{On April 5, 2013, we will celebrate the 15^th Anniversary of the First Friday Book Synopsis, and begin our 16^th year.  During March, I will post a blog post per day remembering key insights from some of the books I have presented over the 15 years of the First Friday Book Synopsis.  We have met every first Friday of every month since April, 1998 (except for a couple of weather –related cancellations).  These posts will focus only on books I have presented.  My colleague, Karl Krayer, also presented his synopses of business books at each of these gatherings.  I am going in chronological order, from April, 1998, forward.  The fastest way to check on these posts will be at Randy’s blog entries — though there will be some additional blog posts interspersed among these 30.}
Post #10 of 30

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Synopsis presented September, 2002
Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, Charles Buck (Contributor). (Crown Publishing, 2002).

Successful individuals know what they intend to do, and then they put systems in place to make sure that those things get done.

Successful companies and organizations know what they intend to do, and then they put systems in place to make sure that those things get done.

Put these two challenges in the broad category of “strategy + execution.”

2002 was my year to tackle the execution end of this challenge, for individuals and organizations.  In the same year, I presented synopses of Getting Things Done for the individual “execution” challenge (which I posted about yesterday), and later in the year I presented Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan for the organizational “execution” challenge.

One of the realities I notice in business writing is that there are some new ideas, and then there are some old ideas that are given new vocabulary, and added meaning.  Execution is not a new idea.  It just may be a new word for our modern business vocabulary, and a new grasping of the challenges of delivering on a plan.

Last night, I watched the 1977 movie, MacArthur, starring Gregory Peck.  There were plenty of examples of planning-plus-execution.  General MacArthur would stand at a map, and describe what the plan should be.  And then, he and his troops either would, or would not, deliver/follow through on that plan.

I remember presenting a synopsis of The Mary Kay Way by Mary Kay Ash.  She was one smart business woman, and though she did not use the word “execution,” she certainly captured the necessity of execution.  Her term was “follow-through,” a simple and terrific term. Here’s what she wrote:

The task is much simpler if you learn how to research, organize, prepare, and practice…  Over the years, I have observed that those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else.  It’s the people who follow-through who excel.  This is true in all walks of life – in business, sports, and the arts.  I see it constantly in the sales field. 
and
Be A Follow-Through Person
• nothing great is ever accomplished without follow-through
• the best kind of follow-though is immediate
• never make a promise you can’t keep (false hope is destructive)
• follow-through requires discipline and planning

In this book, Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Mr. Bossidy and Mr. Charan put it simply:

Many people regard execution as detail work that’s beneath the dignity of a business leader.  That’s wrong. To the contrary, it’s a leader’s most important work.
Putting an execution environment in place is hard, but losing it is easy.
When a company executes, its people are not victims…  When a company executes well, its people are not brought to their knees by changes in the business environment. 
Execution is not just tactics – 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.  He cannot delegate its substance. 

So, what is execution?  From the book:

Execution is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability.  It includes making assumptions about the business environment, assessing the organization’s capabilities, linking strategy to operations and the people who are going to implement the strategy, synchronizing those people and their various disciplines, and linking rewards to outcomes.  It also includes mechanisms for changing assumptions as the environment changes and upgrading the company’s capabilities to meet the challenges of an ambitious strategy. 
In its most fundamental sense, execution is a systematic way of exposing reality and acting on it. 

And, there is no execution without conversation – genuine two-way conversation/communication – “dialogue.”  Again, from the book:

Only the leader can set the tone of the dialogue in the organization.  Dialogue is the core of culture and the basic unit of work.  How people talk to each other absolutely determines how well the organization will function. 

And, execution has to be built into the very design of the organization:

The leader who executes assembles an architecture of execution.   He puts in place a culture and processes for executing, promoting people who get things done more quickly and giving them greater rewards. 

Building on some of the same themes that crop up in book after book (Jim Collins is one of many that come to mind), execution requires the right people doing the right things at the right time…

Organizations don’t execute unless the right people, individually and collectively, focus on the right details at the right time. 
and
They don’t ask the most important question:  How good is this person at getting things done?
If you want to build a company that has excellent discipline of execution, you have to select the doer. 
and
Leaders should spend 40% of their time and emotional energy in selecting, appraising, and developing people. 

And, you simply cannot fake it.  You either execute, or you don’t.

Realism is the heart of execution, but many organizations are full of people who are trying to avoid or shade reality…  Nobody wants to be the messenger who gets shot or the troublemaker who challenges the authority of her superiors. 
How do you make realism a priority?  You start by being realistic yourself.

And, no one person, and no one organization, can execute with genuine mastery in too many areas at once.   (This reminds me of Steve Jobs, and his ability to focus on very few things at Apple).

A leader who says “I’ve got ten priorities” doesn’t know what he’s talking about – he doesn’t know what the most important things are. 

And, as always, it requires paying attention over the long haul:

It’s the consistency of practice that develops expertise… 

Here are a few of the key points I emphasized in my synopsis of this book:

• To understand execution, keep three things in mind…
1)  Execution is a discipline, and integral to strategy.
2)  Execution is the major job of the business leader.
3)  Execution must be a core element of an organization’s culture.

Remember what is execution?  “In its most fundamental sense, execution is a systematic way of exposing reality and acting on it.”

• The three core processes of execution:
1)  The people process.
2)  The strategy process.
3)  The operations process.

Execution is akin to six sigma processes for continual improvement.  Leaders look for deviations from desired tolerances. 

And, a warning:

Beware of the CEO who is in total denial!

When you think about this, it is simple.  Not easy, but simple.
Decide to do the right things (have an in-demand product or service).  Then, find the right people to deliver those products or services…with perpetual improvement, with this year’s model (these days, this “week’s” model) better than last year’s model.

Plan, then execute.  There is no other path to success.