Deliver on Its Commitments

"No company can deliver on its commitments or adapt well to change unless all leaders practice the discipline of execution at all levels. Execution has to be part of a company's strategy and its goals." (BOSSIDY & CHARAN, 2002, p. 19) As said, execution involves more than just middle management implementation; this must be driven from the top of the organization down to those that carry out the tactics of the strategy. Execution as a discipline of business must be a core element of the organization's culture.

According to Bossidy and Charan, there are three building blocks of execution: the leader's seven essential behaviors, creating a framework for cultural change, and having the right people in the right place. The first of the building blocks of execution is the leader's seven essential behaviors.

• Know your people and your business – get where the action is; engage the business; know the organization comprehensively (plants and people); let the people know you;

• Insist on realism – uncover all of the ugly, unflattering mistakes; meet confrontations; be realistic with yourself;

• Set clear goals and priorities – limit the number of priorities to three or four; make sure to be clear and realistic; be simple and direct with others;

• Follow through – name people accountable for results; set up follow through actions;

• Reward the doers – reward people that perform and achieve the results set by the goals and priorities;

• Expand people's capabilities – coach, or mentor, people to get things done; don't just give them orders; observe, then provide feedback; ask incisive questions to make people think, discover, and search;

• Know yourself – be honest with yourself; know your personal strengths and weaknesses; being open requires emotional fortitude:

o authenticity (outer person same as your inner person,)

o self-awareness (know yourself, be comfortable with your strengths and not crippled by your shortcomings,)

o self-mastery (keep ego in check, take responsibility for your behavior,)

o humility (not allowing your pride to get in the way of achieving the best results.) (BOSSIDY & CHARAN, 2002, pp. 81-83)

Creating a framework for cultural change is the next building block the authors examine. Culture can be described as the unwritten rules employees live by at work. Organizational culture is the "sum of its shared values, beliefs and norms of behavior" (BOSSIDY & CHARAN, 2002, p. 89), and it "defines what gets appreciated, respected and rewarded." (BOSSIDY & CHARAN, 2002, p. 92) In order to