Execution: The Discipline Of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan

Like a lot of other management and leadership books, there is nothing genuinely new or groundbreaking in Execution but it does deliver value by codifying a simple, executable approach to assessing an organization, planning direction and then keeping it moving.

Execution presents its ideas using a framework of 3 core processes namely strategic process, people process and execution process that translate roughly to Stephen Covey's 4 Leadership Behaviors of Modeling, Path finding, Aligning and Empowering plus the 4 Disciplines of Execution that are encapsulated in Focus & Execution. In fact, this book, admits Covey, was inspirational to his The 8th Habit book- which is one work that I unequivocally recommend in another review altogether.

Execution is loaded with real-world management anecdotes from high-powered teams. There are plenty of gems that, again, codify practices that are, yes taught in MBA school and essentially intuitive, but which generally need to be experienced to a high degree to be deeply internalized. Nice to know the all-stars go through essentially the same challenges the rest of us do.

The real value-add comes from the simple language that underscores the no-fuss approach related by Bossidy and Charan. The section on running a world-class management review was particularly engaging for me. I thought the idea of sending a follow up email documenting commitments right after the meeting particularly powerful simply because recent experiences have driven home to me just how effective this simple habit is.

Execution's 3-process framework is a simple and yet effective management audit approach that works. Certainly, as Stephen Covey said, we must always begin with the end in mind and this is ultimately vision that drives his 2-step creation paradigm.

Then comes the task no leader can afford to delegate- the people process which is making sure you have the right people in the right seats and on the right bus. This invokes Marcus Buckingham's talent and strengths-based people approach. As with Buckingham and Covey, Bossidy & Charan drive home that this can only be truly effectively implemented if the Leader has the emotional maturity, security and fortitude to carry it through. It's always best to find out if you have a good fit sooner rather than later, I always say when interviewing candidates. Later on, if the partnership ultimately is not working out, then separating the person from the problem liberates both the manager and subordinate from any personal emotional misgivings about what needs to be done—for benefit of all parties. The way to think about this situation that so many managers are not comfortable with is to remember you are liberating the subordinate from a poor role-talent fit that ultimately stunts their potential.

The bottom-line is that there is so much material on vision and strategy but its the hand-to-hand combat of execution that ultimately delivers success or is the root-cause of disappointment.

I made copious highlights of their experiences and perspective to share with teams.

4/5 stars.