Rath & Strong's Six Sigma Champions and Team Pocket Guides

Lexington, MA – July 11, 2003 – LEXINGTON, MA - Rath & Strong, creators of the Wall Street Journal's Best Selling Rath & Strong's Six Sigma Pocket Guide, is pleased to announce that two new Pocket Guides are now available for Six Sigma practitioners-one for Champions and one for Teams.

Responding to your requests for more, we vowed to expand our Pocket Guide offerings and cover the "missing pieces" for two pivotal audiences-Champions and Project Team professionals. We wanted to provide both groups with the specific advice and tools they need to play an active, effective role in DMAIC projects and in Six Sigma initiatives in general. What's at stake is nothing less than the overall success of any Six Sigma endeavor.

Released earlier this year, the Six Sigma Champions Pocket Guide addresses one of the key reasons that initiatives can short circuit: Project Champions are often unsure of their role, let alone how to fulfill it in a meaningful way. The pocket guide addresses the Champion's exact level of involvement at various stages of the project and provides tools for overcoming typical problems at each DMAIC phase. Also included are invaluable chapters on project selection and scoping; supporting the Black Belt and Project teams; project reviews; sustaining the gains; and managing in a Six Sigma wayWe also are pleased to announce the arrival of the Six Sigma Team Pocket Guide (© 2003, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.). An excellent companion to the original Pocket Guide, this one addresses the often fatal "soft" side of projects-lack of team skills, internal politics and bad communication. The handy guide shows project team leaders and members how to:

• Identify and avoid the leading causes of project failure
• Create an influence plan for stakeholders
• Establish clear team goals and roles
• Lead or participate in productive team meetings
• Plan the people side of a project, just as they plan the technical side

Like the original, these new Pocket Guides are designed to be practical, easy to use and focused on key-impact areas that make the difference. Each can stand alone, or serve as an adjunct to workshops we offer.

For more information please email rathstrong_info@aon.com or call 1-800-622-2025.

Rath & Strong is the global leader of Six Sigma Solutions including Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt Training and Coaching, Lean Six Sigma, Leadership Awareness, Six Sigma Work-Out, Six Sigma On-line Training, Service and Manufacturing with materials in 12 Languages.

Founded in 1935, Rath & Strong helps companies achieve lasting change by enhancing operations, leadership, culture and customer connection.