Execution is everything

Execution makes ideas real

The other week I was reminded of an old tongue-in-cheek discussion within my old team. The operators would proudly claim to be the "doers" whilst the commercial guys were branded the "talkers". Both were taken as light-hearted compliments even though our own worlds can never be pigeon-holed is such a polarised way. The two are not diametrically opposed.

If I talked to those same commercial teams they were focussed on bringing people into their teams that could (and I quote) "get shit done" *. So either way in reality ...... It's all about execution.

There is a popular saying that (probably correctly) opines that if you want something doing then give it to a busy person. It may sound counter intuitive but busy people are well practised in just getting stuff done.

Businesses are full of doers that get stuff done. We need such people in our businesses and also in our own lives.

I cannot over-emphasise the importance of having a strategy; a longer term view of how to win ... of knowing what you want to achieve next month, next year, and the year after that. Even a long(er) term aspiration that guides everything that is done. This can be revisited and flexible as things change. But we don't need to fill our businesses with strategists and talkers. It's the road to navel gazing and paralysis (by analysis) not to mention excessive consulting projects (and the costs that come with them).

An old boss of mine would indeed refer to anything beyond next year as (poetically and pragmatically) "the end of time" i.e. something so far away that we don't need to spend any time worrying about it now. He was a wise man.

The balance between strategy and execution changes over time for sure but....... invariably EXECUTION wins almost all of the time. So build your teams with lazer-focus on what's important and urgent. Follow up - always - and become intensely consistent in getting stuff done. Less talking more doing; but value the talkers just the same - they are building the future, maintaining relationships and growing the business ... usually by doing.

So if you want to be successful... surround your self and your business with doers; people who get shit done. Just make sure some of them are also brilliant talkers as well.

*excuse the crudeness... eloquence is sometimes jarring :-)