Strategy, Execution, & Communication

Success in the workplace or in business is a three legged table. Remove any one of the legs and the table becomes unstable. The three legs of this particular table are Strategy, Execution, and Communication. If you get these three things right your chances of success go way up.

And these three factors aren’t only important to senior leaders or big, public, companies. They’re just as relevant to folks just starting their careers.

Getting all three right, consistently, is not easy. But the concepts are simple:

Strategy

Are you doing the right work?

A solid strategy is how we know that we’re doing the right thing. You may be doing great work (execution) and telling a compelling story (communication). But if you’ve built the wrong product or done the wrong work it won’t matter.

Some questions to ask:

• Are you building a product that people actually want?
• Are you doing something that makes your users’ lives easier?
• Does the work that you’re doing align to the priorities laid out by your organization?

Execution

Are you doing the work right?

Execution is about timing, quality, and fit. You might have a fantastic idea that aligns to your organization’s priorities (strategy) and you may be promoting that work well (communication). But if you’re shipping a product that’s riddled with problems or you miss a deadline you will lose trust.

Some questions to ask:

• Are you getting your work done on time or seizing the right opportunities?
• Are you testing your work to make sure it works as you expect?
• Does the work you’ve done address all the requirements?

Communication

Are you telling a compelling story and listening to others?

Communication is about ensuring you have the right strategy by listening, and promoting your work through storytelling. If you haven’t listened to your stakeholders you might be doing the wrong work (strategy). If you aren’t telling people about the work you’ve done (execution), you won’t reap the benefits.

Some questions to ask:

• Have I heard everything I need from my stakeholders to fully understand the problem to solve?
• Am I clearly communicating the value proposition to my customers?
• Does everyone evaluating my work (managers, board members, shareholders, etc…) clearly understand what I’ve done and why it matters?

The three legs of the table

• Strategy: Do the right things.
• Execution: Do the things right.
• Communication: Listen to your stakeholders and tell a good story.

Do each one of these well and they’ll inform each other: Your success can be built on a solid foundation. Simple right?