The 4 Disciplines
of Execution
Dr. Jack Smothers
Objectives
• Participants will develop …
– Strategies to stay focused on goals within the
whirlwind of day to day activities
– Narrowly-focused, well crafted goals
– Lead measures that are critical for success
– Compelling scoreboards to engage
employees and track success
– Models for establishing a culture of personal
and team accountability
Strategy + Execution = Success
Execution: The discipline of getting the most
important things done.
‪
Discipline: A consistent regimen that leads to
freedom of action.
- Only 8% of executives are effective at both strategy & execution. (PwC)
- 70% of strategic failures come from poor execution…it’s rarely for lack of smarts
or vision. (Ram Charan)
Why is Execution Challenging?
Work
Important
Urgent
Acts on you
Habitual
Keeps the engine running today
Goals
Important
Not Urgent
You act on it
Requires Change
Builds capability for the future
‪
‪
‪
‪
‪
The Time Matrix
Necessity
- Equipment Breakdown
Deception
- Multiple people/wrong
people at same meeting
Discipline
- Wildly Important Goals
Waste
- Internet surfing
The 4 Disciplines
1. Focus on the Wildly Important
 Focus
2. Act on the Lead Measures
 Leverage
3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
 Engagement
4. Create a Cadence of Accountability
 Commitment
Discipline 1
Focus on the Wildly Important
Deliverable: Narrowly-focused, well crafted goals
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
• What is an important goal?
– A goal with significant consequence and value.
• What is a Wildly Important Goal?
– A goal that makes all the difference. Failure
to achieve this goal renders any other achievements
inconsequential.
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
Focus on Less to Achieve More
There will always be more
good ideas than there is
capacity to execute.
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
How to Structure a Goal…
• A measure tells you if you have achieved your goal.
• From X to Y by When
Performance gap
Gap-closure timeframe
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
War
Battles
Organizational WIG
(Lag Measure)
Sub Wig
(Lag Measure)
Sub Wig
(Lag Measure)
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
Org. WIG
(Lag Measure)
‪
Sub WIGs
(Lag Measures)
‪
Increase enrollment from 11,000 to 12,000
by August 1.
Increase student
persistence from 70%
to 77% by August 1
Increase new students
from 2700 to 3000 by
August 1
Discipline 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
WIG Builder
Ideas for the WIG
Final WIG(s):
Current Result
(from X)
Desired Result
(to Y)
Deadline
(By When)
Rank
Discipline 2
Act on the Lead Measures
Deliverables: Lead measures that best
predict the achievement of the WIGs.
Discipline 2:
Act on the Lead Measures
Lead Measure
Lag Measure
(activity)
(results)
Predictive – measures something
that leads to the goal
Influenceable – something we can
influence
How:
• Calories in (Diet)
• Calories Out (Exercise)
Measures the goal
What:
Reduce Fat
Discipline 2:
Act on the Lead Measures
War
Battles
Tactics
Organizational WIG
(Lag Measure)
Sub Wig
(Lag Measure)
Lead Measures
Sub Wig
(Lag Measure)
Lead Measures
Discipline 2:
Act on the Lead Measures
Org. WIG
(Lag Measure)
‪
Sub WIGs
(Lag Measures)
‪
Lead
Measures
Increase enrollment from 11,000 to
12,000 by August 1.
Increase student
persistence from 70%
to 77% by August 1
Contact 90% of AtRisk Students every
week
Increase new
students from 2700
to 3000 by August 1
5 new registrations
per associate per
week
Discipline 2:
Act on the Lead Measures
Lead Measure Builder
Ideas for lead measures
Final Lead Measures:
How to measure?
Rank
Discipline 3
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
You’re not really serious unless you’re keeping score.
Deliverable: Compelling Scoreboard to track success
Discipline 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
People play differently when they are keeping score.
‪
1.
2.
3.
4.
Rules for a Compelling Scoreboard:
Keep a simple players scoreboard.
Scoreboard must always be visible to the players.
Track lead and lag measures.
Team can tell immediately if they are winning or losing.
Discipline 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
Increase enrollment from 11,000
to 12,000 by August 1
77%
Increase student
persistence from 70% to
77% by August 1
70%
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
90%
Contact 90% of At-Risk
Students every week
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Discipline 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
Increase enrollment from 11,000
to 12,000 by August 1
Increase new students
3000
Increase new students from
2700 to 3000 by August 1
2700
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Associate/Week
5 new registrations per
week per employee
1
2
3
Average
Kim
3
6
90% 5
4.7
5.0
4.7
14.3
Robert
4
7
4
Emily
5
6
3
Total
12
19
12
Discipline 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
Discipline 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
Scoreboard Builder
Team WIG
Lag Measure
Graph
Lead Measure 1
Graph
Lead Measure 2
Graph
Discipline 4
Create a Cadence of Accountability
Deliverable: WIG-Session Agenda
Discipline 4:
Create a Cadence of Accountability
Traditional Meetings vs. WIG Sessions
Discipline 4:
Create a Cadence of Accountability
Increase enrollment from 11,000
to 12,000 by August 1
77%
70%
Increase student
persistence from 70% to
77% by August 1
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
90%
Contact 90% of At-Risk
Students every week
Week
Kim
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Prior Commitment
New Commitment
Speak with 8 students about
course performance
Connect 5 at-risk students with
academic support
Discipline 4:
Create a Cadence of Accountability
Increase enrollment from 11,000
to 12,000 by August 1
Increase new students
3000
2700
Increase new students from
2700 to 3000 by August 1
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
5 new registrations per
week per employee
Robert
Associate/Week
1
2
3
Average
Kim
3
6
5
Robert
4
7
4
Emily
5
6
3
Total
12
90% 12
19
4.7
5.0
4.7
14.3
Prior Commitment
New Commitment
4 site visits
Meet with 3 Families
4 Disciplines of Execution
Prior Commitment
New Commitment
4 site visits
Meet with 3 Families
Robert
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Meet
Family 2
Meet
Family 3
8:00
9:00
Key Question:
What are the most
important things I can do
this week to impact the
scoreboard?
10:00
11:00
12:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
Meet
Family 1
Thursday
Friday
Discipline 4:
Create a Cadence of Accountability
Weekly WIG Session - team holds each other accountable for
commitments that move the lead measures
1.
2.
3.
4.
Rules for WIG Sessions:
Lasts no longer than 20-30 minutes.
Held on the same day and time each week.
Whirlwind is never allowed into the WIG session.
Commitments must:
a)
Represent a Specific Deliverable
b)
Influence Lead Measures
c)
Be Possible to Finish in One Week
Discipline 4:
Create a Cadence of Accountability
WIG SESSION AGENDA



Account: Report on last week’s commitments
Review Scoreboard: Learn from successes and failures
Plan: Clear the path and make new commitments
When
WIG(s)
Where
Team Member
Individual
Reports
Scoreboard
Update
Prior Commitment
Report
New Commitment(s)