And this is where the execution happens...

At a recent seminar on Corporate Strategy Execution with a group of middle and senior management executives, many drawn from the public service, I had just explained in detail the strategic planning steps starting from identification of the organisational vision and mission, through environmental scanning and internal-external analysis, to development and prioritisation of strategic initiatives.

Quite a lot to get your head around in one day, but these were all seasoned managers representing the cream of their country's government and semi-government institutions, and listed companies.

Or so I thought. Until I asked for any questions to clarify any of the points that had been covered that morning, and was asked the question: "I understand all the planning techniques, but where does the execution step happen? And how do I make it happen"

My initial reaction was to ask if anyone else had the same question, and slowly a larger number of hands were raised. I gulped. With over twenty-five years of hands-on management experience, I had never encountered this situation. These workshop participants simply had no idea how to engage the people who reported to them with the ideas they wanted to execute.

This wasn't about developing strong strategic initiatives. Or about designing the tactics. Or even about understanding how to determine the most appropriate metrics to measure execution. These people shared one common problem - an inability to communicate to their staff the tactical daily operational requirements of their organisation or division.

I spent the next two hours working with the group to develop their management communication style - direct, clear communication, explaining what is required, why, how, where, by whom and by when. But I left that day with the sinking feeling that few, if any of them, were going to be able to change the learned behaviours with which the systems in their country had inculcated them. To really change, they would each need much more of my time than was available on this trip, over a longer period, and preferably one-on-one.

"Just do it" is a well known slogan. But it takes a lifetime of persistence to make execution that simple.