Closing the Execution Gap: How Great Leaders and Their Companies Get Results

List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits ix

Acknowledgments xiii

About the Author xv

Introduction xvii

Chapter One: Vision Without Execution is Hallucination 1

Yes, There is an Execution Gap—But That’s Only the Tip of the Iceberg! 3

‘‘Conventional Wisdom’’: Maybe Not So Wise! 5

The Five Bridges: Gap-Closers That Make the Difference 8

The Bottom Line 22

Chapter Two: Bridge Builder 1: Translate Strategy into Action 25

First Things First: A Brief Look at Strategic Planning 26

Vision and Standards of Excellence 34

Aligning Projects and Programs with Strategy 38

Action Planning: An Execution Essential 43

The Bottom Line 48

Chapter Three: Bridge Builder 2: Expect Top Performance 51

The Pygmalion Effect: Proof That Expectations Drive Performance 51

Breaking the Cycle 56

The Bottom Line 71

Chapter Four: Bridge Builder 3: Hold People Accountable 73

What is Accountability Anyway? 75

Why We Should Hold People Accountable—and Why We Don’t 78

Assessing Accountability: The Four Levels 82

Why We Make Excuses 86

Accountability Boosters: Managing Accountability in Others 91

The Bottom Line 97

Chapter Five: Bridge Builder 4: Involve the Right People in Making the Right Decisions 99

Beyond the Buzzword: What ‘‘Empowerment’’ Really Means 100

Brain Basics: How Cognitive Systems Impact Judgment and Decision Making 104

So How Can We Make Better Decisions? 111

The Bottom Line 130

Chapter Six: Bridge Builder 5: Facilitate Change Readiness 133

What Top-Performing Companies Do 134

Kicking Old Habits: What Addicts Can Teach Us About Change 141

The Five Levels of Change Readiness 142

Moving on Up: Facilitating Change with Level-Appropriate Strategies 145

Holding Up the Mirror: Understanding the Impact of Leader Behavior 154

The Importance of Change Talk 156

The Bottom Line 165

Chapter Seven: Bridge Builder 6: Increase Coordination and Cooperation 167

Cooperating Versus Competing: The Human Struggle 167

Encouraging and Sustaining Cooperation 172

Disagreement Happens: How to Gain Support and Resolve Conflict 180

The Bottom Line 203

Conclusion: Five Lessons for Leaders 205

Lesson 1: Integrate the Leader and Manager Roles 205

Lesson 2: Clarify Assumptions and Priorities 206

Lesson 3: Make Sure the Right Systems Are in Place 206

Lesson 4: Coordinate and Monitor High-Impact Actions 207

Lesson 5: Get Change Management Right 207

The Bottom Line 208

Appendix: Criteria for Identifying Top-Performing and Less-Successful Companies 211

Notes 213

Index 219