Jaded Julie Begins to Learn about Hoshin Kanri Planning

“I’m sorry, Jaded Julie, but we’re going to have to deviate from our Lean transformation theme. The new topic is Hoshin Kanri Planning.”

“That’s okay, Curmudge. As Yogi Berra said, ‘If you come to a fork in the road, take it.’ But it sounds as if I’m going to have to learn two new Japanese words. You know that I’m not very good at foreign languages.”

“There’s nothing to fear, Julie. There are only two Japanese words that we’ll be learning; everything else is in English. Besides, every trade and profession has its own language. You have already learned the language of nursing. If someone says ‘Foley catheter’ to you, you immediately know what they mean. Those words mean nothing to the average person on the street, and those folks who recognize them simply shudder.”

“So you’re saying that learning Hoshin Kanri is essentially the same as learning a foreign language or the specialized English vocabulary of a profession?”

“Exactly. Learn the most essential words and the rules for their usage; then practice, practice, practice. Soon you’ll be thinking in Hoshin Kanri.”

“I’m shivering with anticipation. By the way, Curmudge, why are we doing this?”

“Every corporation needs to plan how it will improve its performance. Affinity has determined that Hoshin Kanri is the best planning process. It can be translated as policy deployment, goal deployment, or policy management, but Affinity has adopted the Japanese terms. In this process, the leadership team identifies goals for the corporation, develops strategies for achieving the goals, and then specifies essential achievements needed to further the strategies. In this context, the essential achievements are called ‘hoshins’. Sorry about the additional Japanese, but it’s just a rule of the game—sort of like learning to roll your ‘r’s to be understood in a foreign country.”

“It seems reasonable so far, but it sounds as if it involves only management. So why do I have to learn this?”

“You’re right in that the folks most directly involved with Hoshin Kanri are those from top management on down to directors and managers. But you might be called on to help. As I’ll point out later, Hoshin Kanri will permeate all of Affinity; and you will want to understand what is going on around you. Furthermore, achieving a Lean transformation is one of our corporate strategies. Hoshin Kanri is the means by which the Lean transformation that you have been studying will be accomplished.”

“So it will relate to me. I was about to lose interest. Proceed, Curmudge, but go slowly.”

“Let’s wrap up this session by mentioning that the business units—each hospital, Affinity Medical Group, etc.—commit to hoshins (remember—essential achievements) that further the corporate strategies that are within their purview. They also develop their own business unit strategies and hoshins. The result of this is that everyone is focused long term on achieving the corporate goals.”

“Whew! Are we finished for the day?”

“Yes. We’ll tackle more Hoshin Kanri Planning next time. Meanwhile, think how easy it was to learn the special terminology of sports, like ’first down’ and ‘offside’ in football…”

“…and throwing a ‘Hail Mary’ pass from your own 10-yard line.”

“You’ve got the idea, Julie. And I’ll make sure that learning Hoshin Kanri is not ‘unnecessary roughness’.”

Affinity’s Kaizen Curmudgeon