Planning and execution is one process. Many MDs and their managers tend to view these two elements as separate processes. The focused execution of plans is normally neglected. Managers, in the aftermath of a planning workshop, tend to return to their daily routines with a bang. They focus on the daily grind of dealing with the crises of the day and with urgent but not necessarily important issues.
During the strategy workshops develop a Strategy of Execution - and put a process of execution immediately into place, that is, within days.
Do not let your planning effort and budget go to waste. If execution processes do not become part of the culture of your company, know that most of your effort and the resulting plans will dissipate into nothingness.
"Execution is not just tactics - it is a discipline and a system".
"Execution is the greatest unaddressed business issue in the 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" to quote Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. (Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done.)
Bossidy and Charan urge that execution "...be built into a company's strategy, its goals, and its culture. And the leader of the organization must be deeply engaged in it. The failure (of business leaders) to understand and practice execution negates the value of almost all they learn and preach. Such leaders are building houses without foundations."
Execution in a much-ignored topic - in theory and in practice. Give thorough attention to it.'
ABPLAN's structure of collaboration
A vitally important step in ensuring that ABPLAN's Built for Results Programme produces results, is to agree on a joint structure of collaboration. The consultant/client agreement that will spell out the understanding between ABPLAN and our client needs to be supported by a clear understanding of what actions are needed monthly, weekly and daily from the consultant, from the client and jointly. An addendum clearly lists specific workshops, sessions, follow-up coaching, phone and Skype calls and the anticipated frequency of each type of communication each month.
Successful clients who wish to generate impressive results establish a healthy and productive partnership relationship with the consultant. This partnership is nourished by a pattern of frequent communication, the completion of work and study assignments, thorough execution, by tracing progress by means of agreed-upon measures and by furnishing progress reports to each other.
The results of the Built for Results Programme are directly tied to the client's ability to execute in a dedicated manner with ABPLAN's support. New patterns of thinking and doing have to be put into place. This requires practice, practise and yet more practice.
ABPLAN urges its clients to take note of the topics listed below and of their content.
leading change
Many clients to their surprise discover that participation in a Scenario Conversation is the start of a serious process of change. Change needs to be lead and managed. Creating a sense of urgency and maintaining true urgency (as opposed to false urgency) is crucial for the execution process to succeed leading change
execution of plans
Many well-considered strategies and carefully-crafted plans fail as companies do not execute methodically. We coach our clients to develop new routines of communication, of meetings, of holding workshops and of following through ...execution of plans
execution as strategy
You and your team are urged to decide on a set of implementation steps. Then you need to commit to actually start doing things in a new manner. Your next Monday must be different from your last Monday ...execution of strategy
effective execution
Install and institutionalise an implementation process and evaluate periodically how effective you are with each component of this process ...effective execution
performance measures
Measurement data tells you what is happening. Measurement is essential. Develop a few simple measures and hold everyone accountable to perform against measures ..performance measures
collaborative web sites for execution
New Web tools make it possible to cut down on meetings and travelling and be more productive than ever before. Collaboration tools such as wikis further meaningful communication and effective teamwork. It does take a specific mindset and discipline to use a wiki professionally ...collaborative websites
Last modified: 16-11-2011