17 Apr 5 rules to making Execution a Strategy

The Rules of Execution

As business leaders, we think big. We see things holistically and at the macro level. We come up with brilliant ideas then pour our hearts and souls into planning and strategizing our vision. All of these skills are critical for success……but, results matter.
So, why is it that so many leaders fail when it comes to consistent and effective execution?

Yes, we’re busy. We’ve got our hands in every aspect of our business – strategy, development, managing and directing teams, closing deals and putting out fires. It seems like we’re accomplishing a lot, but we aren’t actually getting ahead.
Fortunately, there are some basic principles that you can follow to set yourself up to achieve more in the next two months than you have in the last year:

Focus on less to achieve more – you can’t improve or achieve everything at once. The truth is that not everything is urgent. You’ve got to stay focused on the top one to two priorities and tackle those with 100% effort before you can move on and accomplish more.

Delegate and trust – everyone’s got ideas and some of the best ideas come from team members who feel empowered to get creative on their own. Let other’s showcase their strengths and give them the breathing room to use their talent with no restrictions. Magical things can happen there.

Eliminate bottlenecks – across your staff, ensure that everyone’s goals complement each other, but allow them to do things the way that works best for them. Don’t stifle excellence by holding out for perfection. Keep things flowing by setting realistic expectations and by letting people engage in the way that works best for them.

Shared accountability – interestingly, when people are accountable to their peers vs their superiors, they’re more likely to produce. It becomes personal rather than just professional. The team is accountable to itself, not just to you.

Learn to say “no” – to new ideas, new strategies, new anything. Without focus, you cannot succeed. Set aside discreet amounts of time each week to evaluate new ideas and proposals, but spend the majority of your time on what you’ve got lined up to accomplish. Constantly chasing shiny objects is why most businesses don’t produce.

Develop an execution scorecard – once you’ve defined your most critical goals and what it’s going to take to achieve them, let your team manage the scorecard and track progress. People play the game differently when they’re keeping score instead of you keeping score for them. Make it compelling so they’re motivated to win.

Set a date and follow through – everyone involved in your project should have deadlines, including yourself. Respect your team’s time by making decisions on your own objectives in a timely fashion. Show them that you can execute on time and they will be more likely to do so as well.

Which of these principles can you execute today? Let us help.