Manage This - The Project Management Podcast Episode 230 – Hoshin Kanri: Delivering Continuous Improvement
Aug 4, 2025
Mark Reich, a Lean management and strategy expert with 23 years at Toyota, discusses the transformative power of Hoshin Kanri. He explains how this strategic management system aligns organizational goals and enhances execution. Mark highlights challenges like misalignment and siloed metrics that disrupt progress. He shares insights on applying Hoshin beyond manufacturing, with success stories from various industries. Emphasizing leadership development, he encourages starting small to build momentum for broader adoption.
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Toyota Roots And Career Path
- Mark Reich worked 23 years at Toyota and ran North American Hoshin Kanri for corporate strategy.
- He later joined the Lean Enterprise Institute to coach lean transformations across industries.
Turn Vision Into Annual Focus
- Break long-term vision into three to five annual objectives and turn them into actionable plans at each level.
- Use PDCA: plan, do, check, act to execute, reflect, and adjust yearly.
Vision Without Mechanism Fails
- Many organizations have vision statements that sit unused in slides or posters without a management system.
- Hoshin Kanri provides the deliberate mechanism needed to convert vision into action and alignment.
