Getting ahead on your to-dos

You’ve heard it many times before: “Knowledge is power.” But is it, really? What good is knowledge if you don’t put it to use? The real power is in execution, argues Brian Moran, CEO of The Execution Co., which works with business leaders and entrepreneurs to improve performance.
For example, millions of Americans want to lose weight, and have access to vast stores of knowledge on diet and exercise. Yet despite knowing how to get in better shape, they just don’t do it because they lack the means or motivation to execute.
“You can be smart and have access to lots of information and great ideas; you can be well-connected, work hard and have lots of natural talent. But in the end, you have to execute,” said Moran, who is also co-author of The New York Times bestseller “The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others do in 12 Months.”
Ability to execute is the single biggest factor that sets successful business owners apart from others. Here are ways to tackle your biggest “to-dos” and improve your execution IQ:
• Envision a future that’s worth the pain of change. If you want to achieve greater things in your business, the one thing you’ll have to sacrifice is comfort. The key to getting past that is to create and maintain a vision of the goals you want to attain that are worth the kind of discomfort that good execution might require.
• Be committed, not just interested. Here’s a good yardstick for knowing the difference: When you are merely “interested” in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. But when you are truly “committed” you accept no excuses, only results.
• Write down your plan. A “plan” that’s only in your head really isn’t a plan at all. It’s wishful thinking. That’s because other things will always get in the way. If you don’t have a written plan you’ll almost always drop the ball in the first few days of your mental “plan.” • Take it one week at a time. Having a plan for each week helps guide your efforts. This should include your strategies and priorities, along with a summary of progress against the prior week’s plan.
• Track efforts, not results. The reason is simple: “You have greater control over your actions than your results,” said Moran. “Your results are created by your actions.” Try measuring your level of execution – to what degree you followed through on each week’s tactics and priorities. This helps you pinpoint problems and respond quickly. •


Daniel Kehrer can be reached at editor@bizbest.com

No posts to display