Will Six Sigma initiatives lead to sustainable change and long-term improvements in  quality within an organization?  I would argue that sustainable change will not result from Six Sigma projects if the focus is on the use of tools to drive short-term improvements that will result in  immediate impacts on the bottom line.    An article published by Aveta argued that all Black Belts must learn the principles and techniques of change management in order to succeed in their tool-based projects.  I would go several steps beyond this assertion and suggest that long-term, sustainable success will require more focus on the culture within which the improvement projects are embedded. 

As Liker and Hoseus argue in their book, Toyota Culture, the Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way, true sustainable success comes from embedding a philosophy of continuous improvement and respect for people into the organizational culture.  In his book Strategy for Sustainability, Adam Werbach stated that "being a sustainable business means thriving in perpetuity."  The short-term gains that come from Six Sigma projects can lead to businesses that thrive in perpetuity if the projects are couched within the context of an overarching long-term plan.  Leaders who strive to build sustainable organizations will build on the current cultural strengths while planning for cultural transformations over time.  This approach will require black belts to understand far more about change than how to succeed in their tool-based projects.  They will need to learn the processes that lead to transformations. 

Are we prepared to transform our organizations in order to sustain them?