AFSO21 Reading list Published March 27, 2007 RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Larry Bossidy (658 BOS) Personal Evaluation: Not necessarily an easy read, but a very worthwhile read nonetheless. This book provides techniques and ideas on how to turn plans and talk into action, a needed skill in the Air Force. Overview: Disciplines like strategy, leadership development, and innovation are the sexier aspects of being at the helm of a successful business; actually getting things done never seems quite as glamorous. But as Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan demonstrate in Execution, the ultimate difference between a company and its competitor is, in fact, the ability to execute. Execution is "the missing link between aspirations and results," and as such, making it happen is the business leader's most important job. While failure in today's business environment is often attributed to other causes, Bossidy and Charan argue that the biggest obstacle to success is the absence of execution. They point out that without execution, breakthrough thinking on managing change breaks down, and they emphasize the fact that execution is a discipline to learn, not merely the tactical side of business. Supporting this with stories of the "execution difference" being won (EDS) and lost (Xerox and Lucent), the authors describe the building blocks--leaders with the right behaviors, a culture that rewards execution, and a reliable system for having the right people in the right jobs--that need to be in place to manage the three core business processes of people, strategy, and operations.. Developing the discipline of execution isn't made out to be simple, nor is this book a quick, easy read. Bossidy and Charan do, however, offer good advice on a neglected topic, making Execution a smart business leader's guide to enacting success rather than permitting demise. --S. Ketchum (www.amazon.com) Highlights: Page 25: A coach is effective because he's constantly observing players individually and collectively on the field and in the locker room. That's how he gets to know his players and their capabilities, and how they get firsthand the benefit of his experience, wisdom and expert feedback. It is no different for a business leader. Page 57: The leader's Seven Essential Behaviors: · Know your people and your business (live your business) · Insist on realism · Set clear goals and priorities · Follow through · Reward the doers · Expand people's capabilities · Know yourself Page 65: The personal connection is especially critical when a leader starts something new. The business world is full of failed initiatives. Good, important ideas get launched with much fanfare, but six months or a year later they're dead in the water and abandoned as unworkable. Why? Down in the organization, the managers "will just wait for it to pass." The leader's personal involvement, understanding and commitment are necessary to fight the passive, and in some cases active, resistance----he/she must realize that failure is a personal indictment. Page 86: The basic premise is simple: cultural change gets real when your aim is execution. You don't need a lot of complex theory or employee surveys to use this framework. You need to change people's behavior so that they produce results. First, you tell people clearly what results you're looking for. Then you discuss how to get those results, as a key element of the coaching process. Then you reward people for producing the results. If they come up short, you provide additional coaching, withdraw rewards, give them other jobs, or let them go. When you do these things, you create a culture of getting things done. Culture: the sum of an organizations shared values, beliefs and norms of behavior. We don't need to change the values - just enforce them. We need to attack our learned beliefs that have been conditioned by training, experience and perceptions. We must show them that continuous process improvement is a good thing, and that static thinking is false. Page 104: Effective meetings are characterized by the quality of dialogue: Typical meeting: dialogue is constrained and political-- Some people want to shade and soften to avoid confrontation. Others need to win. Is dialogue constructive or a combat sport? Productive meeting: Robust dialogue brings out reality, even when that reality is uncomfortable, because it has purpose and meaning. It is open, tough, focused and informal. The aim is to invite multiple viewpoints, see the pros and cons of each new one, and try honestly and candidly to construct new viewpoints. This is the dynamic that stimulates new questions, new ideas, and new insights rather than wasting energy on defending the old order. As usual, it all starts with the leader Page 122: This is not about rhetoric. The leaders whose visions come true build and sustain their people's momentums. They celebrate short-term accomplishments. Leaders should be deeply involve in all aspects of the business, he is curious and tireless - the personification of engagement. Always finish a conversation by summarizing the actions to be taken.