Driving Execution is one of my Bitesize Leadership Techniques. They are exactly what the title suggests. Short snippets of leadership tips, tools, process and ideas for you to use on a just-in-time basis. Use them as an update and to refresh your leadership professionalism. You could call it leadership in a hurry! This article is an Executive Summary of my eBook of the same name – Driving Execution –published on Amazon Kindle. If you are a subscribers to Kindle Unlimited you can borrow and read the eBook for free.
What & Why
To successfully execute a strategy you will first need to identify the key tasks, resources, people capacity, systems and processes that are required to translate the strategy into results. Secondly you will need to develop and communicate a plan that will align people, activities and processes with those requirements. Finally, your plan and its communication must not only be operationally viable, but also inspire people to achieve optimal performance.
Leaders who are strong in driving execution ensure things get done in the right order by the right people. They create a culture of accountability and exceptional performance to ensure things meet the right quality standards at the right time. Finally, leaders who are consistently successful with driving execution are adept at anticipating and overcoming difficulties to win through and deliver exceptional results.
Authors Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy, in their business best seller ‘Execution’ are quoted as saying: “Execution is a specific set of behaviours and techniques that companies need to master in order to have competitive advantage. It’s a discipline of its own”
Driving Execution is about translating strategy into operational reality and establishing systems to ensure effective implementation and delivery of business goals.
How
Here are some practical principles you can follow for Driving Execution:
Check your Understanding. Your starting point is to ensure you understand the business strategy you are charged with executing. The next dimension is to know yourself and the business values you follow. For instance, Uprightness, Constant Care and Humbleness. Finally, get to know your people.
Ensure Battle Readiness. You need to ensure capability. And that means the people and processes required are sufficient, they are functioning at an optimal level and are prepared for the demands of implementing and executing the strategy. “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” —Sun Tzu Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher.
Communicate and Involve People. Involve all the people responsible for the plan’s outcome. It’s not just you who has to be present and involved. All the people accountable for executing the plan need to help construct it. The more people you get involved in the plan, through contingency plans or projects, the more people are aware of the expectations from them, the more you all achieve.
Monitor and Measure. Set up and implement frequent performance reviews and make the data available to those most able to influence performance. After that collect, analyse and present productivity data quickly and efficiently so that those engaged can see how their performance is going and what impact decisions or actions have had on performance.
Further Reading
The LARA Leadership Learning series consists of 10 short modules published as Kindle eBooks and Paperbacks on Amazon. These modules are organised against the Leader of Others leadership competencies. If you are a subscribers to Kindle Unlimited you can read these eBook for free.
On this Blog Execution and Extreme Ownership The DIG/SET/SPIKE Principle by Richi Mock.
Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy’s business best seller ‘Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done’. See Must Reads Summary or Buy on Amazon
