Hello {{first_name | There}}!
People often ask me a straightforward question. What can a Six Sigma professional really earn?
It sounds like a question about salary. But what people are really trying to understand is what becomes possible if they stay in this field long enough.
When I stepped out of my last full-time role, my compensation was roughly $250,000 in India. Today, the professionals who replaced me earn more than $350,000. Numbers change based on timing, geography, and organizations.
What did not change is this. That outcome did not come from one certification.
The Moment Six Sigma Changed Everything
Becoming a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt was a turning point early in my career. It gave me structure. It changed how I approached problems. It made my thinking more disciplined.
But it also made something very clear.
If I stopped learning at that point, I would stop growing. Six Sigma was a foundation, not a finish line.
When Speed Became the Problem
As projects grew, one issue kept showing up. Things were moving too slowly.
Stakeholders wanted faster outcomes. Teams were stuck in delays.
That was when Lean Management became important. Not as a label, but as a way to simplify work, remove unnecessary steps, and design flow so results could be delivered faster.
When Data Was Available but Decisions Were Not
Later, speed alone was not enough.
Data existed, but decisions were still delayed. The problem was not lack of data. It was lack of clarity.
That pushed me to spend serious time with tools like Minitab, Excel, Power BI, Tableau, and presentation design. The goal was simple. Make information easy to understand so leaders could act on it quickly.
When Technology Could No Longer Be Ignored
As businesses became more digital, the nature of work changed again.
That is when Agile and Scrum entered my career. I learned how to work with product teams, gather requirements, manage backlogs, and deliver in short cycles. This was less about process and more about learning how technology teams actually operate.
When Work Started Scaling
With larger responsibilities came larger initiatives. Projects became programs. Programs became portfolios.
At that stage, structure mattered. Project management frameworks and certifications like CAPM and PMP helped me understand how to manage complexity without slowing everything down.
When Results Needed to Last
Eventually, it was no longer enough to deliver results. Those results had to survive audits, reviews, and time.
That led me into risk management, compliance, and frameworks like ISO and PMI-RMP. The lesson here was simple. What cannot stand up to scrutiny does not last.
When Influence Became Part of the Job
At a certain point, execution alone was not enough. Ideas needed acceptance. Teams needed direction. Change needed buy-in.
That is when communication and leadership skills became essential. I invested time in teaching, mentoring, Toastmasters, and programs like Dale Carnegie. Not to speak better, but to lead change more effectively.
What This Path Actually Looked Like
None of this followed a master plan. None of it happened quickly. This evolution took more than twenty years.
Compensation followed later. Not because I chased it directly, but because capability kept expanding over time.
Lakshmi (Wealth) Comes Through Saraswati (Knowledge)
Over the years, one belief became very clear to me. I believe we are in the business of Lakshmi through Saraswati. Wealth through knowledge.
Money does not lead this journey. Knowledge does.
Not surface knowledge. Not certificates collected for comfort. But knowledge that is applied, tested, and built over time.
When learning becomes a habit, outcomes follow. Not immediately. Not predictably. But consistently.
The Three Tracks Every Professional Balances
I have also noticed something that applies across industries. Every professional is balancing three tracks at the same time.
Professional
The work you do daily and the outcomes you own.Academic
The skills and knowledge you deliberately invest in beyond your job description.Personal
The life that gives context to everything else, including health, family, and identity.
When these drift apart, growth becomes unstable. When they stay aligned, progress becomes steady.
The Only Lesson Worth Carrying Forward
Here is the simplest lesson this journey taught me.
You do not need to be certified in everything. You need to keep evolving.
That is what compounds over time. That is what creates long-term leverage. That is what opens doors quietly.
So I will leave you with one question.
What capability are you building today that you expect to matter a few years from now?
If you prefer listening over reading, I’ve shared these thoughts in more detail in a YouTube talk as well. You can watch it here:
https://youtu.be/R8rKKwhnWK0
If this entry resonated, I share these reflections regularly on LinkedIn as well. Lessons from the field, the work, and the realities behind mastery. You can follow me there if you’d like to stay connected.
Until the next diary entry.
Reduce noise. Build capability. Stay the course.
Regards,
Rahul G. Iyer.
