Managing Flawless Execution in BusinessPeter Aldino June 16, 2009

What is Flawless Execution?

* Flawless Execution Is :

A Business Strategy Involves Rapid Planning Uses Creative Focused Teams Requires Disciplined Execution Continuous Review of Lessons

Learned

*Jim “Murph” Murphy F-15 Strike Eagle Pilot

What happens to Flawless Execution when:

There’s too much to do Not enough time Not enough tools Not enough resourcesPeople crack , lose track -

They channelize -

focusing on one thing to the exclusion of all else

The #1 Obstacle to Flawless Execution:

Task Saturation Overworked - Task

Saturated people are dangerous

Many accept overworking as a badge of honor

Don’t take pride in overworking“We’ve been in the office for three days straight. Some of us are sleeping on the floor. Another guy is walking around like a zombie with his hand tied to a coffee pot.”

The Three Signs of Task Saturation are:

Shutting DownQuittingStop performingGoing blank

CompartmentalizingActing busy Doing little

ChannelizingFocusing on one thingIgnoring important requirements

Shutting Down Symptoms –

Quitting– I’ve had it …– I give up …– There’s too much to do ….

Progress stopsIntervention is required to restart a quitterTime gets wasted, deadlines are missed

Fixes –Take a break, a walk, get a coffee Do something simple, clear your headRecognize shutdown and get back on track

Compartmentalizing

Is Very Risky – Acting busy, but doing little Organizing tasks instead of

doing them When doing tasks:

it’s all top to bottom one at a timefirst things firstno prioritiesnothing is urgent

Compartmentalizing usually won’t get noticed until something breaks

Channelizing

Target Fixation Intense focus on one thing Flying into the ground

Digging in to one thing at the exclusion of all else

Things start to fall apart

Three Ways to Combat Task Saturation

1) Use Checklists• Use simple tools

• Easy to learn and deploy • Gets people back on

track

2) Create effective crosschecks• Teams or pairs work together

• Validate task urgency• Validate task execution

3) Provide mutual support• Create depth to offload tasks

• Have a succession plan

Flawless Execution without Task Saturation

It’s not a badge of honor, learn to deal with it

Understand the warning signs

Acknowledge it exists Acknowledge it creates

problems Identify the symptoms Work to eliminate it