INTRODUCTION—: THE NAME OF THE GAME IS “EXECUTE… OR BE EXECUTED”

What I now know: Execution is not part of the strategy. Execution IS the strategy.

PART I: EXECUTION STARTS HERE

CHAPTER ONE—: THE GAP: CLOSE IT
What I now know: The disconnect between knowing and doing, between
ideas and implementation —between plans and execution, must be eliminated.

CHAPTER TWO—: THE FACE OF THE ORGANIZATION
What I now know: High-performance organizations continue to execute
their strategy while they change and evolve.

CHAPTER THREE—: THE FACE OF THE LEADER
What I now know: Leadership is a verb.

CHAPTER FOUR—: THE FACE OF THE PEOPLE
What I now know: Your people are your frontline. Your frontline is your action line.
Your action line is your upper hand. They make it happen. They execute for you.

MARKETPLACE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

PART II: THE EXECUTION TEAM

CHAPTER FIVE—: ALL ABOARD
What I now know: If your people don’t execute—they are not part of the solution,
they are part of the problem.

CHAPTER SIX—: ENGAGE THEM
What I now know: Highly engaged employees outperform—out-execute less-engaged
employees right down to the bottom line.

CHAPTER SEVEN—: TEAM THEM UP
What I now know: Teamwork is more than two words stuck together…
much more. Teamwork enables us to execute our strategy.

MARKETPLACE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

PART III: EXECUTION SKILLS

CHAPTER EIGHT—: COMMUNICATE CLEARLY
What I now know: Monologuing is out! Dialoguing is in! Clear effective communication
is a powerful link between ideas, strategies, and plans and executing them successfully.

CHAPTER NINE—: FOCUS-FORWARD… NOT ON THE PAST
What I now know: If we were supposed to be constantly looking backward we would
have been created with eyes in the back of our heads. Execution requires a forward focus.

CHAPTER TEN—: HIRE AMBASSADORS
What I now know: Ambassadors execute—assassins don’t. Which your employees
are depends to a great extent upon you.

CHAPTER ELEVEN—: DELEGATE—DON’T ABDICATE
What I now know: When you delegate skillfully, you challenge and stimulate your people to execute.

CHAPTER TWELVE—: MAKE MEETINGS WORK
What I now know: Meetings are valuable “execution-organizers” if they are well
planned and sharply focused.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN—: DECIDE—DON’T STALL OUT
What I now know: Doing nothing is making a choice.Execution can’t happen until you decide.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN—: MEASURE WHAT MATTERS
What I now know: Measuring what matters enables the right things to get
done—enables the plan to be executed.

MARKETPLACE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

PART IV: EXECUTION PARTNERS

CHAPTER FIFTEEN—: CAPITALIZE ON INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES
What I now know: Today no business is an island. We all need resources to
enable us to reach our goals—to execute our plans.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN—MASTER TECHNOLOGY
What I now know: Technology is transforming our private lives—and our business lives
whether we know it or not—whether we understand it or not—whether we like it or not.

MARKETPLACE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

PART V: THE EXECUTION EXPERIENCE

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—EXECUTE FOR YOUR CUSTOMER
What I now know: A business without customers… isn’t.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN—: SUMMARY—: EXECUTE… OR BE EXECUTED
What I now know: It’s time to take charge and move strategic thinking
to strategic doing. It’s time to execute.

MARKETPLACE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

AFTERWORD—: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

INDEX