Execution... the first in a series of thoughts

"Plan your work and work your plan"... simple, pithy, insightful, and used around the world. If you are not doing this then what are you doing? 

But what if you are doing this with all the effort and gusto you have, and still everything goes terribly wrong — I mean horribly (just awfully) wrong. The sun will still rise the next day in the east as it always does and you will want to (or have to) figure out what went wrong.

You had a plan and you worked the plan... so what happened?" 

This is one of those "galvanizing topics" that pits those who plan strategically against those who execute tactically — it can be great fun to get popcorn and watch the bun fight, unless of course you are in the middle of it, and then it's not as much fun. I want to point out that when I say "went wrong" I am not suggesting measuring to perfection* but rather measured against targeted expectations. Now back to the question at hand — was it a "poor plan that was executed well or a great plan that was executed poorly?" 

To try and scratch at the answer to this and glean some understanding, I have a "little case study" to entertain us all.

A friend told me about the following and I have no doubt that it reflects a real situation—

A medium sized company wanted to launch a new product (a line extender). Prior to the launch date an informational YouTube video was launched which contained a call to action website address at the end (an important note to set the stage is the web page was not active). When marketing was informed they quickly activated the web page with a "Coming Soon" message. As part of the product launch, there was a sampling campaign that was highlighted on the new web page encouraging customers to request a sample. When a customer clicked on the request sample icon, the customer was taken to a page where there was no mention of the new product sample (or the ability to order one). Marketing was once again informed and two days later the web page was updated allowing the a customer to request a sample of the product and receive it once officially launched. This all happened one month before the official product launch (as god is my witness this is what I was told). It was also indicated to me that the product revenue following the official launch did not meet expectations.

I was not there but as an observer and taking the story at face value, I think it is fair to say this was a bit of an "execution shit show". I can only speculate on the reasons (and hey, why not)?

• In all of this there was no thought or consideration to the customer, particularly with developing expectations that could not be met.

• It seems there was no coordinated rollout plan integrating the various communication channels and activities.

• There seems to be no operational process (or governance) in place to ensure activities stay controlled (and within expectations).

• Quite possibly this reflects a fragmented marketing function with different agendas.

I will go out on a limb here and say that the execution of the new product was "sub optimal". I do suspect that someone, somewhere, had some more "choice words" (at least I would hope so).

Now back to the aforementioned bun fight 

I think those who strategically determined the need for the new product launch have every right to throw the buns a little harder in this situation — but there is something hidden in this tale, that will never be discovered. How do we know that the new product wasn't destined to be a dud; all that time and those resources wasted because there was no market interest? Simply wasting time and resources because of an irrelevant line extender... this we will never know.

It is said that ruthlessly effective execution is needed to be successful (as well as differentiating) in an ever-growing competitive environment. 

I would also suggest that optimizing your ability to execute is imperative for determining if your strategic direction hits the mark, needs course correction, or a complete overhaul. Since strategy is reliant on effective execution, the burden falls on those who execute and those who manage execution. It is also easier to start with optimizing your ability to execute effectively, as more often than not, it consists of internal variables making control and measurement easier**.

I have been doing this long enough to know when "an idea" will just not work, but in that same breath, I also know to keep my mouth shut until I can say that execution was optimal. 

Then I pick up a bun.

iamgpe

* Perfection: something to be chased but never obtained.

** Optimizing execution is relatively easier, because most aspects are within your control such as process, resources, training, governance, and with shorter timeframes it allows for effective measurement against KPIs (Key performance Indicators). Strategy tends to have a broader macro perspective with longer time frames that are influenced by both internal and external parameters.

Write something down... anything.

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

Louis CK* does a very funny comedy routine where he talks about how he is so very proud of himself for just thinking about doing something and revels in how wonderful he is for just having had the thought - Although he never really seriously came close to doing it. 

In part I thought of this because it is the beginning of a new year but also because I've been proudly telling people that my 2015 goals and objectives are down on paper. When I ask if they have done the same, a serenade of crickets seem to follow shortly thereafter. If you come from a corporate world you know there is an agonizing amount of process and administration around setting annual Goals and Objectives, so I was even more surprised when hard core business people seem to look away as I ask.

To be clear I am not referring to "resolutions"**. I am talking about a plan for the year, associated with a vision with objectives and activities to get you there; there are two parts that I am referring to here... having a plan and actually acting on it

If you were asked by the Cheshire cat where you wanted to go in 2015 would you have an answer? It speaks to the old adage... it doesn't matter what you do if you don't know what you want. Business, particularly bigger business, is very good at the process  of developing plans aligned with strategy, mission and vision (sometimes agonizingly so) - Why shouldn't you?

Remember that this isn't just an academic exercise nor should it ever be. We should have a Vision for our life and Guiding Principles that focus us, and as superfluous as these may seem, they actually act as a lighthouse when life gets stormy and complicated. With these guiding principles, as well as consideration to the current situation, plans, goals and objectives can be developed that drive action . Remember this about planning... it can take two hours and one piece of paper or three months and countless PowerPoint presentations. In the end it is important have a plan.

I suspect that most of us carry a plan in our head that may or may not be tied to a longer term vision for ourselves, but if push comes to shove, we have one - Now back to Louis CK; having a plan in your head is analogous to him revelling in the fantasy of thinking about doing something and how wonderful it is to just be thinking of it. 

Now to the real point in all of this - It does not become real until you write it down. With the act of writing it down (typing or graphically representing it...whatever it takes), you have created something that is now tangible, communicable, measurable, and the first step to executing on it. There is a large amount of urban legend with regards to how your probability of success increases by writing something down; this is well articulated in a book called The Art of Quitting by Peg Streep and Alan Bernstein ***. For me personally, there is a commitment that comes to writing it down.

Oh, one last thing... don't be so particularly concerned with the format and formality - Simply put, the vision and panning really are just, "what you want to be and what are you going to do to get there?" Formality of a good planning format and language can always be evolved to: Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, Smart G&Os, strategies and tactics. You will get there soon enough. Just write something down... anything.

This is what I have written down for 2015... (I am partial to PowerPoint so I was able to simply cut and paste)

The Vision for a fulfilled Life

• Self confidence with myself and the world through mindful action and presence (self)
• Self awareness and knowledge through activity & travel, learning, knowledge and wisdom (self)
  
• Deep emotional connection with a “Life Companion” (relationship/spirit)
• Deep connection  and Legacy for my Daughter (relationship/spirit)
• Satisfying circle of friends with personal and professional connections (relationship/spirit)
  
• A safe, comfortable and tranquil living space (environment)

• Intimate work with a company or small circle of clients to help them grow into their goals (environment)

(Guiding Principles in Bold)

2015 Goals and Objectives

1. Self Confidence: Maintain an uninterrupted physical lifestyle, Study mindfulness, Expand networks and formal association membership  

2. Self Awareness and Knowledge:  Travel at least twice in 2015 internationally, Take at least two academic courses, Continue community activities

3. Deep Emotional Connection: Develop a soulful “Life Companion” relationship, Continue to build an  adult relationship with Sarah

4. Satisfying Circle of Friends:  Continue initiating quarterly get-togethers, Assess toxic friendships, Develop positive new friendships 

5. Legacy: Develop a family Legacy plan

6. A Safe, comfortable, tranquil living space: Relocation and execution plan

7. Intimate work:  Solidify GPE Stratagem as an income generator (> $XXXX K), Develop client funnel, Develop Blogging capability (no less than twice a week), Expand social networking 

I have written out the detailed activities to reach the above goals for the first six months of the year; come July, I will review and adjust the objectives accordingly. Based on the situation and my successes, I then develop activities for the second half of the year. I am big on Goals and Objectives being SMART*** to ensure that there is the greatest chance of success.

Well there you have it...there can be a great science to developing Goals and Objectives that ensure the greatest likelihood for success. For me though, just write them down - Bring them to life now, as you can optimize the formality and wordsmith them as you go.

gpe

* Louis CK is a very funny American comic - Louis CK Live at Beacon Theatre (language warning but very funny)

** I simply hate resolutions... yes I know hate is a strong word.

*** Chapter 7 - Mapping your Goals

**** SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound... this is the criteria that should be used to develop good objectives.