“Execution is the great unaddressed issue in the business world today. Its
absence is the single biggest obstacle to success and the cause of most of the
disappointments that are mistakenly attributed to other causes.” ― Ram
Charan, author of What the CEO Wants You to Know and Boards that Work.
In the year 2000 alone, forty CEOs of the top 200 companies on Fortune’s 500 list were removed – fired or made to resign. When 20 percent of the most powerful business leaders lose their jobs, something is clearly wrong.
Leaders make big promises… and then there are big gaps in what their
organizations actually deliver. They have problems with accountability– people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do.
Execution is something nobody has explained satisfactorily. Execution is not
just tactic—it is a discipline and a system. It has to be built into a company’s
strategy, its goals, and its culture. And the leader of the organization must be
deeply engaged in it.
“Many people regard execution as detail work that’s beneath the dignity of a
business leader. That’s wrong … it’s a leader’s most important job.” ― Larry
Bossidy, former chairman and CEO, Honeywell International
The heart of execution lies in the three core processes: the people process, the strategy process and the operations process. Every business uses these processes in one form or the other. Typically, the CEO and his senior leadership team allot less than half a day each year to review the plans – people, strategy, and operations. Typically, too, the reviews are not
particularly interactive. People sit passively and watch PowerPoint presentations.
The full 2,000-word article discusses these concepts:
Execution Questions
3 Core Processes: People, Strategy & Operations
Robust Dialogue
Emotional Fortitude
4 Core Qualities
Execution Is the Main Job
The Leader’s 7 Essential Behaviors
3 Keys to Effective Execution
Resources
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