By Rick Lepsinger
If your organization is like so many others, it seems to have all the ingredients for success firmly in place. A well-thought-out vision? Check. Skilled, highly engaged employees, quality products and services, strong customer relationships? Check, check, check. So why, in the face of everything you’re doing right, can’t you deliver consistent results? Based on my years of research, the problem is an execution gap.
If an organization can’t execute, nothing else matters — not the smartest strategy, not the most innovative business model, not even game-changing technology. And for many companies there is a clear gap between intent and execution.
My company, OnPoint Consulting, studied more than 400 companies and found that 49 percent of leaders surveyed reported a gap between their organization’s ability to formulate and communicate a vision and strategy and its ability to deliver results.
That finding was the surprising part. What really shocked me was that only 36 percent of these leaders responded positively to the statement, “I have confidence in my organization’s ability to close the gap between strategy and execution." That means a staggering 64 percent of them didn’t believe their company could fix their execution problem.
For companies struggling to pull themselves out of the ditch the recession kicked them into, the inability to get things done is very bad news. If you can’t execute well, you’re not going to be successful — and you might not be around for long.
So here’s the question: If a clear and inspiring vision, a realistic strategy, employee commitment, a skilled workforce and high levels of quality and customer service don’t lead to successful execution, what does? What sets the best apart from the rest?
My research uncovered five characteristics and competencies — I refer to them as “The Five Bridges" — that enable people to traverse the execution gap. It is these bridges that differentiate the companies that are consistently able to get things done (Gap Closer)from those that aren’t (Gap Makers).
Bridge #1: The Ability to Manage Change
Change is inevitable. We all know that. However, despite their sincerest efforts, many companies can’t seem to operationalize that knowledge and turn it into positive action. And that’s a dangerous shortcoming. Simply put, you can’t run a successful business if you can’t adjust to changes in the marketplace.
If you’re not flexible enough to bend with the winds of change like a palm tree or a bamboo, you’ll snap in half like a Bradford pear when the first storm comes along.
