It’s All About Execution – The Answer to Achieving Results

Management's never-ending quest for the proverbial "silver bullet" to drive sales productivity may finally have come to an end. The solution may be summed up in one word - EXECUTION. This concept, though it sounds simple in explanation, is in fact very complex in actual implementation. Business Efficacy's core premise and focus closely aligns itself with the issues discussed in best selling author Larry Bossidy's latest book, "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done." We believe the answer to improving results is the execution of the fundamental management practices on a consistent basis by all levels of management.

The first issue to be discussed when devising a "quality execution" strategy is answering the question: What are the critical details of quality execution? This question is best answered as: Quality execution is the consistent management and coaching of the strategy, systems, and people of an organization. By understanding and focusing on these details, management can overcome a big misconception in the business environment - that management does not need to stay involved in the details. This of course is untrue; a successful execution strategy does not stop with front-line sales management, but rather continues through all levels of management.

In the volatile business environment of today, the workforce requires management's involvement to move beyond the traditional views of leadership and management. Traditional management's focus has always been placed on both creating and communicating a vision, as well as on planning and monitoring results - they have not focused on the follow-through aspect of the execution strategy. Management can increase the impact and value they have on an organization by executing the following execution fundamentals:

• Clarifying objectives.
• Motivating and providing feedback on the progress of meeting objectives.
• Placing accountability for performance of objectives.
• Developing people in skill and knowledge gaps.
• Motivating people to perform.
• Identifying employees' skills and assigning positions accordingly.

It should be noted that those who have been deemed "Great Leaders" continue to get results because they are constantly dealing with the critical details of execution.

The theory of establishing an execution strategy is not a new one. Management may have attempted to address this issue, and may even believe they have been successful, but in reality, they have only laid the foundation of an execution strategy.

They may have performed any of the following, in hopes of achieving success:

• Designed a plan.
• Launched a sales process.
• Restructured the organization.
• Changed the compensation program.
• Conducted a training program for salespeople and managers.

As with many aspects of business, there are traps and pitfalls around every corner. Management, though well meaning, can become complacent and overlook the basic fundamental of follow through. Some of the more common traps and pitfalls can be:

• Creating a sales plan and assuming it will be implemented.
• Restructuring and assuming by placing people in different jobs, they will perform better.
• Designing a sales process and assuming people will accept it and instantly conform.
• Conducting a training program and assuming it will be applied.
• Changing a compensation program and assuming motivation is automatic.
• Coaching a process once and assuming mastery will be immediate.

The underlying commonality with all of these traps and pitfalls is assumption. Assumption does not placate follow-through or successful execution. By following and/or executing the fundamentals listed in paragraph three above, several - if not all - of these traps and pitfalls could be avoided.

A good example of a company "falling into" one of these common traps is when Business Efficacy recently worked with a sales management team to help provide focus on executing sales management fundamentals. The improvement in results was outstanding, far surpassing even management's hopes and beliefs. While debriefing the project, the management team refused to accept credit for the results, and instead stated: "We have good people." Yet, those "good people" were performing poorly the previous six months. The only difference was management's execution of the coaching activities at all levels - week in and week out - for six months! That was the difference - nothing else!

Of course, the next question posed would be: Where to start if you want to take your management to the next level of execution? The answer is to simply start by identifying which of the "execution fundaments" needs to be performed better, more consistently, and/or more frequently.

Then, pursue putting them into action by having and using the following traits:

• Courage and passion to reach higher levels of performance.
• A willingness to get and stay involved.
• Commitment to staying with the tactics of execution when it gets to the "tough" issues.
• Time commitment.

One of the most important aspects of achieving quality execution is remembering that it requires daily discipline. It mandates that we expect high scores on traits stated above. Successful execution cannot be achieved by lowering our expectations; there is no room for mediocrity when striving for success in the business environment. Remember, the worst enemy of best is good enough.