Category Archives: Management

#208 Intent versus Execution (a sniff test)

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We often pride ourselves on our knowledge and ability to pontificate. The “The Smart-Talk Trap” is something we fall into often. If we sound good, we must be good, right? At some point, we have to stop talking and start doing, meaning, we have to show the ability to execute. Here is a framework to assess where you stand in your execution capabilities and how to improve.

Intent versus execution

Intent versus execution

If you are not clear about your intent, outcomes sought, goals, vision, and mission, then you will have chaos, no matter how good your execution capabilities. Hence Stephen Covey’s advice to “Start with the end in mind.”

If you do not have execution capabilities, but have clarity of intent, your usefulness is very limited. You will talk more and do less and you will be a barrier to achievements.

The first step is to honestly assess where you stand. Take the capabilities you need and find a spot for them on the matrix.

  • Move vertically (upward) by improving the clarity of your intent. Define your vision, mission, and SMART goals. Organize your work into projects, programs, and initiatives; manage them like a portfolio. Meaning, add and remove projects based on priority.
  • Move horizontally to the right by acquiring (or building) the tools, training your workforce to use the tools, and define a repeatable process. This is the table stakes to give you any hope of being able to execute. Then move up the food chain by improving your project management, use metrics to take decisions, and use feedback loops to improve.
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#205 Call to action

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Meetings are not everyone’s favorite place. Very few meetings in the workplace are fun and productive. There are lots of books that teach how to make meetings useful. Some of them are very good, but most fail to make an impact because the readers tend to focus on the mechanics of meetings: setting the agenda, using a timer, and sending out minutes.

Try this simple rule when you organize your next meeting. Ask yourself, “What is my call to action?” Meaning, what do you want your audience to do? This could be asking them to stop doing something, do something differently, or start doing something.

This simple rule will ensure that you select the right audience, create a simple, focused, and defensible message, and most important, have people’s attention during the meeting.

If your audience is checking their email during a presentation, they most likely don’t need to be there. Don’t ask them to close their laptop, ask them to commit to a decision or take an action. Excuse the egregious offenders, tell them you’ll send them an email to keep them in the loop.

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