Here’s one secret to success. Once you know what to do, get to it and get it done.

As close as I can tell, business success (ok – any kind of success) requires these two steps.

Decide what to do.
And then, do it well.

You can use lots of fancy vocabulary for this process, like:

Strategic Thinking
Strategic Planning
Execution

But it always boils down to this:

Decide what to do.
And then, do it well.

Once you decide what to do, you can focus on that – and not focus on anything else.

My job includes reading books in order to prepare a synopsis of that book. Sometimes I really agonize over “what book to choose” next. But once I’ve selected the title, then my job is easy because I now know what to do.  

I have to read the book.
I have to prepare the synopsis.

Decide + do…

Dan Weston (certified Gazelle’s coach) has put me onto the new book by Patrick Thean, Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth. Mr. Thean has come up with a really simple formula – simple to grasp, but demanding when it comes to putting into practice. He says that successful companies have to implement 3 Key Rhythms to Execute Well. From his book:

#1 — Think Rhythm: a rhythm of strategic thinking to create focus for the future of your business.
#2 – Plan Rhythm: a rhythm of execution planning to let all teams and individuals know what they are supposed to do.
#3 – Do Rhythm: A rhythm of doing the work to keep the plan on track.

Think — Plan — Do.

Maybe new or different words, but a good, quickly graspable vocabulary.

To succeed you have to

Decide what to do.
(Plan how you will do it)
And then, do it well.

Think — Plan — Do

Simple, isn’t it?

But plenty of folks leading and working in companies, and on projects, and on programs, sure do seem to get it wrong…

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Gazelle’s Systems, through their coaching, tools, and software, is using this “rhythm” approach to help take companies to a higher level of success.  This image comes from their web site.