Leaders Drive Initiatives: How to Accelerate Strategic Execution Through Active Support and Coaching

By: Henry M. Frechette and Jocelyn R. Davis and Edwin H. Boswell

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Synopsis: Success in business is all about creating the most value faster than the competition. Yet research shows that only 30% of strategic initiatives fully succeed on time, even with streamlined processes in place, detailed metrics to chart the course, and plenty of resources on hand to get the job done. How can you improve the odds? The authors-all executives at The Forum, a global consulting firm-argue that three often overlooked "people factors" are key drivers of strategic speed: clarity, unity, and agility. Their research reveals that leaders who are successful in driving strategic speed increase these people factors by consistently applying four practices. In this chapter, they take a closer look at the second practice: driving initiatives. Leaders, they argue, need to do more than "sponsor" initiatives; they need to follow an execution model that comprises seven success factors-all of which are more about people than they are about processes and technology. The chapter concludes with a brief self-assessment to help you size up your personal effectiveness at driving initiatives. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 4 of "Strategic Speed: Mobilize People, Accelerate Execution."