Ten Reasons Leaders Fail to Execute Effectively

In over 25 years working in corporate business I’ve seen and experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of Leadership behavior. From the perspective of the front lines, to the closed doors of executive meeting rooms, and everything in between.

Through years of observation I’ve gained insight into how great Leaders achieve phenomenal results and observed individuals in leadership positions who yielded poor results. There are a variety of factors that lead to the overall success or failure of a program, project or desired results. Here are the top 10 reasons execution breaks down:

1. LEADERS not engaged or blind spots limit them. Simply stated, people will mirror the values they see NOT the words they read or hear. Have you ever heard, “I told them to do (or not to do) that time and again, they just don’t listen.”
   Recommendation:  Look below the surface when issues arise, establish a feedback mechanism and most importantly, “Walk the Talk”. Delivering the message is simply not sufficient. You must “Be the Message”.
2. COMMUNICATION designed for the writer NOT the user. Front line managers deal with chaos day in and day out.  At the outlet level of operations there are multiple distractions that come into play, including the guests or clients (yes some think this…shocker) detracting from reading the latest memo or stack of memos from corporate.
   Recommendation: Target your communication by asking, who needs to know what by when and how. Simply blasting a memo corporate wide is not the best use of time, money and resources.
3. INCENTIVES & RANKINGS (TEAMWORK or COMPETITION?) Setting goals is important and tracking progress is essential, however too much focus on competition builds silos.  Your teams may look at each other as the competition and keep from sharing ideas that could elevate your entire organization.
   Recommendation: Find ways to reward performance AND encourage cross-functional engagement.  Acknowledge Mentoring, Coaching and Support rewarding progress including those who helped others.  Also consider investing in cross training, rotational assignments to help round out the experiences of your Leaders.
4. LACK OF ENGAGEMENT: People want to feel appreciated and valued; when they are just a means to an end their work will reflect this.  Hard work and long hours are necessary at times, however when employees put in hours to measure value or because they are “burnt out”,  effectiveness has a diminishing return on results.
   Recommendation: Keep an eye out for the way the leaders in your organization recognize performance. If hard work, long hours and endless dedication are a common theme you may want to step back to see what results are produced.  Long-term sustainable growth cannot be achieved if human toll is the price paid.
5. No sense of PURPOSE. When there is no clear understanding of how daily activities fit into the vision people will fill the gaps. Lack of purpose and indecision are the two greatest thieves of time.
   Recommendation: Identify priorities, both long term and short-term goals. Clearly communicate what is non-negotiable. Use feedback mechanisms to understand how your front line interprets their directives.  A framework that creates open feedback with no judgment is critical if you want to really get at the root issues of breakdowns.
6. This is HOW we have ALWAYS done it. The inability to be agile in a world of change can be deadly in today’s business.
   Recommendation: Even a little change can have significant ripples in an organization. Acknowledge the need for front line teams to understand the WHYs of what needs change and help others contribute their fresh ideas. Find ways to engage your front line in making changes. Remember the money is not made behind a desk.
7. Lack of Passion. Not everyone is suited for the job. In addition to having skills, passion (or lack of) for what they do is apparent.
   Recommendation:Re-evaluate your hiring process. Look outside your current job descriptions to seek individuals who have a passion for the job. Skills can be taught, passion cannot.
8. Bureaucracy & Politics. How things get done in a corporate environment is a skill that many executives learn from the fish tank. The fish is not aware of the water.  Decisions don’t always benefit long term results.
   Recommendation: Get out of the office! Spending time with your front line can be an enlightening experience AND will give you insight to how your organization is functioning.  Great Leaders understand that their primary role is to support and develop their team to execute to their highest potential.
9. Open door, closed minds.  Ask yourself, “How often do I get visited by those who do not report to me?”  If your answer is not often enough then you may have to re-evaluate how approachable you really are.
   Recommendation: Start by asking an objective observer (a coach, a mentor) to observe your verbal and non-verbal communication when you get feedback. Your body language and tone may be scaring people away who have information you can use.
10. More is TOO much.  No better way to kill execution than overwhelm the front line. If different departments are all communicating to the front line at the same time with their priorities, levels of execution will vary.
    Recommendation: Have a gatekeeper process to ensure the critical programs are not lost in a mountain of initiatives. Give clear direction and ensure all departments/employees are aware of front line activities.  Establish success criteria and review it often.

Let me know what you think about this Top 10 and what others you have experienced, or would like to explore.