Execution

“Vision without execution is hallucination.” Thomas Edison. If you want to separate yourself from the masses, get good at execution. It could be the most powerful skill a person can possess . Think about the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you can count on someone to get things done. That person becomes a key employee. There are plenty of people with good ideas. There are far fewer that follow through and execute on those ideas.

Flakey People

We all have people in our lives with whom you make plans, but somehow getting together never actually happens. You either hear nothing from them, or they call with an excuse as to why they can’t follow through. The foundation of the flakey person is a lack of execution. Beware of business arrangements that involve flakey people. They will drop the ball. It’s just a matter of when.

Group projects

Most work forces involve working with a team of people. If you don’t have experience with the people on your project team, don’t assume that they’ll carry their weight. You want to surround yourself with people that you can count on to execute.

Task List

The best way to get good at execution is to work from a task list. Make a list of the things you need to accomplish. Prioritize your list. Next begin with the most critical item on your list and do nothing else until it’s complete. Then take care of any correspondence and move onto your next task.

Know when to stop planning and start doing

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people delay execution because they are waiting to create the “perfect” plan. While there can be situations where that “perfect” plan is needed prior taking action (military or medical plans are two that come to mind), most plans don’t require perfection. There is such a thing as paralysis by analysis. At some point it’s time to jump in and execute. You can perfect things as you go.

Evaluate your progress

As you begin executing on your plan, make sure you take the time to evaluate how you are doing along the way. Einstein’s definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Measuring your progress will allow you to make course corrections by fine-tuning your process as you go.

Nothing happens without execution. Every business needs people that have mastered the art of getting things done. If you become that person, you will be an integral part of the organization. When push comes to shove, employers pay up for those they need.