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The book also gives practical solutions within the reach of any organization unless said organization's leaders are ruled by their hubris. I found the book to speak plainly about the problems that the vast majority of organizations face.
Gary Harpst's Six Disciplines Execution Revolution was the book I recommended most to my clients last year. First, his content is aimed directly at small and mid-sized companies - the majority of businesses out there. But readers should know that I asked Harpst to do that only after being wowed by what I read in Execution Revolution.As a consultant and trainer for middle and senior managers, I've seen shiny, polished companies and also those that are obviously spilling over with chaos to even the most casual observer. Companies spend (or waste) a lot of energy bouncing from urgency to urgency, trying to find balance.
Also, the book has well-thought out diagrams that help readers "see" what to do.What's more, this is a hardcover book with a phenomenally low list price. Second, Harpst emphasizes the need for a balance between execution and strategy, and never have I seen the problem and the solutions explained so well.Using clear instructions with easy-to-understand examples, Harpst shows that achieving excellence is not enough. For years I have worked with companies to achieve better balance, but Harpst really puts his finger on it. insanely low for a phenomenally valuable book. He makes it extremely easy for managers and leaders to understand their situation, and then what to do to create enduring excellence. In the interest of full disclosure, Gary Harpst wrote the foreword for my recent book, Creating Passion-Driven Teams.
Many companies reach what they define as excellence, but then fall out of it, usually floating back and forth between strategy and execution. If you read only one book this year to improve your business, this should be it. But I've found that even the shiny, polished ones operate with a lot of commotion and chaos right below the surface. If that describes your company (and chances are it does), you will be impressed with Harpst's down-to-earth, practical, and very workable solutions.
I value them for that.I run a small PR firm. Our employee survey improved 30% this year because we have a clear plan.
But, it's good to know I have a resource I can open to get ideas and inspiration when I need it.I also recommend Six Disciplines for Excellence: Building Small Businesses That Learn, Lead and Last, Harpst's first book. Admittedly, I have to work every day on the execution part.
I've read many of the best-selling business books. Harpst's six disciplines have helped me get my arms around what's really important (and it wasn't what I though it was) and align the team behind those goals.
It's much more the cookbook for connecting strategy to what employees do every day. They've helped me better understand the mind of a business leader and clarify values that are important for success.
Six Disciplines Execution Revolution is the first book that has help me understand what I need to do to succeed as a small business owner.
It's was a nice uplift for me and I had an easy time understanding the methodology. This book taught me I can't eliminate problems cropping up my business, but that I can conquer them and still get all the projects done I need get done to move forward. The biggest "ah-ha" moment comes early and is repeated often. My business can execute big and small project plans month after month without the pain in the rear fire drills I thought were unavoidable.
It should sit right beside Jim Collins, "Good to Great" and "Built to Last" because it is in the same league. "Execution Revolution" should be a must-read book for any serious CEO. Managing Execution is critical in today's environment because a great strategy means nothing if it's not executed. The main message in Gary Harpst's new book, "Six Disciplines Execution Revolution" is for business owners to understand there is a world of difference between "building widgets" and "building a business that builds widgets." Research shows over and over that 80% of all strategies fail to get fully implemented. That's a disturbing statistic for any business owner.
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