Execution Plain and Simple: Twelve Steps to Achieving Any Goal on Time and On Budget

Terms of Use......Page 5
Want to learn more?......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 10
Introduction......Page 12
Structure of the Book......Page 13
The Source of the Insights......Page 15
Part I Twelve Steps to Achieving Any Goal on Time and on Budget......Page 18
Design for Success......Page 20
1 Take Responsibility— Who, Me?......Page 22
Select a Case to Work On......Page 25
2 What’s That Again? Define Your Assignment—In Writing......Page 28
A Good Assignment......Page 29
Make Sure the Assignment Is Solid......Page 30
Take Time to Prepare Good Assignments......Page 31
Defining Your Assignment......Page 33
Gathering a Team......Page 38
Building a Strategy......Page 39
One-Page Summary......Page 42
Selecting and Organizing the Core Team......Page 45
Strategy Formulation......Page 46
4 Get Input and Support from Key Players; Refine the Strategy......Page 48
The Testing Process......Page 49
Strategy Testing in Practice......Page 51
Mapping......Page 54
Act with Discipline......Page 56
5 Hold a Compelling Kickoff Event to Create Momentum......Page 58
Preparation......Page 59
Planning a Launch Event......Page 66
6 Make All the Pieces Fit. Use Plans, Schedules, Budgets, and Controls......Page 68
Controls......Page 71
Data Reporting......Page 74
Pitfalls of Controls and Plans......Page 78
Long-Term Plan......Page 79
Short-Term Plan......Page 80
7 Yes, I Really Mean It. Make Demands Effectively......Page 82
Demand Making......Page 84
The Psychology of Demand Making......Page 87
The Dynamics of Demand Making......Page 88
Selecting and Defining Goals......Page 91
Establishing Expectations......Page 92
Confirming Achievement......Page 93
Dealing with Reactions to Expectations......Page 94
Scoring......Page 95
Taking Action......Page 96
8 Follow Up Like Crazy without Driving People Crazy......Page 98
Review Strategies......Page 101
Find the Right Path......Page 105
Follow-up......Page 106
Deal with Tough Issues......Page 108
9 Use Political Skills to Win Constituents and Overcome Opposition......Page 110
Focus on Readiness......Page 111
Get Behind the Masks......Page 113
Build a Mission and a Constituency......Page 115
Communicate Clearly......Page 120
Deal with the Unengageable......Page 127
10 Use Creative Problem Solving to Overcome Unforeseen Risks, Delays, and Obstacles......Page 132
Why Do Problems Occur?......Page 133
New Product, New Culture......Page 134
Improvisation Is Part of Execution......Page 137
Creative Problem Solving......Page 144
11 Energy Flagging? Manage an Intense Push to Get the Final Results and Rewards......Page 146
Sharing the Rewards......Page 149
Planning the Final Push to Close the Project......Page 152
Learn from Experience......Page 154
Generating Real Learning......Page 156
Planning a Learning Review......Page 163
Assessing Execution Success for Any Project or Initiative......Page 164
Part II Accelerated Execution: Using Small Breakthrough Projects to Achieve Large Strategic Goals......Page 168
13 The Zest Factors: What Crises Can Teach Us about Accelerated Execution......Page 170
Why Doesn’t Crisis Performance Become the Norm?......Page 171
Estimate the Potential for Gain in Your Organization......Page 173
14 Small-Scale “Breakthrough Projects:” Get Crucial Results Fast, Generate Momentum, and Build New Organizational Capabilities......Page 178
Define the Goal in Terms of End Results to Close Off Escape Routes......Page 183
Design a Successful Breakthrough Project......Page 186
Use Small Successes to Build the Execution Culture......Page 187
15 Multiply Breakthrough Project Successes to Reach the Big Goals......Page 190
Tap the Hidden Reserve......Page 191
Be a Demanding Developmental Leader......Page 197
16 The Senior Management Task: Focus Your Organization on the Few Most Crucial Goals......Page 200
Getting Focused......Page 202
Looking Ahead......Page 207
Crucial Goals......Page 208
References......Page 210
Index......Page 212
About the Author......Page 220