In This Week’s Issue:
Get Realistic to Achieve Execution

How many times have you been sitting in a planning session, gotten mentally lazy, and just assumed the data supporting a department or business unit plan is correct. For that matter, how often do we become passive and not ask the hard questions about any opportunity or problem presented to us? If you want people to execute, you have to take responsibility to bring realism into the process.

What is execution? Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, in the #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done, define execution as "a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability." I have found over the 30 plus years in the business world, managers have difficulty being realistic. We assume if it happened in the past, it will happen again. This is particularly true when putting together budgets or forecast. Invariably, there is a tendency to start with prior information and build from there instead of a zero-based approach. If you're going to be affective, you've got to ask the tough questions.

There is nothing wrong with having a robust dialogue in searching out the facts. You do yourself and the company an injustice if you don't question your managers or reports on the facts and assumption made in getting to the realities of the business situation. During my staff meetings, I would intentionally ask tough questions to see how the staff would respond. If there was a lack of confidence in the response or it appeared they hadn't done their homework, I would ask more questions. Also, watching body language, seeing nervousness always was a red flag causing me to explore the situation in more detail. There were many times my reports would ask to table the issue until they could get more information. Remember, it's your job to be objective, making sure the best decisions possible are made.

How do you expect to get results if you don't hold people accountable? Time and time again, I hear management question why the company is not getting the results planned. When you take a close look at the planning systems and processes, it becomes obvious. In most cases, top management does not allow or insist upon manager buy-in; there is no measurable way to get accountability; and managers' rewards are not tied to execution and results. Frequently, the incentive programs are focused on rewarding the individual for results other than the critical results necessary to achieve the corporate goals.

One of management's biggest faults to assure results, is the lack of follow-through. Usually, top management spends a great deal of time during the planning process, putting a sound strategic plan together. In many cases, they also make sure the company's initiatives are cascaded to all levels. What they frequently don't do is spend time following up with managers making sure they are on target; have the necessary resources; and have adequate support and assistance to get the job done. You can't go through the planning process and then turn your back and expect the system to execute. Execution is the job of the business leader. It is part of your day-to-day job to follow up, making sure every manager is accountable, in order to get the right kind of planned results.

Good managers bring business weaknesses to light. In the book, Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Larry Bossidy talks about leaders who excel at execution, immerse themselves in the substance of execution, and even some of the details. This is what you have to do if you want to assure execution in your company, business unit, or department. Don't take anything for granted. In today's global business environment, situations change so fast that what you might rely on yesterday may not be the case today. Probing and asking hard realistic questions will develop better managers. They will know you won't take anything for granted and will, themselves, start asking hard realistic questions.

The One Page Planning and Performance System®

• What’s It Worth To Have Your Management Team Aligned With The Company’s Goals and Plans?
• Do You Have A Way To Hold Your Managers Accountable If They Don’t Produce Expected Results?
• How Do You Implement Your Vision and Mission Throughout Every Level of the Organization?

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