The Three Core Processes of Execution

By Eric Britten

Being a process person, “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” (Bossidy and Charan, Crown Business, 2002, 288 pages, ISBN-10: 0609610570) grabbed my attention when the authors outlined what they believe are the three core processes of execution:

1. The people process: Linking strategy and operations
2. The strategy process: Linking people and operations
3. The operations process: Linking strategy and people

“The strategy process defines where a business wants to go and the people process defines who is going to get it there. The operating plan provides the path for those people.”

Execution is at the heart of a successful business. Its implementation is achieved through the effective integration of people processes, strategy processes, and operational/budgeting processes. Leaders have to master each process, understand their synergies and know how to change them. This can only be done by the leader’s day to day immersion in the processes, particularly the people processes.

Any organization can be broken down into core and subordinate processes. Once that’s done, it’s a fairly simple task to determine where the weaknesses are. But, it’s the successful implementation of the change that delivers results. As a boss I once had said, “Execution! Execution! Execution!”