It's Not What You Say...It's What You Do: How Following Through At Every Level Can Make Or Break Your Company [Hardcover]

Previously, Haughton co-authored with Jason Jennings a book which I admire very much, It's Not the Big That Eat the Small...It's the Fast That Eat the Slow, in which he and Jennings explain how to use speed to achieve and then sustain a decisive competitive advantage in business. In this volume, Haughton focuses on the importance of follow-through which he asserts (and I agree) often determines success or failure in a competitive marketplace, whatever its nature and extent may be. He insists that what makes or breaks an organization is NOT the result of finding (or not finding) the perfect strategy; rather, contrary to conventional wisdom, success or failure is determined by the nature and extent of follow-through at every and all levels of an organization.

Haughton's conclusions and assertions are based on extensive research (his and others,' duly cited) to explain disfunctions common to most organizations. For example, a situation cited in a research study conducted by Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business:

"Half of all the decisions a company makes in order to solve some problem or take advantage of some opportunity will fall through the cracks in less than two years...not because of uncontrollable factors like a recession, unexpected cost hikes or any other outside factors but simply from a lack of follow-through." In this context, there appears to be what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton characterize as the "Knowing-Doing Gap." How to prevent or overcome it? Haughton identifies four "building blocks," the components crucial to effective follow through:

1. Having [begin italics] a clear direction [end italics] so everyone understands where they're headed in no uncertain terms.

2. Matching [begin italics] the right people [end italics] to every goal.

3. Getting off to a great start with plenty of [begin italics] buy-in [end italics].

4. Making sure everyone maintains their momentum by increasing [begin italics] individual initiative [end italics].

Easier said then done? Of course. Haughton knows that and provides in the first three chapters several specific, practical suggestions as (1) to "how to turn vague, general, or conflicting expectations into clear, specific, and coordinated targets -- even if you're the manager stuck in the middle between headquarters, and customers," (2) "how to quickly connect the dots between what people say and what they really want, without them telling you in an overt of explicit manner," and (3) how to formulate and then implement "a system for thinking things through more thoroughly (even under tight deadlines) and fine-tuning your directions with tactics prone to [begin italics] succeed [end italics]." The balance of this book provides addition information, observations, and suggestions -- as well as countless anecdotes, real-world examples, and executive profiles -- which will help decision-makers in any organization (regardless of size or nature) to flourish.

Chapter 7 offers especially valuable material. In it, citing Anand Sharma's simple four-step strategy, Haughton explains how to outmaneuver the CAVE people (i.e. citizens against virtually everything) who rigorously -- and cleverly -- oppose all change initiatives which threaten what, in Leading Change, Jim O'Toole calls "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." (Please see pages 107-121 in It's Not What You Say....) Of great value, also, is Haughton's discussion of Leslie Robertson (a structural engineer who helped design the World Trade Center) and James Crowe (CEO of Level 3 Communications) in the book's final chapter. Both offer compelling examples of those who understand that follow-through is a way of life, not a strategy. As Haughton explains when concluding his book, "All managers must be willing to expose themselves (like Robertson and Crowe) and say, 'The robustness and stamina of the follow-through is my responsibility. All our promises have my name on them.' "

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out the aforementioned Pfeffer and Sutton's The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action and O'Toole's Leading Change; also Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, and Scott D. Anthony's Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change; and Marco Iansiti and Roy Levien's The Keystone Advantage: What the New Dynamics of Business Ecosystems Mean for Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability.

Lack of follow-through is a leading cause of company failure. This book tells the stories of a unique group of managers who have mastered the art of making things happen: execution.Their stories and the lessons learned are presented around four building blocks which are the components crucial to following through: 1) having a clear direction, 2) matching the right people to every goal, 3) getting started with lots of 'buy-in,' and 4) ensuring everyone maintains momentum by increasing individual initiative. How these four keys to follow-through are achieved forms the substance of this work. In the book you'll find the author addresses how to overcome a variety of obstacles to getting things done. The author spotlights what works and what does not in real-world situations. A solid, practical book providing down-to-earth guidance for managers seeking to get people into action and keep them moving forward.

Some books titles draw me in immediately. Such was the case with this book - I mean would anyone disagree with this title?

Even so the book sat on my shelf for quite awhile. Once I picked it up, I read it in about a day and a half.

It's that good.

The book is built on four building blocks - the cornerstones the author identifies to creating greater follow-through in any organization.

- Clear Direction

- The Right People

- Buy-in

- Individual Initiative

I love that Haughton uses the phrase building blocks, because that is what they are. He reminds to forget quick fixes, but rather to get back to the basics. Then he gives us ideas and examples of what we can do that will predictably create projects and initiatives that will create results, rather than disappointments.

This is a book about personal leadership accountability and how to create an organizational expectation of higher accountability. In other words, this is a book about getting greater results. Read it and you will get many ideas on how to do just that.

So read it . . . and hold yourself accountable for putting what you learn into action.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 10 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars