The 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX)
4DX is a powerful system for implementing Strategic Planning.
from Hub Pages.com 04 Sept 14 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
The 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) [Hard Cover or Audio Book], makes the case for the importance of obtaining results quickly, then lays out a road map for “execution success” in clear & “actionable” language. This book is practical through-and-through. It is written for practitioners and not academics or students (though it wouldn’t hurt a student any to read it).The book follows logical steps, each of which are deeply detailed in the book.
Are your caught up in the Whirlwind of the seemingly urgent tasks of the day? Goals fail to get accomplished and activities are left undone, not because team members are lazy or incompetent, but rather because team members are too busy – often with trivial pursuits – that are not helping to move them toward the goals. The helpful metaphor of the Whirlwind was introduced to help you visualize how busy-ness is the greatest enemy of good business in most companies mature or just starting.
1st Discipline: Focus on Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). Jim Collins [Author of “Good to Great”, already has BHAG [Big Hairy Audacious Goals] copyrighted, so 4DX needed its own term. The principle here is – focus your attention on the one (or maybe two) most mission critical (important) or lowest hanging fruit (easiest) on your Strategic plan until you accomplish it, then pick new Goals. Focusing on these is the first step to overcoming the Whirlwind and getting your goals.
2nd Discipline: Act on Lead Measures. You don’t drive your car facing the back. You don’t walk down the street backwards. You don’t prepare for the day by looking at yesterday’s calendar or planner. Why would you run your company / startup using only past information? Have a Brain-Storming session with your Staff and determine what are the actions you can take to meet, then exceed your Goals. Then leverage these actions that will enhance your probability of success.
3rd Discipline: Keep a Scoreboard. When you go a sports event, you are (usually) never left guessing about who is winning and who is losing. The score is prominently displayed for all to see in real-time, all the time. Sometimes the Scoreboard motivates both fans & players to give that last push that puts their team over the top. Sometimes the Scoreboard simply illustrates that the challenge was too low for one team and too high for the other. The same is true for your team. Finding ways to prominently display “the score” for the WIG (Goals) you are pursuing – so that everyone knows if the team is winning or losing – will either be a motivator & morale booster for your team or a clear signal to you that you need to change your Action Plan.
4th Discipline:Create an acceptance of Accountability. The key word here is “acceptance.” Too often, when the word “accountability” is used in business, it is a substitute for a unwanted trip to the boss’s office. Much like the word “discipline,” “accountability” has both positive & negative applications. By establishing a regularly scheduled Accountability Encounter [Reality Check] with team members, you can minimize the fear and actually maximize effectiveness. Not only will you be afforded with regular opportunities to positively reinforce your team for good performance, you will also start spotting problems or potential adjustments needed earlier – when the adjustment is more manageable and less drastic.
Conclusion: This is a must-read [Audio or Hard-cover] book for every Startup or mature business owner to get the better results you want. Put the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) into effect at your organization and everyone will be pleased with the results.
Comments: What has been your experience at putting these 4 Disciplines into effect?