THE “YOU LIKE, I LIKE” FIFTY-TWO

His eminence, Peter Drucker, once said, “Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art.” As for me, my Ph.D. dissertation was labeled by my committee as the “first [Stanford business school] dissertation on the topic of implementation.” My subsequent research at McKinsey & Co., which led to In Search of Excellence, was an out and out exaltation of execution/ implementation/people and culture first, and thence a frontal attack on McKinsey’s Holy Grail, developing scintillating strategies for clients — and letting the doing take care of itself, which, of course, rarely occurs. A number of the firm’s power players wanted me fired. They eventually got their way, but I got the last laugh: the rather significant sales of my book with Bob Waterman.

Given that history, you may understand why I started this brief “You like, I like” compendium with: “You like strategy. I like execution.” That one is followed by fifty-one additional — and mostly contrarian — pairings.

Enjoy. And I hope what follows provokes some thought. And, hey, it was fun to write. I will plug away on these issues — ever more important — until, more or less, my last breath.

YOU LIKE STRATEGY. I LIKE EXECUTION.

You like strategy.

I like execution.

You like big gestures.

I like small gestures.

You worry about disruption.

I worry about the next five minutes.

You like systems.

I like people.

You think the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

I think the shortest distance between two points — when people are involved — is a twisting, turning path with hairpin turns and dead ends.

You like to “get to the point.”

I like kindness.

You like answers.

I like questions.

You like “sticking to the script.”

I like unbridled curiosity.

You think “we pay our taxes.”

I think our responsibility to the community is enormous — taxes are but a first step.

You think “we need to work on the gender issue.”

I think we must make a “hard commitment” to 50–50 gender balanced boards and executive teams within 36 months.

You think women can be good managers.

I think women on average are better managers than men — and better salespeople, negotiators, and investors.

You think sustainability and the war on climate change “is an issue.”

I think sustainability and the war on climate change is the issue.

You think “we gotta take more cost out.”

I think “we gotta put more value in.”

You say design is “prettification.”

I say design is nothing less than soul.

You say design is “the final touch.”

I say design is the starting premise and at the top of mind in every step in the product-and-service development process.

You want to “hammer the competition.”

I want us all to succeed by doing great work.

You think it’s a STEM world.

I think in the main, if true distinction is the goal, it’s a liberal arts world.

You like “Do it because it’s your job.”

I like “Thanks for the extra effort.”

You say, “Thank you” is fine — but “don’t overdo it.”

I say it is impossible to overdo it!

You like to “get down to business.”

I like to take the time to engage one and all in the issues at hand.

You say, “finish it up” and move on.

I say the “last five percent” makes all the difference — and takes lots (and lots) of time.

You like your office.

I like the shop floor.

You like people “who get to the point.”

I like people who think before they open their mouth.

You like the noisy ones.

I like the quiet ones.

You like the people in the first row who constantly raise their hands.

I like the people in the last row taking copious notes.

You like speed.

I like excellence.

You think culture is “important.”

I think culture is a flourishing garden which must be watered daily.

You think the development and maintenance of relationships is “not insignificant.”

I think the development and maintenance of relationships must be a “daily obsession.”

You want a technical group to be peopled with folks who have sterling technical backgrounds.

I want a technical group peppered with poets and musicians and artists and theater majors.

You like a resume with no gaps.

I like a resume with false starts and fresh starts, dead ends and detours.

You like people who read Forbes and Fortune.

I like people who read Dickens and Ishiguro.

You “try to find time” to read.

I follow the dictum of fanatic studenthood and read and read — and read some more.

You like those who “get it done on time” no matter what must be sacrificed.

I like those who settle for no less than excellence, regardless of the task or the timeframe.

You think excellence is “a hill to climb.”

I think excellence is the next five minutes.

You like “Let’s figure out who screwed this up.”

I like “I’m sorry.”

You like people who dream in spreadsheets and process maps.

I like people who dream about helping others accomplish things they never imagined possible.

You like org charts.

I laugh hysterically whenever I see an org chart.

You insist on putting the customer first.

I insist on putting the people who serve the customer first-er.

You are determined to fix what’s wrong, and therefore emphasize the negative.

I am determined to build upon what’s right, and thence emphasize and emphasize — and then re-emphasize — the positive.

You like “but” (“yes, but . . .”).

I like “and” (“great, and let’s keep going”).

You think training is an expense.

I think training is our Investment #1.

You have a fit when a well-trained person leaves.

I throw a party when someone good leaves to take an amazingly cool job.

You see the front-line boss as the keeper of law and order.

I see the cadre of front-line managers as Corporate Asset #1 — the premier developers of people, and thence responsible for productivity, quality, innovation, and excellence itself.

You promote the ones with the best technical skills.

I promote the ones with the best people skills.

You say, “leave your personal issues at home.”

I say we benefit from a caring environment that celebrates and is enhanced by 100 percent of who you are.

You think management is about getting the most out of people.

I think management is helping people succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

You like generals and admirals.

I like privates and sailors.

You say follow the rules.

I say make new rules.

You say, “don’t waste time.”

I say most creativity and engagement and commitment comes from milling about and indirection.

You sprint through the day like a soldier on a forced march.

I leave gaps in my day (up to 50 percent according to one guru) to allow for reflection and chance occurrences.

You see failure as, well, failure.

I see failure as something to be celebrated — the signature and hallmark of rapid tries and thus all innovation.

You think the top priority of an enterprise is profitability.

I think enterprise profitability is a derivative — the top priorities of an effective business are moral behavior, developing people beyond their wildest dreams, being a sterling community member, and providing products and services that “make our world a little bit better.” (FYI: These priorities in fact underpin the demonstrably highest long-term growth and profitability.)

Over to you . . .

Inspired by my new book, Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism