Week 80 (26.10.08)

Learn

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, 2002, Crown Business, New York, pp 141-226

Building Blocks
As Leaders of leaders, you play a key role in execution.
These are the behaviors that you need to make sure that your team executes successfully.

Core Processes
The following 3 processes are central to execution. These processes are also linked to one another.

Strategy

• Many strategies fail because people do not understand that a good strategic planning process requires the utmost attention to the hows of executing the strategy.
• The substance and detail of a strategy must come from the minds of the people who are closest to the action and who understand their markets, their resources, and their organization's strengths and weaknesses.
• The strategy must be linked to the people process and the operations process if it is to be successfully executed, as both processes are essential to successful execution.

People

• Bossidy and Charan argue that the people process is more important than either the strategy or operations processes. This is because it is the people of an organization who translate strategy into operational realities. A robust people process does 3 things. It:

1. Evaluate individuals accurately and in depth.
2. Provides a framework for identifying and developing the leadership talent the organization will need to execute its strategies down the road.
3. Fills the leadership pipeline that's the basis of a strong succession plan.

• The people process must also be linked to an organization's short-term and long term strategic milestones.
• It must also be linked to operating plan targets.

Operations

• While the strategy process defines where a business wants to go, and the people process defines who's going to get it there, the operating plan provides the path for those people.
• This plan must be more than a budget; it must be a flexible plan that allows the people of the organization to synchronize resources in the interest of executing the strategy.

Unlearn

NIL

Relearn

From the findings of my BAP project, I need to identify one top priority/goal to execute. Then, I need to review the current state strategy, people and operation process and evaluates the goal successes, gaps and put on actions to close the gaps.

Week 79 (19.10.08)

Learn

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan, 2002, Crown Business, New York, pp1-9

• A fundamental problem with execution is that people think of it as the tactical side of the business, something leaders delegate while they focus on the perceived "bigger" issues.
• This is wrong. Execution is not just tactics - it is a discipline and a system.
• Execution must be a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability
• It requires robust dialogue to surface the realities of the business.

Unlearn

Before reading this book, I am quite in the same opinion thinking execution as tactical plan of carrying out a task. Execution will help a business leader to choose a more robust strategy with the right resources and the right people to execute it.

Unlearn

Understand better now that execution is not just tactics - it is a discipline and system, discussing how and what, questioning, following through and ensuring accountability taken by leaders. For my BAP project, in order for me to add value for Pfizer and able to apply leadership improvement based on the findings, priorities were set and action plans were drafted by me for execution. On going feedback will be gathered through meetings in measuring the progress.