Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creating and then sustaining an "organization for all seasons", 23 Jul 2008
Gary Harpst agrees with Thomas Edison: "Vision without execution is hallucination." In his previous book, Six Disciplines for Excellence, Harpst explains the importance of focusing on what's important (i.e. renewing mission, clarifying values, strengthening strategic position, and engaging others with a crystal clear vision as well as defining very few objectives and agreeing on what to stop); of setting goals that engage people (i.e. those that help people to remain focused on doing what must be done to achieve the organization's given objectives); of getting strategies, people, and processes as well as systems in proper alignment; of "working the plan" (i.e. investing in each moment help build the most preferred future for the organization...and make life and work more fulfilling for each individual); of innovating purposefully (e.g. brainstorming regularly as well as recognizing and rewarding the best ideas); and of stepping back (i.e. taking a close look at what's taking place, both internally and externally, and to make whatever mid-course corrections may be needed to ensure the organization is headed in the right direction).
In his latest book, Harpst asserts that "excellence is the enduring pursuit of balanced strategy and execution. Strategy requires choosing what promises to make to all stakeholders and a roadmap for delivering on those promises. Execution requires getting there, while overcoming unending surprises. Of the two, execution is far more difficult to achieve, but it is fruitless without sold strategy. Learning how to balance these two is the key to excellence. Excellence is a journey that never ends. It's an enduring pursuit that requires an enduring approach." In my opinion, the greatest value of this book is derived from the clarity, concision, and precision with which Harpst "nails the basics" in terms of how to formulate an appropriate strategy, with its primary objective to solve an organization's most serious problem because, "if you focus on solving the right problem, the solution of all other problems will be easier (not easy)." On occasion, "all the pieces fall together, creating a leapfrog opportunity to solve old problems." Whether or not what Harpst recommends is "a fundamentally new way" is for each reader to determine. I agree with him that everyone involved in a given organization, "top to bottom," should remain focused on achieving long-term goals with an appropriate strategy. Meanwhile, of course, sufficient revenue must be generated and there must also be effective development of leadership and management skills at all levels and in all areas. As a farmer once observed to Ralph Emerson, "Having a vision is wonderful but you still have to milk the cows and feed the pigs."
With all due respect to the worthy goals of producing more and better work in less time and at a lower cost, of productivity and efficiency, etc., Harpst stresses the importance of knowing and then doing what will add the greatest value to the stakeholders involved in the given enterprise. In this context, I am again reminded of what Peter Drucker said in 1963: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."
Decision-makers in all organizations (regardless of their size or nature) will find a wealth of practical advice in Harpst's latest book. As is his custom, after acknowledging what everyone agrees is the "what" of execution, he spends most of his time explaining the "how," guided and informed by all six of basic but absolutely essential disciplines. Harpst notes that "whatever issues an organization faces today, they will be different and bigger tomorrow. Planning and executing, while at the same time, managing the unknowns of the real world, is the biggest challenge in business. Overcoming this challenge is what we mean by solving the problem that will make solving all other problems easier. It builds an organization that is preparing for an ever increasing set of future challenges that are the natural result of overcoming today's challenges."
It should be noted that all of Harpst's observations and recommendations are based on a wealth of research that he and his associates have conducted for several years as well as on their central involvement with decision-makers in hundreds of different organizations that have substantially increased the speed, efficiency, and productivity of their performance by executing the six disciplines. Correctly, Harpst stresses that change efforts must be initiated and then sustained at all levels and in all areas throughout the given enterprise.
In this context, I am reminded of Sir Thomas More whom playwright Robert Bolt describes as a "man for all seasons." Gray Harpst believes (and I agree) that only an organization fully prepared for all "seasons" will be able to anticipate, then plan and execute solutions to problems that await in an uncertain future but also, meanwhile, manage "the unknowns of the real world" they face today.
|
|
|
5.0 out of 5 stars
Planning and Execution, 31 Jul 2008
While the ultimate message put forth in this book is about executing your plans and how to go about that, it is very much based on what needs to be done first - and that is Planning, Goal-Setting. Without this foundation in place first, any actions in business will be haphazard, directionless and misguided.
Six Principles Execution Revolution is an excellent business source that offers some unique insights into how to put your business goals into action. Having a plan is one thing. Being able to make it happen is something else altogether. This book helps you do that.
How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good
Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1
Darren G. Burton
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
A framework that is targetted at the smaller /medium sized firm., 12 Jul 2008
This book presents a comprehensive frame work for weaving Strategy and Execution [implementation] into a single model for enduring business excellance.
The book provides a common framework for a meaningful dialogue about where you are in terms of your business, how you got there, and how to develop a vision of where you,d like to go.
The key steps set out in my view represent well established management practice, what strengthens the authors case is the good quality research that he draws on what make for Business success. The book is worth buying for this alone, the points made also apply to larger companies. Any manager in a larger organisation could benefit from this wide ranging book. The content has not as far as I am aware been addressed in this way by anybody else, you could save yourself a lot of consultancy fees by reading this book.
One criticism is that the author has built a franchise operation in the US, built around this approach and you will not find many tools that you can use. In other words you will have to "buy in" to what he is offering to get more depth/insights. Putting this to one side this book is unique in many ways and if you are seeking to build long term organisation capability, this is a good buy. Going far beyond the often narrow solutions provided by other consultants/specialists in one field, that you might get from just using an executive coach for example. Most business solutions require a more holistic wide ranging approach.
Stan Felstead - Interchange Resources UK
|
|
|
|
by Marcus Buckingham
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home