Comments on: A Butter Knife Works, Too

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:43:41 +0000

It’s because of Lean Six Sigma that I have a job. I ain’t knockin’ it.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:21:11 +0000

Err… pretty soon, that is

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:20:48 +0000

Reminds me of a saying I heard once, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, pretty sure everything starts looking like a nail.”

By: Gekkoracing

Gekkoracing — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:40:59 +0000

Hmm…..Sigma SIx….what???…..bull-hockey!….I’m an auto tech for a living……when diagnosing a vehicle…grab a hammer…..give the offending bit a sharp “whack!”…..if that doesn’t fix it…..grab a bigger hammer…..apply the same as before…..if THAT doesn’t fix it…it is more than likely broken, replace as needed!
lol…..better than the Six thing hehe

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:56:06 +0000

My experience with six sigma boils down to this:
1)Someone makes a mistake

2) There are dozens of meetings where people try to use complex statistical analysis to discover why what happened did indeed happen.

3) You discover that it happened due to some freak occurrence (Maintenance left a door open during a smoke break because he left his key in his car that was in the shop. Bird flew in door and into machine. Machine broke.)

4) Solve the problem using butter knife.

5) Make a presentation to management with massive dizzying charts full of numbers, followed by two pie charts, one “Before” and one “After”. The pie charts must only have a red part and a green part, on the “After” chart the green must be larger.

6) Management smiles and congratulates you on a good application of six sigma.

By: thebitterfig

thebitterfig — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:10:41 +0000

say just that on the resume: “knows how to identify situations when using a metaphorical butter knife in place of a metaphorical screwdriver will work just fine.”

why? well, it makes the resume stand out in a good way. i expect the resume reader to have this inner monologue: “this DPH knows some of that ‘common sense’ stuff. he also knows how to make a joke. might be interesting to meet this person…”

By: Fritzgar

Fritzgar — Sun, 10 May 2009 12:54:10 +0000

Ah Six Sigma I hated that course. It is all about over analyzing, my company worships it like the end-all be-all of things. It has its uses but sometimes you don’t need a 6 month project to inact a 2 minute fix.

By: Innonexess

Innonexess — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:01:18 +0000

I like that analogy!
Also, is it just me, or do more of the people that comment on you new blog make much longer comments?

By: randy

randy — Sat, 09 May 2009 08:12:55 +0000

i say put it on the resume the same way you put it on your blog.

i think we (the readers) have learned a lot about you from your blogs and your ability to just freaking use a butter knife is one of your best qualities.

if nothing else you will get interviews just because the hr guy wants to know what the hell you are talking about.

By: Baltanok

Baltanok — Sat, 09 May 2009 01:27:14 +0000

If you figure out how to put it on your resume, please publish it. I’m trying to find people who know when to use a kitchen knife, and having rotten luck coming up with interview questions that translate to “can you think your way out of a paper bag?”

I’ve rejected entire batches of candidates for *all* answering questions with vaguely worded platitudes that sound good, but have no substance.

Sadly, I’m looking for accountants in CA, not systems engineers in Florida.