Execution the Discipline of Getting Things Done

I am excited to bring you another wonderful book report from our guest reporter, Don Kardux, president of Business Navigators.

Twelve years ago Larry Bossidy and Ram Charam teamed up to create an approach to “Getting Things Done” in the world of Business.

This excellent book explains their approach and focuses on (in Part II) The Three Building Blocks of Execution and in Part II, The Three Core Processes of Execution.

They began, in part I, by establishing how important the discipline of execution is and how without execution “breakthrough thinking breaks down, learning adds no value, people don’t meet their stretch goals, and the revolution stops dead in its tracks.  What you get is change for the worse, because failure drains the energy from your organization. Repeated failure destroys it.”

They believe that the first building block is to clarify the leader’s seven Essential behaviors.

• 1.     Know your people and your business

• 2.     Insist on realism

• 3.     Set clear goals and priorities

• 4.     Follow through

• 5.     Reward the doers

• 6.     Expand people’s capabilities

• 7.     Know yourself

All of these platitudes’ are of limited value unless clearly explained and they do in a very readable way.

The second building block is to Create the framework for Cultural Change.

The third building block summarizes the job you should never delegate ‘that is, having the Right People in the right place.

These are great ideas but without the “how” pretty worthless.

The ‘how’ begins in part III starting on page 141 and now the book reveals its extraordinary value.

There are three ‘Core Processes’

• 1.     People

• 2.     Strategy

• 3.     Operations

In my view it doesn’t matter the size of your organization. What Larry and Ram have to say applies whether you have three people or three thousand.

It’s worth the read. 

For dinner it’s steak and mashed potatoes.