Execution Is a Leadership Discipline
Execution Is a Leadership Discipline
Execution Is a Leadership Discipline
Execution Is a Leadership Discipline
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In my last two articles, I talked a lot about Success Plans, preparation, and relationships, while consistently putting execution slightly to the side. Today, we are going to dive into that part.
Execution is about managing the unforeseen and keeping things on track. This is not the time to make design decisions, align commitments, or change responsibilities. Execution is the moment to sit firmly at the helm and keep your course toward the goal.
I am not going to sugarcoat it, when you take on the captain’s role, you gain more duty than leverage and you inherit the burden of finding solutions. You are the one accountable and everyone counts on you to make it happen. It is a tough position, but it is the one you accept the moment you start leading.
Once you decide to get behind the steering wheel, you cannot shift the blame when things go wrong. Yes, your passengers may understand that others are driving recklessly at times, but they still rely on you to get them safely to their destination.
That said, do not feel pressured by this responsibility. Embrace the trust that comes with owning it. People will understand imponderables, what they will not forgive is deflection. So first and foremost, own it! Second, do not despair. There are concrete ways to mitigate issues and prevent things from going off the rails. The next item on that list is control.
In my last two articles, I talked a lot about Success Plans, preparation, and relationships, while consistently putting execution slightly to the side. Today, we are going to dive into that part.
Execution is about managing the unforeseen and keeping things on track. This is not the time to make design decisions, align commitments, or change responsibilities. Execution is the moment to sit firmly at the helm and keep your course toward the goal.
I am not going to sugarcoat it, when you take on the captain’s role, you gain more duty than leverage and you inherit the burden of finding solutions. You are the one accountable and everyone counts on you to make it happen. It is a tough position, but it is the one you accept the moment you start leading.
Once you decide to get behind the steering wheel, you cannot shift the blame when things go wrong. Yes, your passengers may understand that others are driving recklessly at times, but they still rely on you to get them safely to their destination.
That said, do not feel pressured by this responsibility. Embrace the trust that comes with owning it. People will understand imponderables, what they will not forgive is deflection. So first and foremost, own it! Second, do not despair. There are concrete ways to mitigate issues and prevent things from going off the rails. The next item on that list is control.
In my last two articles, I talked a lot about Success Plans, preparation, and relationships, while consistently putting execution slightly to the side. Today, we are going to dive into that part.
Execution is about managing the unforeseen and keeping things on track. This is not the time to make design decisions, align commitments, or change responsibilities. Execution is the moment to sit firmly at the helm and keep your course toward the goal.
I am not going to sugarcoat it, when you take on the captain’s role, you gain more duty than leverage and you inherit the burden of finding solutions. You are the one accountable and everyone counts on you to make it happen. It is a tough position, but it is the one you accept the moment you start leading.
Once you decide to get behind the steering wheel, you cannot shift the blame when things go wrong. Yes, your passengers may understand that others are driving recklessly at times, but they still rely on you to get them safely to their destination.
That said, do not feel pressured by this responsibility. Embrace the trust that comes with owning it. People will understand imponderables, what they will not forgive is deflection. So first and foremost, own it! Second, do not despair. There are concrete ways to mitigate issues and prevent things from going off the rails. The next item on that list is control.
Staying in control
By control, I do not mean controlling every detail. You would not survive that, and neither would the people around you.
Staying in control is much more about communication and knowledge than about “actual” control. Everyone will understand that you cannot be blamed if your provider is dealing with a zombie attack in their server room. What you will be judged on, however, is how you handle it.
Once in a while, trust your gut, if you don’t feel in control... you probably aren’t.
You are the one who foresees, anticipates, and plans. You are the one who manages and makes the calls. Being in control is primarily about transparency, proactivity, and situational awareness. You need to know what is going on. You need clear priorities, task lists, milestones, and deliverables so you can plan and anticipate.
Once you understand your critical path, you can anticipate problems and define contingencies. That is where having a clean and reliable plan truly matters.
You have created a great Success Plan (you did, right?), and you want it to remain relevant and useful. Keep it up to date. Nothing signals “no one cares” more clearly than outdated milestones with no updates. Stay on top of it. Make sure everyone understands what is happening and what the dependencies are. Communicate updates clearly so everyone knows where things stand and what comes next.
“Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well.”
Staying in control
By control, I do not mean controlling every detail. You would not survive that, and neither would the people around you.
Staying in control is much more about communication and knowledge than about “actual” control. Everyone will understand that you cannot be blamed if your provider is dealing with a zombie attack in their server room. What you will be judged on, however, is how you handle it.
Once in a while, trust your gut, if you don’t feel in control... you probably aren’t.
You are the one who foresees, anticipates, and plans. You are the one who manages and makes the calls. Being in control is primarily about transparency, proactivity, and situational awareness. You need to know what is going on. You need clear priorities, task lists, milestones, and deliverables so you can plan and anticipate.
Once you understand your critical path, you can anticipate problems and define contingencies. That is where having a clean and reliable plan truly matters.
You have created a great Success Plan (you did, right?), and you want it to remain relevant and useful. Keep it up to date. Nothing signals “no one cares” more clearly than outdated milestones with no updates. Stay on top of it. Make sure everyone understands what is happening and what the dependencies are. Communicate updates clearly so everyone knows where things stand and what comes next.
“Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well.”
Staying in control
By control, I do not mean controlling every detail. You would not survive that, and neither would the people around you.
Staying in control is much more about communication and knowledge than about “actual” control. Everyone will understand that you cannot be blamed if your provider is dealing with a zombie attack in their server room. What you will be judged on, however, is how you handle it.
Once in a while, trust your gut, if you don’t feel in control... you probably aren’t.
You are the one who foresees, anticipates, and plans. You are the one who manages and makes the calls. Being in control is primarily about transparency, proactivity, and situational awareness. You need to know what is going on. You need clear priorities, task lists, milestones, and deliverables so you can plan and anticipate.
Once you understand your critical path, you can anticipate problems and define contingencies. That is where having a clean and reliable plan truly matters.
You have created a great Success Plan (you did, right?), and you want it to remain relevant and useful. Keep it up to date. Nothing signals “no one cares” more clearly than outdated milestones with no updates. Stay on top of it. Make sure everyone understands what is happening and what the dependencies are. Communicate updates clearly so everyone knows where things stand and what comes next.
“Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well.”
Keep a clear, and timely, line of communication
Communicate transparently, as early as possible, especially when the news is bad (don’t delay it, it rarely gets better randomly, unfortunately....). Stay proactive. No one expects you to immediately know why something is off track, when it will be resolved or exactly how it will be fixed, within five minutes of spotting an issue. What people do expect is to be kept informed without having to ask.
When you communicate, less is more. Share the essentials and stay light on details. If they want more depth, they will ask. Do not hide the truth, just be honest and pragmatic.
Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well. You do not want to be known as someone who cannot be trusted.
Be empathetic in your communication. Understand the impact, the pressure, and the context on your customer’s side. If you followed the previous articles, you now have a solid understanding of their situation and KPIs. You know what matters to them and what they need internally to manage the situation. Give them what they need before they have to ask.
Keep a clear, and timely, line of communication
Communicate transparently, as early as possible, especially when the news is bad (don’t delay it, it rarely gets better randomly, unfortunately....). Stay proactive. No one expects you to immediately know why something is off track, when it will be resolved or exactly how it will be fixed, within five minutes of spotting an issue. What people do expect is to be kept informed without having to ask.
When you communicate, less is more. Share the essentials and stay light on details. If they want more depth, they will ask. Do not hide the truth, just be honest and pragmatic.
Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well. You do not want to be known as someone who cannot be trusted.
Be empathetic in your communication. Understand the impact, the pressure, and the context on your customer’s side. If you followed the previous articles, you now have a solid understanding of their situation and KPIs. You know what matters to them and what they need internally to manage the situation. Give them what they need before they have to ask.
Keep a clear, and timely, line of communication
Communicate transparently, as early as possible, especially when the news is bad (don’t delay it, it rarely gets better randomly, unfortunately....). Stay proactive. No one expects you to immediately know why something is off track, when it will be resolved or exactly how it will be fixed, within five minutes of spotting an issue. What people do expect is to be kept informed without having to ask.
When you communicate, less is more. Share the essentials and stay light on details. If they want more depth, they will ask. Do not hide the truth, just be honest and pragmatic.
Your reputation will precede you, not just on this commitment but on future ones as well. You do not want to be known as someone who cannot be trusted.
Be empathetic in your communication. Understand the impact, the pressure, and the context on your customer’s side. If you followed the previous articles, you now have a solid understanding of their situation and KPIs. You know what matters to them and what they need internally to manage the situation. Give them what they need before they have to ask.
The people challenge
You will deal with people low on the accountability ladder (the classic “I can’t”), people who are not interested in playing their part (“Yes, yes, of course, now leave me alone”), and sometimes people who are simply not competent to deliver. On top of that, there will be technical issues, overpromises, and things that break along the way.
One of the core challenges of any manager (whether your focus is Product, Project, or People in front of that term) is getting others to do what needs to be done so you can move closer to your goal.
Remember that people are far more inclined to execute when the idea comes from them. They may even come up with a better solution than yours (I’m sure you’re amazing, but, I’m also quite sure you’re not a specialist in everything)
Ask targeted questions such as: “What do you propose?”, “How do you see this happening?” or “How can we overcome this problem?” Let people own the solution, then support them in the execution.
The people challenge
You will deal with people low on the accountability ladder (the classic “I can’t”), people who are not interested in playing their part (“Yes, yes, of course, now leave me alone”), and sometimes people who are simply not competent to deliver. On top of that, there will be technical issues, overpromises, and things that break along the way.
One of the core challenges of any manager (whether your focus is Product, Project, or People in front of that term) is getting others to do what needs to be done so you can move closer to your goal.
Remember that people are far more inclined to execute when the idea comes from them. They may even come up with a better solution than yours (I’m sure you’re amazing, but, I’m also quite sure you’re not a specialist in everything)
Ask targeted questions such as: “What do you propose?”, “How do you see this happening?” or “How can we overcome this problem?” Let people own the solution, then support them in the execution.
The people challenge
You will deal with people low on the accountability ladder (the classic “I can’t”), people who are not interested in playing their part (“Yes, yes, of course, now leave me alone”), and sometimes people who are simply not competent to deliver. On top of that, there will be technical issues, overpromises, and things that break along the way.
One of the core challenges of any manager (whether your focus is Product, Project, or People in front of that term) is getting others to do what needs to be done so you can move closer to your goal.
Remember that people are far more inclined to execute when the idea comes from them. They may even come up with a better solution than yours (I’m sure you’re amazing, but, I’m also quite sure you’re not a specialist in everything)
Ask targeted questions such as: “What do you propose?”, “How do you see this happening?” or “How can we overcome this problem?” Let people own the solution, then support them in the execution.
Protect your relationships
We are all human. We all interact with our own opinions, biases and filters. Ultimately, there is always something that either motivates us or blocks us. Identifying what makes people tick is your holy grail.
Empathy goes a long way. Ask yourself: “What is in it for them?”. You clearly need something from them, but why would they do it? (Or, more accurately, what would you do it if you were in their position?)
Sometimes it is as simple as personal affinity. You have a good relationship, you grab coffee together, and they want to see you succeed. No one enjoys spending breaks with a colleague who is constantly overwhelmed.
Others may be more task oriented and transactional, and that’s perfectly fine. You helped them in the past, you can help them again in the future, and they are happy to reciprocate. Some people need recognition. They want to shine. Acknowledge their contribution, highlight their impact, and make their help visible.
You get the point. We are all human, with our own quirks. There is no need to judge. Focus on understanding how people want to be treated, and you will find strong allies ready to move forward with you and get things done.
Protect your relationships
We are all human. We all interact with our own opinions, biases and filters. Ultimately, there is always something that either motivates us or blocks us. Identifying what makes people tick is your holy grail.
Empathy goes a long way. Ask yourself: “What is in it for them?”. You clearly need something from them, but why would they do it? (Or, more accurately, what would you do it if you were in their position?)
Sometimes it is as simple as personal affinity. You have a good relationship, you grab coffee together, and they want to see you succeed. No one enjoys spending breaks with a colleague who is constantly overwhelmed.
Others may be more task oriented and transactional, and that’s perfectly fine. You helped them in the past, you can help them again in the future, and they are happy to reciprocate. Some people need recognition. They want to shine. Acknowledge their contribution, highlight their impact, and make their help visible.
You get the point. We are all human, with our own quirks. There is no need to judge. Focus on understanding how people want to be treated, and you will find strong allies ready to move forward with you and get things done.
Protect your relationships
We are all human. We all interact with our own opinions, biases and filters. Ultimately, there is always something that either motivates us or blocks us. Identifying what makes people tick is your holy grail.
Empathy goes a long way. Ask yourself: “What is in it for them?”. You clearly need something from them, but why would they do it? (Or, more accurately, what would you do it if you were in their position?)
Sometimes it is as simple as personal affinity. You have a good relationship, you grab coffee together, and they want to see you succeed. No one enjoys spending breaks with a colleague who is constantly overwhelmed.
Others may be more task oriented and transactional, and that’s perfectly fine. You helped them in the past, you can help them again in the future, and they are happy to reciprocate. Some people need recognition. They want to shine. Acknowledge their contribution, highlight their impact, and make their help visible.
You get the point. We are all human, with our own quirks. There is no need to judge. Focus on understanding how people want to be treated, and you will find strong allies ready to move forward with you and get things done.
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