Ram Charan (1939- )
Indian management consultant who works in America (pictured right).
Key books
Execution (2002),written with Larry Bossidy
(pictured right below)
The main job for leaders is execution, getting people to deliver results and achieve the
organization’s objectives like customer satisfaction.
This is achieved by the successful combination of:
1. Strategy
Formulating a strategy that delights present and future customers, and being passionately committed to achieving
it.
2. People
- motivating people to carry out the customer driven strategy (by rewarding
performance, setting clear customer driven aims, and knowing and satisfying employee needs)
- effective employee selection and appraisal - getting the right
people in the right jobs at the right place.
- improving people's capabilities through continuous learning and
coaching.
- being honest about the realities facing the organization.
- making sure the corporate culture emphasizes strategy execution.
3. Operations
Ensuring that every organizational activity achieves the strategy’s aims through:
- maximizing people's motivation (see above).
4. Leadership
Leaders should be emotionally strong from:
a) authenticity
(being true to yourself).
b) self-awareness
(knowing your strengths and weaknesses).
c) self-mastery
(taking control with self-confidence).
d) humility
(listening to and learning from others).
Key quotes on
strategy
The missing link between aspirations and results (definition of execution)
Realism is the heart of execution.
Leadership in the Era of Economic
Uncertainty (2008)
In times of crisis leaders must:
1. Communicate and act with urgency
Within ten days of the banking and economic collapse in 2008, DuPont’s chief executive, Chad
Holliday (pictured right below), ensured that all of its 60,000 employees had talked to a manager
about:
- what needed to be done to deal with the crisis.
- their suggestions for saving money.
2. Create cash
A company’s survival is dependent on cash.
Vital are
- cost efficiency (minimizing the cost of new investments).
Keep only essential employees, products and markets.
3. Management intensity
Closely examining the company and its customers.
4. Ground-level intelligence
Information gathering about key success factors, particularly the needs of customers and suppliers.
5. Co-ordinate
Effectively combining people in teams from different product divisions and management functions (like marketing,
innovation and finance).
6. Set targets
People must be given frequent (even weekly) targets to
- create a sense of urgency.
7. Build for the future
Planning for when business will improve and investing in new products that satisfy customers’ future needs.
8. Act with authenticity
- inspiring others with vision, integrity, credibility, humility, honesty and realistic
optimism.
Key quotes on business success and
employees
They need a vision that will turn their lightbulbs on, generating creativity and ideas (about employees).
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