Execution

Unlike many other books on the market that stress high-minded, complex theories, Larry Bossidy's and Ram Charan's Execution is a unique and indispensable guide to corporate strategy that focuses on the quality most essential to every business -- the ability to get things done. Bossidy, the chairman and CEO of Honeywell International, and Charan, a much-praised adviser to companies such as General Electric, use the simple metaphor of building a house to illustrate the importance of execution: The concerns that often occupy the attention of executives -- incentive systems, process design, promotions, new approaches to organization structure -- are just the walls or roof of a house, while successful execution is the true core, the foundation upon which everything else rests. As the authors note in their introduction, "Execution is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability." If you want to create an organization in which strategic planning and day-to-day operations are supported by tangible results, then this book will be an invaluable guide.