Execution and excellence

How many of your organization’s strategies, projects and initiatives are being met with a strong sense of urgency and dedication – and executed with success?

Business strategist, author and speaker John Spence says his research shows most organizations only successfully “execute about 10 to 15 percent of their strategy.” That eye-opening statistic is a bit disappointing. If your organization (or mine) has trouble successfully implementing every good project and initiative, Spence’s “nine steps for effective execution” may help. Here are just a few:

1. Tie execution into the vision and values of the organization.
2. Focus the organization on a few key strategies to execute.
3. A guiding coalition of key leaders must demonstrate personal commitment to being living examples of disciplined execution.
4. It is essential that all of the major strategies and objectives of the organization be fully aligned. When priorities are confusing or at odds, it leads to failure.

The rest of these nine steps are worth the read.

Spence’s final words: “A lot of people ‘know’ what they need to do to make their organization more successful … but it is a precious few that possess the discipline to take those great ideas … and turn them into positive action on a daily basis.”