My Lean Six Sigma Journey

My Lean Six Sigma journey commenced two years ago when I attended a Young Corporate Malaysian (YCM) knowledge-sharing session on Operational Excellence. During the lunch session, I took the opportunity to introduce myself and trade cards with the speaker. It was at this juncture in time when the idea to venture into the career path of Continuous Improvement sparked. 

Finally, in late 2018 and after months of deliberation, I made an executive decision to pursue Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification out of my own pocket. It turned out to be one of the most valuable intellectual capital investments I have ever made. It changed the way I see things, analyse, and make decisions. I was able to question the genesis of assumptions which precede most Business-As-Usual (BAU) processes in workplace, particularly on why people do the things the way they do and whether they substantiate their reasoning via data. 

It catapulted my transition from my humble engineering background to quasi-managerial, cross-functional roles. My visibility in the company grows but my growth is limited due to internally set boundaries and the operating landscape. That was when I realised that I needed to move on for fresher challenges.

Then life happened. I made an ill-timed move to a well-known conglomerate, only to realise that the conglomerate tried awfully hard to paint rosy pictures of welcoming, inclusive and innovation-centric working culture. Despite my reasonably well salary package, I ended up as a corporate lackey in so-called ‘lean’ department that micro-managed, frequently moved goal posts, and practiced zero-tolerance towards mistakes, even to extent of ridiculing one’s earnest work. My psychological safety had been compromised severely. I left after few months, only for COVID19 to welcome me in her open arms.

Despite the raging pandemic, I am fortunate enough to have earned my way to be part of Malaysia’s leading Lean Six Sigma training & consultancy firm, MbizM Group. Today, when I look at the Black Belt Certificate (courtesy of my company’s sponsorship for the Black Belt Certification programme), it reminds me of the eventful journey which I took on a path less travelled by.

Everything will come to you at the right time. Have faith and patience.