EXECUTION AS AN ABILITY Despite the growing recognition of the importance of executing well, it is interesting that there is no standard for measuring this ability or to develop it as a specific talent. Rather execution is treated as a potpourri of best practices. So where are the principles and skills for effective execution taught and practiced? Let's look at a few possibilities. Parenting has always been the fundamental place for instruction, and as many a parent can attest, there is no manual on how to raise a child. Every parent develops their own approach. Outcomes are as varied as the approaches. How about as part of a professional trade? Consider family names such as Archer, Baker, Butcher, Cook, Carpenter, Fisher, Smith, Shoemaker, etc. Like the court Executioner these names once identified the respective trade of an artisan or craftsman whose skills were taught and passed down from father to sons or mother to daughter.

The problem here is that skills in one trade do not necessarily transfer to other trades. Execution must therefore involve something more than proficiency in a specific skill or trade. In our modern world technology is constantly evolving and in some cases has entirely replaced the human worker. Many once common professions and skills are being lost or forgotten. How many individuals know how to use a slide rule instead of a calculator? Who remembers calling the switchboard operator, or riding an elevator controlled by a person? Still, while technology can greatly improve productivity, dependency on technology can often have a diminishing impact on our ability to execute when we rely too much on it to accomplish an objective. How about religion? Is execution taught in churches? No! Religions focus on teaching values and practices that provide a moral compass, not the behaviors specific to the acts of executing. What about academic institutions? From elementary level through high school our methods of measuring student performance consist largely of comparing student test scores against some academic standard. Unfortunately, many an intellectual genius is ineffective when called upon to execute outside the academic framework.

Execution requires an ability to analyze and apply knowledge, not simply recall information. Most colleges and universities focus on transferring the knowledge associated with various arts or sciences such as physics, chemistry, etc. While lab work is included in many courses of study, it doesn't teach the underlying behaviors used when executing a task. Developing the behaviors to execute is left up to the school of hard knocks. So if not in academia, how about in the business world? I quick informal survey will show that few corporations invest in any form of internal training for their employees, let alone in the specific discipline of execution. Instead, today's businesses strive to hire individuals who already possess effective execution abilities. It is not surprising to find that most businesses are finding it difficult to find qualified people. Why? Just because a person is familiar with a business concept or technology, doesn't mean they are effective when it comes to executing.

When all is said and done, most people will conclude that the fundamental abilities associated with executing are simply acquired through practical experience and developed in real world scenarios. While somewhat true, it is unfortunate that these behaviors are exercised and developed in a relatively inconsistent manner. The results are outcomes that are equally inconsistent. The reality is that developing the ability to execute to one's maximum potential is in almost all cases left completely up to the individual to discover, develop, and apply on their own. In those few cases, where an ability to execute effectively is taught, the simple behaviors involved are not obvious and outcomes are unpredictable.