Key Takeaways:

• The Universal Challenge: Learn why many B2B companies, regardless of size, struggle to align their high-level strategy with day-to-day operations and achieve desired outcomes.

• Hoshin Kanri Explained: Discover Toyota's powerful, yet often unknown, management system for defining, aligning, executing, and continuously improving strategic objectives.

• Beyond Accountability: Understand how Hoshin Kanri cultivates a true sense of responsibility across all levels of the organization, breaking down silos and fostering shared ownership.

• The Power of Introspection: Explore why leaders must embrace self-reflection and a "situational approach" to effectively implement strategic change and drive sustained improvement.

• Actionable Steps: Get practical insights into how to use methodologies and tools, including the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and A3 thinking, to bridge your own strategy-execution gap.

🤔 Are your B2B strategies collecting dust instead of driving results? Join Justin Starbird of Aebli Group as he sits down with Mark Reich from the Lean Enterprise Institute, a former Toyota executive and author of "Managing on Purpose," to tackle one of the most persistent challenges for business leaders: bridging the gap between strategic vision and operational reality.

In this insightful episode, Mark draws on over two decades of experience at Toyota to reveal the transformative power of Hoshin Kanri. Often overlooked in Western business, this proven management system is Toyota's secret to:

• Defining clear mid-term and long-term objectives and targets.

• Building vertical and horizontal alignment throughout the entire organization, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same strategic direction.

• Rigorously managing annual execution to achieve those defined goals.

• Developing the capability of people at all levels, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and shared responsibility rather than mere accountability.

Mark shares candid observations from his work with diverse industries, from healthcare and construction to manufacturing and software, highlighting how the struggle with strategy execution is universal. He emphasizes the critical need for a situational approach to implementation, understanding your organization's unique current state before charting its future.

This discussion is a must-listen for any business leader seeking practical, actionable advice to:

• Overcome organizational silos.

• Foster true responsibility within their teams.

• Embrace introspection and structured self-reflection to improve organizational functioning.

• Sustain improvements and ensure strategic initiatives translate into tangible success.

Mark also guides listeners on how his workbook, "Managing on Purpose," serves as a practical guide for implementing Hoshin Kanri, utilizing a compelling case study and actionable templates. Learn how to access free resources on lean thinking and practice through the Lean Enterprise Institute's website, lean.org.