Quotes # 9

"There's nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all". ( Peter F. Drucker)

Do we plan Strategically ?

The essence of Strategic Planning is in my view: defining where You want to go, finding out where You are now, and then determine how to get there .
To achieve this You need to have the ability to steer the organization as a whole through strategic change under conditions of complexity and uncertainty .

How well do we manage ourselves, or, the art of Self-Leadership

Which is the most overlooked leadership challenge? What is your toughest leadership challenge? I think it is managing us. All effective leaders must master the art of Self-Leadership, which means knowing how to achieve the results one aspires in his or her personal and work life and, as Daniel Goldman stated, “it is all about self control”, before You go out there and try to lead others by being a source of inspiration and motivation, we have to learn how to balance our "emotional self-control." What characterizes full leadership potential, according to Goldman? Continuously staying in leadership despite overwhelming opposition or discouragement. Staying in the leadership role and maintaining a cool head and clear mind during times of crisis. Keeping ego at home. Staying focused on the mission and vision instead of being distracted by someone else's agenda. All these indicate high levels of emotional self-control. Goldman says, "Exceptional leaders distinguish themselves because of superior self-leadership.” This is a task that is difficult to master, if You do not know how to dig deep into this, You can always seek the help and advice of a professional coach.

Execution ( Part 2 )

Hold Everyone Accountable—All the TimeStephen R. Covey, Ph.D.
At the bottom of the execution gap is the lack of accountability. In the Industrial Age, the theory was that people performed to expectation—or else. With the rise of knowledge work, goals get blurry and workers have more autonomy. Most leaders are deeply conflicted about how to manage knowledge workers: Do I spell out what’s expected and then crack down? Or, do I let workers choose their own way and hope for the best?
Organizations that execute with excellence invar-iably have strong accountability systems. The data indicate, however, that such systems are not very common. In a recent Franklin-Covey xQ study, more than 12,000 U.S. workers were asked to describe accountability within their organizations.
These are key symptoms of weak accountability for commitments:
Only about two in five (41 percent) of respondents talk to each other routinely about progress toward their goals.
Only about one in four (26 percent) meets at least monthly with a manager to review progress on goals.
Only about a third (31 percent) said they stay on budget.
A few more than half the respondents (58 percent) indicated that they keep commitments in a timely fashion, meaning deadlines are only met around half the time.
One in three said that no one cares much if they deliver with quality.
If sharp execution requires precise accountability, the typical organization is in trouble.
Teams known for excellent execution are also known for “mutual accountability.” They feel themselves accountable not only to owners, bosses and supervisors, but also to each other. They have clear roles in executing a few core goals, and they regularly and often answer to one another in keeping their commitments.
That’s why the fourth discipline of execution is to hold everyone accountable—all of the time. Those who practice this discipline do three things extremely well:
Hold frequent accountability sessions—at least weekly: Most knowledge workers aren’t asked to account to their managers even monthly. It is so easy to lose focus on key goals without intense and frequent focus. New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s turn-around team met every day in a “morning meeting” to keep key goals in constant sight.
Focus on the “wildly important goals”: Many goals are important, but only a few are “wildly important”—that is, crucial to the mission. Examine the scoreboard on those crucial goals. Ensure that everyone agrees precisely and individually on what to do this week to move those goals forward.
Clear the path for each other: The notion that the boss holds subordinates accountable, that accountability flows only one way, is not characteristic of an execution culture. On a real work team, everyone accounts to everyone else. Everyone has individual tasks, and everyone encounters obstacles. If I’m the leader, I clear the path for you by getting you resources or approvals or making important contacts. In turn, you clear the path for me by giving me technical assistance or research data.
Only organizations that execute with excellence can sustain results over time. Practicing the four disciplines of execution is truly a key to superior performance.
Stephen R. Covey, Ph.D., is co-founder of FranklinCovey, a leading global professional services firm. Stephen is also author of the best-selling“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”