Every day in more than two dozen countries from the U.S. to the People's Republic of China, ITT Industries Inc. is fielding teams of champions. They are black belts and other employees who are making a comprehensive performance-improvement initiative known as Value-Based Six Sigma (VBSS) work. In 2001 alone, the program produced about $135 million in cost savings for the $4.7 billion White Plains, N.Y.-based engineering and diversified manufacturing firm. Louis J. Giuliano, the company's chairman, president and CEO, believes VBSS, with its emphasis on projects that add actual economic value, is key to achieving his goal of ITT being "a premier multi-industry company." ITT's four lines of business are fluid technology, defense electronics and services, motion and flow controls, and electronic components. But, as with baseball, football, soccer and basketball teams in the sports world, world-class achievements by Six Sigma teams don't just happen. They require training and discipline and several key practices, practices that include not only the acquisition of tools and techniques but also the building of leadership skills, emphasizes Giuliano. Vince Fayad, ITT's director of VBSS, is the head coach. His play-book contains six best practices that he believes make ITT's Six Sigma program successful.