1st Edition

Reflections on Hoshin Planning Guidance for Leaders and Practitioners

By Lisa Boisvert Copyright 2016
    224 Pages 65 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    224 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    The conditions in which leaders apply Hoshin Planning today have changed substantially since the method was established in the 1950’s. There is better and more broadly distributed understanding of statistical process improvement principles and practices in today’s organizations. Executives seem to rotate in and out of organizations with more frequency. Organizational structures are often more fluid and open. Markets change much faster, employees have greater expectations for stimulation and growth from their work, and technology is central to everything we do. To correctly apply Hoshin Planning, we must consider this modern, more complex environment.

    Unfortunately, a solid understanding of Hoshin mechanics, techniques, and tools isn’t always enough to achieve outstanding performance. This book examines Hoshin Planning a little less through the controllable lens of methodology and more through the ever-shifting and imperfect lens of daily life in organizations.

    Picking up where many Hoshin "how-to" books leave off, this book presents practical ideas and tools for overcoming the messier obstacles faced by today's executives and planning professionals. You will learn ways to work your strategic planning productively in the face of sometimes tough challenges, such as working with unions, planning during an acquisition, and dealing with measurement fatigue.

    This book addresses these and other issues with a candid, practical, and compassionate eye. Using real stories and examples, Boisvert shares valuable observations she’s made through nearly two decades of consulting with organizations.

    Inevitably, your organization will experience unplanned events and surprising results that will require modification of what looked like perfectly good plans. A reliable practice of Hoshin stays on its toes. Flexibility, alertness, pragmatism, and thoughtful, hardworking leadership are the themes of this book.

    Hoshin Planning Overview
    Reasons for Hoshin and Its Role in Planning
    Special Features of Hoshin Planning
    Challenges to Implementing Hoshin Planning
    Hoshin Planning
    Reference

    Organizing for Hoshin
    Hoshin Roles
    Organizational Structures and Tools that May Support Hoshin
    Leveraging Traditional Human Resource Practices
    Space as Tool for Organizing Hoshin Work
    Labor Unions
    Organization of Hoshin Meetings
    Organization as a Hoshin Enabler
    References

    Strategy and Hoshin Preplanning
    Hoshin Planning ≠ Strategy
    Some Sources of Strategy
    A Test Before Going "Live" with a Strategy
    Building the Ramp Up to the Hoshin
    Setting a Solid Foundation for Choosing and Implementing
    the Hoshin
    References

    Measuring to Support Hoshin
    Metrics as a Pathway to Consensus about the Business
    Types of Hoshin Metrics
    Valuing Measurement Behaviors as Well as Results
    Summary of Effective Measurement Practices
    References

    Building Leaders
    Star Qualities among Hoshin Leaders
    A Few Hoshin Leadership Principles to Consider
    Some Essential Hoshin Leadership Team Practices
    Leadership Team Self-Evaluation
    Hoshin as a Leader Builder
    References

    Hoshin Disruption
    Changing a Familiar Organizational Habitat
    Professional Identity and Change
    Climbing Change
    Actively Advancing the Change
    Change and Growth via Hoshin Planning
    References

    Hoshin and Acquisition
    Establish a Plan for the Hoshin during the Transaction and Integration Periods
    Use Measureable Results to Maintain Hoshin Visibility
    Prioritize Communication
    Conduct a Review
    Redirect Hoshin Resources Proactively
    Consider the Human Side
    The Intention of the Hoshin May Matter
    Hoshin as an Organizational Organism
    References

    Hoshin Hacking: Planning Lessons from Startup Companies
    Vocab Words
    Hoshin Planning Lessons from Startups
    Is There a Hacked Hoshin for Startups?
    Hoshin Planning as a Flexible Planning Practice
    References

    Appendix: Hoshin Tools

    Bibliography

    Index

    Biography

    Lisa Boisvert

    "An engaging read with critical insights for leaders on achieving strategic success through the power of Hoshin Planning."
    —John Hamilton, Vice President, Quality, Philips

    "This book is a significant contribution to the Hoshin body of knowledge. There is no such thing as a perfect solution for any of these real challenges to implementing Hoshin Planning, but in all cases, Boisvert creates a useful point of departure for practitioners to craft their own best solution."
    —Mike Cowley, coauthor of Beyond Strategic Vision: Effective Corporate Action with Hoshin Planning