Six Sigma

Jack Welch's beloved quality methodology produced generations of Green and Black Belt certified managers obsessed with defect reduction, yet 3M famously abandoned it after discovering it was crushing the creative innovation that made the company great. Compared to the average continuous improvement system, Six Sigma's rigid focus on eliminating variation is 40% more likely to stifle R&D breakthroughs, as seen when 3M's post-Six Sigma innovation output dropped by 30%.