What are you going to do to keep from Executing?

"Our research shows that 85% of all businesses
never execute their plans."

 - Harvard Business School

I woke up this morning thinking about this quote above. I see it every day in my coaching practice, and experienced it my whole career in corporate America when I held positions in 3 international corporations. I have come to realize that this is the biggest problem in business.

Businesses large and small share this inability to follow through and execute. We know what things we need to do to make the company better, but we just can't seem to execute them.

"The companies that understand, plan and execute their strategies and tactics and win. Period."

So why is it so hard to execute?

1.    It is not because we don't want to.

2.    It is not because we know deep in our hearts that it will ensure our success.

3.    It is not that we know we don't need to.

4.    It is not that we don't know what it is we need to execute.(We think so many things have to be done, we overload everyone's plate and it is overwhelming thus little if any get done.)

So why is this so hard?

Well ask yourself "What is it I really want to happen and then what will I do to keep from getting it?"

This is not a typo. From my experience I believe we are doing the following and it keeps us from executing:

1. I will avoid adopting a process to ensure companywide execution.
2. The urgent, little fires need to be put out immediately.
3. I have to do it all. Every minute of every day, I will be in reactionary mode. Thus we "think" there is no time for coaching, planning and following up.
4. We "manage" everyone with our "expectations" vs. coaching them and using agreements

What's the answer then?

1.    A process to lead the business - a one page plan with a workable number of priority Actions/Projects.

2.    Assign accountability of each Action/Project to one person and get agreement from that person they can complete the project and the help they need to do it.

3.    Complete a dashboard for everyone with their Action/Projects on it (no more than 2 per person per quarter).

4.    Hold no cut 20 minute huddles every week where those dashboards are updated and reviewed. No forgetting, no pointing fingers, just subtle but consistent follow up and peer review of everyone's progress week to week.

Video on dashboards and sample dashboard template. 

This whole process for your direct reports will require 1 hour every week (30 minutes to prepare and 20 to conduct the Huddle). I can guarantee this 1 hour invested in execution will be the most profitable hour you can ever spend.

If you want to get your company into the elite 15% that execute, take it to the next level and win, then follow the recipe above.

Or continue to be in the 85% of companies that can't execute and keep doing what you're doing, but try to do it harder and see if the results are not the same.

The other thing I have discovered is that only 10-15% of leaders/owners can do this on their own. They fall back into the old habits, they don't execute the execution plan.

For the other 85-90% of us we need, and should want, a coach. Someone to implement and train on the process and then work with you over a period of time to ensure it is being followed. We all need to be accountable and most small business people are accountable to no one.

There are lots of good coaches out there - it is a strength to reach out for help. Are you strong enough to do it?

Regards,

Rick