The catchball
is an important part of any planning process, but it is something that is all
too often just glossed over. When done properly the catchball encourages
leadership and team members to dialogue about a particular topic in an
efficient and productive manner. It can help to break down the walls which are
all too often placed between management and the team members, and it can
also help meetings progress much more smoothly.

1. Establish a Strategic Vision. At a leadership level, the
   organization needs a strategic vision. This may be considered the
   organization’s “true north,” one interpretation of the words hoshin kanri.
   Along with the vision, establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that
   will be used to track progress toward the vision, with specific targets in
   a limited number of areas. These overarching metrics are often reported on
   the organization’s balanced scorecard, which is generally monitored and
   addressed on a monthly basis.
2. Communicate. As with all continuous
   improvement efforts, Hoshin Kanri implementation starts with communication
   within the team of the vision and intent along with training as needed on
   concepts and tools. The idea of catchball communications is pretty simple,
   but may be quite novel in typical hierarchical organizations that utilize
   primarily top-down directions. Catchball starts by ensuring the strategic
   vision is understood and deemed achievable throughout the organization.
3. Understand the Current State. Another important element of
   Hoshin Kanri is having a clear understanding of the current state.
   Comparing this to the strategic vision helps to identify various gaps.
   Using the catchball process, the team identifies tactical plans aligned
   with the strategy and executes actions to close the gaps.
4. Prioritize. Typically, organizations find
   they want to achieve more than is possible with the people, resources, and
   money they have available. Rather than setting unrealistic top-down
   expectations, the catchball process is ideal for deciding upon and
   communicating priorities in a way that considers both the organization’s
   needs and capabilities.
5. Get Engagement. Make sure that everyone who
   participates in, contributes ideas to, and leads continuous improvement
   has the opportunity to engage in the catchball process. In other words,
   help the entire workforce to become engaged. While shopfloor input might
   not be elevated in a typical organization, catchball collects and
   synergizes valuable ideas from anywhere and everywhere.
6. Utilize Evidence. The catchball process uses
   fact-based communications. Real-time process performance monitoring is
   made visible, identifying needs for attention or reinforcement. At the
   overarching level, key performance indicators show how the gap closure
   activities are adding up to make progress toward the strategic objectives.

1. Don’t Create a New Strategy Each
   Year. Once
   the Hoshin Kanri process has been implemented and a strategic plan has
   been established, it should become the foundation for regular review and
   updates. Instead of using just an annual planning cycle that creates a
   one-time budget, catchball keeps an ongoing process of gap closure toward
   strategic objectives alive at all times.
2. Don’t Layer on Unachievable Top-Down
   Goals. The
   whole point of catchball is to share communications, solicit input,
   establish trust throughout the organization, create agreement and
   commitment to plans, and to implement and monitor progress. If business
   pressures force top management to arbitrarily impose new financial or
   other requirements, the system collapses.
3. Don’t Rush. Allow plenty of time in the
   catchball process for people to digest and respond to input they have
   received from others. Include enough back-and-forth iterations to ensure
   understanding is developed and consensus is achieved.
4. Don’t Ignore Real-Time Issues. While your team is engaged in
   the important activities of setting long-term strategy and defining tactical
   plans, day-to-day business must obviously be attended to. At times,
   current issues might trigger a need to revisit the strategic vision. For
   example, if planned activities are not delivering results, if technology
   or other breakthrough changes trigger market shifts, or if new
   opportunities become evident, the catchball process helps to identify what
   needs to change, rather than waiting for an annual budgeting or planning
   review.
5. Don’t Get Too Hung Up on
   Nomenclature. Hoshin
   Kanri is simply Japanese for “policy management,” but it is and sounds
   like an odd term to most folks. Even “catchball” is not commonly used in
   English. If your team is more comfortable calling the process strategy
   deployment, policy management, or some other more comfortable name, it’s
   okay to adopt that name instead. Nevertheless, share the vision and
   process and use the up-and-down communications of the proven catchball
   Hoshin Kanri approach. Having an ongoing integrated drive toward strategic
   and tactical objectives with high levels of engagement throughout the
   organization will be useful regardless of whatever name you give it.

The ultimate benefit of Hoshin planning is that it helps organizations to eliminate the disconnects and resulting miscommunications that often happens as a result of strategic plans being made at the C-level without consideration as to how those plans will be executed across the organization. Because the consensus and buy-in are emphasized from the start, a feeling of ownership is fostered across the organization. Your company operates as a “united front” and your key priorities become personal agendas of employees.