Closing the Execution Gap
How Great Leaders and Their Companies Get Results
Published on 5. May 2010
256 pages
978-0-470-63672-5 (ISBN)
Description
Praise for Closing the Execution Gap
"I got half way through the introduction and was hooked. Thebook's premise--strategic thinking used to be a leader's mainfocus but surprisingly that's not enough--gave me confidencethat my efforts to drive execution are not in vain. Many of thechallenges that Lepsinger describes are exactly what we areexperiencing and Closing the Execution Gap gave me a way toorganize my thinking into actions I will take at my company. I planto buy copies for my entire team." Mark Miller President and CEO,New Horizons Worldwide
"Closing the Execution Gap is quick hitting and current.Lepsinger's 'how to' style is easy to read and apply. The examplesjumped out and kept me interested and I got value out of everychapter. Companies that are interested in developing managers willuse this book the way I intend to use it--as a practical guideto effective execution." Bernard Flynn President and CEO, NJMInsurance Group
"As compared to many leadership books, I found Closing theExecution Gap to be refreshingly practical. I advise the reader tohave their yellow highlighter at the ready. I especially liked theforthright analysis and recommendations that came with the author'slook at the critical area of accountability." Harold ScharlattDesign and Delivery Manager, Center for Creative Leadership
"Closing the Execution Gap has excellent information andinsights that are well connected to meaningful bodies of research.Lepsinger hones in on tangible, real-world problems that manyleaders will recognize and then offers practical solutions.?Linemanagers and Learning and Development professionals will find thisbook of interest because it captures the critical concepts thatmake an organization and its people successful." Craig DinsellEVPand Head of Human Resources, Oppenheimer Funds, Inc.
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
07/2010
1st Edition
Pfeiffer
€53.50
Shipment within 10-20 days
Person
Richard Lepsinger is president of OnPoint Consulting and has a twenty-five year track record of success as an organizational consultant and executive. He is the coauthor of three books on leadership including Flexible Leadership: Creating Value by Balancing Multiple Challenges and Choices, The Art and Science of 360? Feedback, and The Art and Science of Competency Models, all published by Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
Content
List of Figures and Tables.
Acknowledgements.
About the Author.
Introduction.
Chapter One: Vision Without Execution IsHallucination.
Yes, There Is an Execution Gap?But That's Only the Tip of theIceberg!
?Conventional Wisdom?: Maybe Not So Wise!
The Five Bridges: Gap Closers That Make the Difference.
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Two: Bridge Builder 1: Create and Use ActionPlans.
First Things First: A Brief Look at Strategic Planning.
Vision and Standards of Excellence.
Aligning Projects and Programs with Strategy.
Action Planning: An Execution Essential.
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Three: Bridge Builder 2: Expect TopPerformance.
The Pygmalion Effect: Proof That Expectations DrivePerformance.
Breaking the Cycle.
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Four: Bridge Builder 3: Hold PeopleAccountable.
What Is Accountability Anyway?
Why We Should Hold People Accountable?and Why We Don't.
Assessing Accountability: The Four Levels.
Why We Make Excuses.
Accountability Boosters: Managing Accountability in Others.
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Five: Bridge Builder 4: Involve the Right People inMaking the Right Decisions.
Beyond the Buzzword: What ?Empowerment? Really Means.
Brain Basics: How Cognitive Systems Impact Judgment and DecisionMaking.
So How Can We Make Better Decisions?
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Six: Bridge Builder 5: Facilitate ChangeReadiness.
What Top-Performing Companies Do.
Kicking Old Habits: What Addicts Can Teach Us About Change.
The Five Levels of Change Readiness.
Moving on Up: Facilitating Change with Level-AppropriateStrategies.
Holding Up the Mirror: Understanding the Impact of LeaderBehavior.
The Importance of Change Talk.
The Bottom Line.
Chapter Seven: Bridge Builder 6: Increase Cooperation andCollaboration.
Cooperating Versus Competing: The Human Struggle.
Encouraging and Sustaining Cooperation.
Disagreement Happens: How to Gain Support and ResolveConflict.
The Bottom Line.
Conclusion: Five Lessons for Leaders.
Lesson 1: Integrate the Leader and Manager Role.
Lesson 2: Clarify Assumptions and Priorities.
Lesson 3: Make Sure the Right Systems Are in Place.
Lesson 4: Coordinate and Monitor High-Impact Actions.
Lesson 5: Get Change Management Right.
The Bottom Line.
Appendix: Criteria for Selecting Top-Performing Companies.
Notes.
Index.
