Getting things done: The discipline of execution

Although many would agree that a compelling vision and a good strategy are keys to business success, without proper implementation and execution, however, they are meaningless. But how do we ensure effective execution? Is it enough to list our tactics and then delegate?

We asked Jun Famatigan, our resource person on leadership and self-mastery, for his thoughts and tips on getting things done.

At the heart of execution are three core processes—people, strategy and operations. Strategy must take into account the operational capability of the organization to execute. The strategy defines where the business wants to go and the people process defines who’s going to get it there. The operating plan provides the path for those people. The three must be linked together.

Here are other tips to consider:

You must know your people and your business. Execution is not micromanaging but rather being actively involved. You must have a personal connection with the members of your team because quality is hard to have if people do not speak up to surface issues.

There are two harmful forces to watch out for—passive agreement and passive resistance—and the only way to know is when people trust you enough that they can be vulnerable and speak up openly. Timely and helpful intervention is possible only if you know the important moving parts of the business.

Insist on realism. Do not deny the existence of a problem or sugarcoat a weakness or hide mistakes. Realism leads to problem recognition which leads to corrective action. Conversely, be wary of overstating strengths. It is not about limiting your assessment to how well you have done versus last year but comparing your performance to that of your competitors. High tide floats all boats, after all.

A critical question is, “What are we doing right and what are we doing wrong?” Remember that progress comes from dissatisfaction and contentment is the enemy of improvement.

Follow through.  Trust but verify. There must be follow-through meetings where people are held to account versus agreed upon action steps and milestones. This is to avoid slippages. Milestones should be placed closer together. Reinforce good work done and call out and correct deviations from the agreed plan.

Get the right people in the right place and reward the doers. This is often the most important decision a leader makes. A doer is a person who gets things done. There is almost zero chance of success if you don’t get this right.

Recall that vision paints the future. Strategy points the way. Execution makes it real.

Famatigan will conduct a course titled “Getting Things Done: The Power of Execution” on Dec. 13.

The Inquirer Academy is at 4168 Don Chino Roces Ave. corner Ponte St., Makati City. For more information about the workshops or if you would like to add your input on the article, you may email [email protected], call (632) 834-1557 or 771-2715 and look for Jerald Miguel.