The Execution Challenge
By Norman Wolfe
A client recently suggested, "Let's wait to work on improving team effectiveness. I have them so focused on executing the plan that we need to wait till that is done".
Let's wait until after the team has struggled to completion before we help them be more effective at execution. It's a common dilemma. Training takes time, which is time away from executing. But to be effective at executing, we must improve our abilities.
The traditional approach to increasing people's effectiveness is to think in terms of training. We go to training classes to learn new skills such as effective communication, sales skills or team building. Then we return to work, new skills in hand, and expect to perform at higher levels than before the training. It may be the expectation, but it is hardly the reality.
We are caught in a paradox. To more effectively execute, we need to improve our skills and traditional training takes us away from the execution process.
The paradox exists because we see development as learning new skills and learning as separate from execution. However, effective development does not come from learning. It comes from repetitive practice supported by feedback, allowing refinement until the new skill becomes integrated with other skills.
Viewed this way, the best way to learn a new skill is to execute, and execute and execute. Learning a new skill should be integrated with executing the desired results. With an integrated approach, learning takes on real meaning, focus and importance. The skills developed are integrated faster. The desired results occur in parallel, achieving both increased effectiveness and execution.
Of course, traditional training does have a tremendous amount of value or it wouldn't be such a huge industry. Training satisfies the first phase of the development process. It provides a clear understanding of what is to be accomplished and what success looks like. But it is only the first phase, the cognitive phase.
What is often overlooked and why the expectation of improved performance after training is hardly realized is the next phase, the awkward phase. Here we are actually less effective with the new skill than with our other skills; it is new, unfamiliar and awkward. This is the phase that sabotages most people and organizations from growing and learning. Doing something where we are less than effective is not something most of us take on willingly. We abandon the new skill for those we have relied on to date.
The new skill starts to take hold and effectiveness improves during the practice phase. This is where we keep doing it over and over again, receiving feedback, refining and adjusting until it starts to become natural. The frequency of mistakes tails off and our effectiveness begins to climb. Finally the skill is integrated, it is natural and relatively easy and our level of effectiveness is extremely high.
Recognizing that effective development happens during the practice phase gives us the clue to integrating development with execution. Focus the individual on the results to be accomplished. Ensure they understand not only the result that is expected but the skills by which the result is to be achieved. Use progress towards the result as the practice phase. Recognizing the initial attempts will be awkward requires encouragement and support. Direct and timely feedback supports the refinement and repeat process to hone the new skill.
Integrated development is best accomplished when there is someone focused on the development process while the team or individual is focused on executing. This can be either from within the organization (e.g. the organizational leader) or someone from outside the organization. Someone with an outside perspective often brings added advantages during critical executions.
We were invited to work with a client's executive team that was introducing a new-to-the-world product. With our experience in this type of product launch combined with our knowledge of team effectiveness, we were able to increase the team's learning and results.
The company had never launched new-to-the-world products and required different skills throughout the organization (marketing, sales, engineering etc.). As one would expect, different team members had different ideas about what was important, where resources should be allocated (to their department of course), etc.
Attending the team meetings allowed us to review progress and the team's response to arising problems. Using their own communication patterns we introduced the team to various interaction styles, and identified more effective ways of communicating. They were therefore able to refine and repeat on the spot.
One of the conflicts that arose was between sales and marketing. Marketing was generating more new leads than ever but sales still lagged. I'm sure you can imagine the conversation that ensued.
Keeping the team focused on the results we helped them see the cause of the conflict was incongruity of the metrics: marketing measured the number of leads in the funnel (without regard to the quality of the leads) and sales measured their leads-to-sales conversion rate. We not only resolved this issue but taught them the skills of creating congruent metrics that aligns the different organizational units.
There was one team member who would present his ideas, and whenever there was strong opposition, he would go along with the group. It was obvious that he was not really supporting the group's direction, but only avoiding the conflict. By encouraging that individual to re-present his point of view and helping the rest of the team listen differently, we helped prevent the team from overlooking a critical issue.
The results: the team took the launch, which was lingering over the previous 9 months, to a level of traction that exceeded the revenue projections within a 3 month period. All while improving their individual's skills and the organization's overall capacity to execute. |
