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

by Lepsinger, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780470531303
• ISBN10: 0470531304
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-06-15
• Publisher: Pfeiffer

Summary

Why can some companies get things done day-to-day and deliver consistent results? Based on an extensive research from more than 400 companies, this book outlines five baseline factors critical for effective execution and five factors that differentiate companies that are most effective at executing plans and initiatives. It also explores the seven specific things leaders at all levels can do to close the execution gap in their company or team and help people get things done day-to-day. This is an essential guide for consistently executing effective plans and initiatives.

Author Biography

Richard Lepsinger is president of OnPoint Consulting and has a twenty-five year track record of success as an organizational consultant and executive. He is the coauthor of three books on leadership including Flexible Leadership: Creating Value by Balancing Multiple Challenges and Choices, The Art and Science of 3600 Feedback, and The Art Science of Competency Models, all published by Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
About the Author	p. xv
Introduction	p. xvii
Vision Without Execution Is Hallucination	p. 1
Yes, There Is an Execution Gap-But That's Only the Tip of the Iceberg!	p. 3
ôConventional Wisdomö: Maybe Not So Wise!	p. 5
The Five Bridges: Gap-Closers That Make the Difference	p. 8
The Bottom Line	p. 22
Bridge Builder 1: Translate Strategy into Action	p. 25
First Things First: A Brief Look at Strategic Planning	p. 26
Vision and Standards of Excellence	p. 34
Aligning Projects and Programs with Strategy	p. 38
Action Planning: An Execution Essential	p. 43
The Bottom Line	p. 48
Bridge Builder 2: Expect Top Performance	p. 51
The Pygmalion Effect: Proof That Expectations Drive Performance	p. 51
Breaking the Cycle	p. 56
The Bottom Line	p. 71
Bridge Builder 3: Hold People Accountable	p. 73
What Is Accountability Anyway?	p. 75
Why We Should Hold People Accountable-and Why We Don't	p. 78
Assessing Accountability: The Four Levels	p. 82
Why We Make Excuses	p. 86
Accountability Boosters: Managing Accountability in Others	p. 91
The Bottom Line	p. 97
Bridge Builder 4: Involve the Right: People in Making the Right Decisions	p. 99
Beyond the Buzzword: What ôEmpowermentö Really Means	p. 100
Brain Basics: How Cognitive Systems Impact Judgment and Decision Making	p. 104
So How Can We Make Better Decisions?	p. 111
The Bottom Line	p. 130
Bridge Builder 5: Facilitate Change Readiness	p. 133
What Top-Performing Companies Do	p. 134
Kicking Old Habits: What Addicts Can Teach Us About Change	p. 141
The Five Levels of Change Readiness	p. 142
Moving on Up: Facilitating Change with Level-Appropriate Strategies	p. 145
Holding Up the Mirror: Understanding the Impact of Leader Behavior	p. 154
The Importance of Change Talk	p. 156
The Bottom Line	p. 165
Bridge Builder 6: Increase Coordination and Cooperation	p. 167
Cooperating Versus Competing: The Human Struggle	p. 167
Encouraging and Sustaining Cooperation	p. 172
Disagreement Happens: How to Gain Support and Resolve Conflict	p. 180
The Bottom Line	p. 203
Conclusion: Five Lessons for Leaders	p. 205
Integrate the Leader and Manager Roles	p. 205
Clarify Assumptions and Priorities	p. 206
Make Sure the Right Systems Are in Place	p. 206
Coordinate and Monitor High-Impact Actions	p. 207
Get Change Management Right	p. 207
The Bottom Line	p. 208
Appendix: Criteria for Identifying Top-Performing and Less-Successful Companies	p. 211
Notes	p. 213
Index	p. 219
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