Getting the Right Things Done: A Leader's Guide to Planning and Execution (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jim Womack (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For companies to be competitive, leaders must engage people at all levels to focus their energy and enable them to apply lean principles to everything they do. Strategy deployment, called hoshin kanri by Toyota, has proven to be the most effective process for meeting this ongoing challenge. In Getting the Right Things Done, Pascal Dennis outlines the nuts and bolts of strategy deployment, answering two tough questions that ultimately can make or break a lean transformation: What kind of planning system is required to inspire meaningful company-wide continuous improvement? How might we change existing mental models that do not support a culture of continuous improvement? Getting the Right Things Done tells the story of a fictional midsized company, Atlas Industries, that needs to dramatically improve to compete with emerging rivals and meet new customer demands. While Atlas had already applied some basic lean principles, it had not really connected the people and business processes so that the company could dramatically improve. Something was missing: a way of focusing and aligning the efforts of good people, and a delivery system, something that would direct the tools to the right places. The book provides readers with a framework for understanding the key components of strategy deployment: agreeing on True North for the company, working within the PDCA cycle, getting consensus through catchball, the deployment leader concept, and A3 thinking. It links action to theory and reminds us that lean tools are only the means to an end, not ends in themselves. It takes a step-by-step instructional approach to the strategy deployment process. Through this unique combination, Getting the Right Things Done balances the human and technical dimensions of making strategy deployment a vital part of the daily culture of any company.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Lean Enterprise Institute; 1 edition (January 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976315262
• ISBN-13: 978-0976315261
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,469 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strategy Deployment Simplified, May 8, 2007

By	Craig Henderson (Ft. Wayne, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pascal Dennis covers the basics of strategy deployment extremely well. He explains the concepts, methods and tactics used by Toyota to maximize improvement. His extremely practical description of strategies "as stories that engage" and his clear explanations of similar concepts make the complex subject matter accessible to everyone. The book is easy to read and the words he uses are very effective. For example, when he explains how "translation" makes strategies "real" to employees at every level of an organization or when he describes the "Catchball" process as a "scrubbing" process where teams "toss ideas back and forth" to create plans that are realistic and acheivable. Mr. Dennis is a former Toyota employee and accomplished author. I find his advice highly credible and recommended his book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Clear and Concise Introduction to Strategy Deployment, April 13, 2007

By	Mr. Ross Maynard (Glasgow, Scotland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In "Getting the Right Things Done" Pascal Dennis offers an introduction to Strategy Deployment (Hoshin Kanri). The book is written as a "novel" with plenty of information sidebars. It is clear and easy to read (a feature of Mr Dennis' books) - a brilliant introduction for the beginner. What is more, the book is packed with example "A3" strategy and action plans to give you a real feel for the system (with blank copies available to download). Interestingly, and in contrast to a number of lean consultants I know, Dennis suggests leaving organising into Value Streams until after the framework of Strategy Deployment is successfully implemented. This is to get people used to the PDCA structure before the upheaval of reorganisation, I guess. Not a bad approach, though, to my mind, Value Stream mapping and other tools will also provide lots of valuable input to the Strategy Deployment process, even if people aren't yet formally grouped into Value Streams.

Nevertheless, this book provides the ideal introduction to Hoshin Kanri in a clear, straightforward and readable manner. It is suitable for beginners at all levels in the organisation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book - very practical & powerful!, December 8, 2007

By	George Bernwanger (Nanjing, China) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After reading this book I got a lot of great ideas to plan next year's goals & also improve my overall department's effectiveness.