ToC Creates a Vibrant Organization and Succession Succeeds. - Taidaikai Medical Corporation -

Amid the challenging era of regional healthcare and welfare, how do we advance Taidaikai's succession?

Taidaikai Medical Corporation (Machida City, Tokyo) provides regional healthcare and community welfare. With the transition to a new chairperson, the second-generation leader, it requested the introduction of a Theory of Change (ToC) in 2021, saying it wanted to 'clarify the management thinking unique to Taidaikai.'

In the Showa era, when the founding chairperson was active, population growth and high economic growth were tailwinds. In the Reiwa era, however, regional healthcare and welfare face difficult times. Under the question 'how do we advance the succession while users, local residents, and Taidaikai staff all face challenges?', ToC creation workshops (WS) were held at regular monthly meetings, in principle twice a month, from December 2021 to December 2022.

Articulating 'what Taidaikai aspires to be' (its purpose)

The regular meetings were held online via Zoom for about two hours in the evening, after the busy weekday work of roughly ten senior managers who oversee Taidaikai's many sites across Machida. Although I joined remotely, as facilitator I focused on creating a safe and forward-looking space.

Using the ToC workshops as a kind of management coaching time, participants gradually began speaking candidly with one another, and the articulation of 'what Taidaikai aspires to be' and 'our purpose (raison d'être)' progressed.

The regular meetings took about a year, and the vision phrases 'Ikiiki Chiiki' and 'Caring for a whole life. Staying close through a whole life.' were born. Without commissioning an external copywriter, they arose naturally from Taidaikai's own staff, and a sense of 'this is it!' filled the room.

The second-generation chairperson-designate also took part in the ToC regular meetings throughout. Gradually, he shared his own management and medical philosophy, and began to deliver a top message. This was a very important moment. His top message became the core concept of the ToC, and I came to feel that 'a ToC is effective for succession.'

Staff were also briefed on the ToC from the early stages of consideration, and it permeated the organization through staff training and other means.

The ToC led to a successful succession and supports daily efforts to improve operations

After the ToC was completed in words and diagrams on Miro, an online whiteboard app, it was handed over to a designer, turned into posters, and displayed in various places throughout the clinic.

Taidaikai's website was renewed. It introduces the organization as an 'Ikiiki Chiiki organization' and presents the ToC. Even the signature of its emails carries the phrase 'Caring for a whole life. Staying close through a whole life.' In other words, the ToC has been fully used to rebuild the organization's brand.

Please see the vision message from the chairperson and the ToC page introduced on Taidaikai's website.

With the ToC establishing the core ideas of management, the invisible assets of the community and of Taidaikai (intangible assets) became words and diagrams, and a consistent brand was realized.

After the ToC was completed, I visited the clinic in Machida and joined management training.

Alignment of hearts across the organization has advanced further, and Taidaikai continues to strive every day to improve its operations.

Please also enjoy the smiles of the people working at Taidaikai, and its newsletter 'Osaji Tsushin'!