE, we're driven not just by the goal of enhancing your business performance, but also by a deep commitment to your overall well-being, happiness, and the health of our planet. That's why we've dedicated a separate project page and a podcast to these essential topics.

Here, you’ll find practical tips and valuable insights on boosting your energy, improving your health, and adopting habits that contribute to a healthier environment.

Below is an overview of the episodes we featured in Q2 of 2025 with again amazing guests!