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Execution is everything

Not only many business executives but also a lot of first-line staff can agree the idea: Execution is everything. This is because, even if people or a team has good ideas or proposals, they can realize nothing without execution. Let us think this idea through more specific examples.

First, it was long time ago when we discussed the importance of realizing both economic value and social value. In fact, Kyoto Protocol, which is an international treaty that extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was adopted in 1997. Even though most countries agreed the idea, the situation of climate change is not improving. Or it is getting even worse. That is why younger generations feel the sense of urgency. Thus, they are taking actions including climate strike. This is one of clear examples for the idea: Execution is everything.

Second example might be true for many organizations. When companies face their sales decline, sales managers could encourage their sales members to sell their products or services more. However, if the subordinates do not improve or change their actions, nothing will be improving. In this case, execution is everything.

Next, the important question here is that: How do we transform mediocre organizations into excellent organizations where members execute well? We can learn from one of the Peter Drucker’s famous quote: Culture eats strategy for breakfast.

Who is Peter Drucker?

According to Britannica, the simple biography of Peter Drucker is here.

Peter F. Drucker was born on November 19, 1909 in Vienna, Austria. What’s more, he passed away on November 11, 2005, in Claremont, California. He is an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author. In fact, his writings have so much impact on the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation.

Also, the Austrian-born legend is a leader in the development of management education. As a result, he invented the concept known as management by objectives.

Culture eats strategy for breakfast

When we hear from his famous quote “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”, what does come to your mind? Of course the quote does not mean that strategy is not important, but strategy without actions will be in vain. Therefore, the important point is that companies should define clear vision, set competitive strategy and take actions based on them.

As we see the introduction, implementation is easier said than done. There are lots of discussions about best theories that make organizations execute their strategy right way. It is true that there is no true answer against this theme, but a clue is corporate culture.

For example, we assume that there are two companies that want to establish their new business to earn profit. One company creates corporate culture that each employee are encouraged to challenge new things. In addition, colleagues admire and admit their challenges even if they are failed.

On the other hand, in the other company, top management always criticize member’s failures. Which corporate culture makes new business more successful? The answer is easy. Therefore, corporate culture enables employees to align with corporate vision and strategy as well as drive them take bold actions.

We discussed how difficult corporate culture is changed in the other article. Most companies have to consider how improve their organizational culture. This is because new businesses and challenges are more necessary to survive in this uncertain age. In this sense, Peter Drucker’s quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”, becomes more crucial.