This article was published in the New Orleans City Business on August 11, 2020. You can read the original version here.
Too many leaders see getting work done as tactical and delegating it entirely to subordinates, thus allowing time for more strategic endeavors and big picture thinking. Yes, the day to day operations should be handled by managers and supervisors, but the leader must put several essential mechanisms in place, and then monitor the operational outcomes. Failure to do so frequently means the company’s overarching strategies do not get executed well either.
This article about the disciplined execution of work is the third part in a four-part series on creating a resilient organization. The first article, A leader’s guide for building a resilient organization, was published in the digital CityBusiness on June 16. The second was The Leader’s Guide to Shaping a Strong Corporate Culture and was published on July 14. The remaining article will address the innovation and adaptation necessary to build organizational resiliency. As the diagram illustrates, a strong positive culture is central to any attempt to build organizational resiliency and is critical to the disciplined execution of work.
Disciplined execution of work is not only tactical; it is a fundamental system that should be built into a company’s strategy, its goals, and its culture. Leaders must be deeply engaged in it but must delegate the substance of the work. When I see leaders too involved in operations, it sets off a red flag with me: I question the quality of the managers and supervisors who are responsible for operations and I also question if my client knows the difference between managing and leading.
My own experience as a hospital CEO, combined with 10 years of executive coaching, have led me to understand five fundamental elements of how leaders must apply their roles as leaders in the disciplined execution of work.