Your Execution Sucks

I know that sounds harsh, but let me tell you why that is...before you go for the rope and the tree and then me!

Most of us haven't created a culture that gets our employees involved. Instead, we have employees, who at best, will listen to what we say and do what we say. Maybe.

But if they don't buy into it, then their execution, like a football team on a bad day, will be lackadaisical, sluggish, and at worst, really don't care about the final score. Instead, they will just go through the motions until the next pay day and will keep you wondering what the heck it will take to get them to execute properly.

Managers at most company only care about the output of employees; not really paying attention to the input. And sad to say, it may be because of your leadership. You may be all and wise, but you still need input...its the breakfast of champions.

Because as a leader you have to go down three levels to be effective:
Level 1. Getting somebody to do what you want them to do
Level 2. Getting people to think what you want them to think (at this level, you dont have to tell them what to do, they will just know).
Level 3. Getting people to believe what you want them to believe.


If you get to this level,  even your skinniest and scrawniest person will do anything to "win",  including going out there and blocking a Green Bay Packer lineman :)                                                              


So here is a suggestion to get your management and leadership to Level 3:
1. Get your people involved in the problem solving process early and let them know that while they have a voice in the process, you have the final decision.
2. Let them site their opinions and ideas in this manner   ( they have to explain what they would do and why they would do it and they all have to participate. whether it be via email or an internal face book page.
3. They all have a right to say what they have to say.
RULE #1 AND THE ONLY RULE: NO ONE GETS REPRIMANDED FOR THEIR OPINION!
4. You will make the final decision. That's your job.                                                                                      

After this exercise, your execution won't suck, and WILL improve (I have seen it with my own eyes) because all of the employees have had a forum to voice their opinion and provide you with input.. Your execution should be much better because you have communicated this one simple statement.

"Thank you all for your input. Some great ideas out there and I have made a decision after considering what you had to say.  Here's our plan. Here's what we are doing to solve problem XYZ and here's why we are doing it."


Now if you dont have the employees on staff who even care enough about this process to get involved, then you have a whole other set of issues that need to be addressed.

If that's the case, go hire new people and look for competitive, curious and passionate people. Unemployment is still at 8.3% so there must be some qualified folks out there just begging for a chance.

Yeah you might have to pay them a little more, but you will get soooooooo  much more in return.