Execution: The discipline of getting things done

If you don't get the people process right, you will never fulfill the potential of your business.

The people process is more important than either the strategic planning and decision-making or operations management
processes.

After all, it’s the people in an organisation who make judgments about how markets are changing, create strategies based on those judgments and translate strategies into operational realities.
    
A robust people process does three things.

It evaluates individuals accurately and in depth. It provides a framework for identifying and developing the different types of leadership talent the organisation will need to execute its strategies down the road.

It also fills the leadership pipeline that is the basis of a strong succession plan.
    
Very few companies accomplish all of those objectives well.

One of the biggest shortcomings of the traditional people process is that it’s backward-looking, focused on evaluating the jobs people are doing today. Far more important is whether the individuals can handle the jobs of tomorrow.

We have seen many people who led business units well but who did not have the capability to take the business to the next level. Companies often wait until the financial results are in before making corrections in key leadership positions...

It’s not hard to identify the person who is wrong for a job because of his behaviour, but it’s better to make sure such a person doesn’t rise to a critical job in the first place.