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Thirteeners

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Thirteeners

Why Only 13 Percent of Companies Successfully Execute Their Strategy – and How Yours Can Be One of Them

Greenleaf Book Group,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Successful strategy should mean successful execution, but fewer than 13% of companies execute well. Here’s how to be one of them.

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Only 13% of companies successfully execute their strategies. Lack of commitment to a shared mission and lack of “connectedness” – open communication among executives and employees – are significant factors when companies fall short. Disconnected employees don’t engage with each other, with their executives or with their companies’ strategies, plans and goals. Connectedness dominates in firms that win Best Place to Work competitions. Their executives promote regular, positive conversations as a foundation of their organizational culture. Such exchanges can help your firm become a “Thirteener” company – one of the 13% of organizations that actually implements its strategies. CEO mentor Daniel F. Prosser offers many good ideas as he examines how firms can build connectedness to support their strategies. getAbstract recommends his execution lessons to CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners, senior executives, sales managers and nonprofit executive directors.

Summary

“Promised-Based Strategy”

In November 2004, the Keystone ski resort in Colorado promoted the opening of its winter season by sponsoring a snowboard race offering a $3,600 grand prize. The name of the team that came in first was “The Team That Just Won $3,600.” Snowboarders Nick Gearhart and Bill Pomeroy named their team weeks before the race. The bold name was a promise they made to themselves, to the resort and to everyone involved as a symbol of their commitment to winning. They made their promise a reality.

Your company can develop the same confident attitude. Use affirmative language in your internal conversations, commit to the highest goals and focus on executing your strategic commitments. A promise-based strategy is the formula for becoming a great company. Don’t worry if you don’t know how you will succeed. What matters is that your entire organization commits to success and holds itself accountable.

Empowerment: “Positive Conversations”

Your firm’s ability to achieve its goals relies on your employees’ “connectedness” – to themselves, to management, and to your firm’s strategy. If you foster connectedness, you can eliminate existing constraints...

About the Author

Daniel F. Prosser has spent more than 45 years working as an entrepreneur, CEO mentor, team educator, software developer, speaker and author. He also conducts independent research into Best Place to Work companies.

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