Jon Stolpe
Jon Stolpe
Getting Rid of the Gorilla
I’m excited about a new book (and study guide) that hit the streets this week. The book is entitled Getting Rid of the Gorilla, and it is written by the senior pastor at our church Brian Jones. I’ve read several clips from this book when I had the opportunity to give feedback on the study guide. This is Brian’s second book, and I’m sure you won’t want to miss it. The books primary topic is forgiveness. Don’t tell me that you’ve never struggled with this topic. You can order the book on line at Amazon.com, or I’m pretty sure they will have it at our church’s ticket booth.
Here’s what Standard Publishing’s website had to say about the book:
Living with an unforgiving heart is like living with a gorilla. The beast follows you everywhere. He squeezes marriages. He stinks up friendships. He growls at family gatherings and beats his chest at church. An unforgiving heart ruins relationships, affecting everyone and everything you touch. Maybe you’ve tried and failed to forgive someone who’s hurt you. Maybe you aren’t sure you even want to try. In these confessions from Brian Jones’s own struggle, find hope and strength for finally getting rid of the gorilla in your life.
Until the next post…
Execution – Outline Part III
Here’ are my final notes on Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan:
III. Part III – The Three Core Processes of Execution
A. Chapter 6 – The People Process: Making the Link with Strategy and Operations
1. “If you don’t get the people process right, you will never fulfill the potential of your business.”
2. “A robust people process does three things…”
a. evaluates individuals accurately and in depth
b. provides a framework for identifying and developing the leadership talent the organization will need to execute its strategies down the road
c. fills the leadership pipeline that’s the basis of a strong succession plan
3. “The first building block of the people process is its linkage to strategic milestones over the near (0-2 years), medium (2-5 years), and long terms, as well as the operating plan targets. The business leaders create this linkage by making sure they have the right kinds and numbers of people to execute the strategy.”
4. “Meeting medium- and long-term milestones greatly depends on having a pipeline of promising and promotable leaders. You need to assess them today, and decide what each leader needs to do to become ready to take on larger responsibilities.”
Jon’s comments: People are key to meeting strategy and operations plans. When we know are strategy and plans, we need to diligently find and develop the right people to meet these short term and long term goals. Strategies and plans without the right people are just a bunch of words on a paper.
B. Chapter 7 – The Strategy Process: Making the Link with People and Operations
1. “The basic goal of any strategy is simple enough: to win the customer’s preference and create a sustainable competitive advantage, while leaving sufficient money on the table for shareholders.”
2. “A good strategic planning process requires the utmost attention to the hows of executing the strategy.”
3. “A contemporary strategic plan must be an action plan that business leaders can rely on to reach their business objectives. Developing such a plan starts with identifying and defining the critical issues behind the strategy.”
4. “The substance of any strategy is summed up by its building blocks: the half-dozen or fewer key concepts and actions that define it.”
5. “If the building blocs are clearly defined, the essence of even the most complex strategy can be expressed on one page.”
6. “To be effective, a strategy has to be constructed and owned by those who will execute it, namely the line people.”
7. “Milestones bring reality to a strategic plan. If the business doesn’t meet milestones as it executes the plan, leaders have to reconsider whether they’ve got the right strategy after all.”
8. “Businesses have to prepare themselves to adapt to an economy of constant change.”
C. Chapter 8 – How to Conduct a Strategy Review
1. “The business unit strategy review is the prime Social Operating Mechanism of the strategy process. It provides the penultimate ground for testing and validating the strategy – the last chance to get things right before the plan faces the ultimate test of the real world. As such, it has to be inclusive and interactive: it must feature a solid debate, conducted in the robust dialogue of the execution culture, with all of the key players present and speaking their minds.”
2. “Asking questions constantly keeps the critical issues in mind.”
3. Follow through is important to solidify and confirm agreements made during the strategy review.
4. “Be sure to communicate your strategic thinking and programs to your entire organization. Their commitment and involvement will drive your success.”
D. Chapter 9 – The Operations Process: Making the Link with Strategy and People
1. “An operating plan includes the programs your business is going to complete within one year to reach the desired levels of such objectives as earnings, sales, margins, and cash flow.”
2. “Synchronization is essential for excellence in execution and for energizing the corporation. Synchronization means that all the moving parts of the organization have common assumptions about the external environment over the operating year and a common understanding. Synchronizing includes matching the goals of the interdependent parts and linking their priorities with other parts of the organization. When conditions change, synchronization realigns the multiple priorities and reallocates resources.”
3. Follow through is important in this process also. Two “parts of follow-through are contingency plans and quarterly reviews.”
E. Conclusion: Letter to a New Leader
1. “Get a good handle early on about the beliefs and behaviors of the people under your direction.”
2. “You need to be certain that appraisals are honest and direct, and that your people get the feedback, coaching, and training they need to grow.”
3. “Make sure you and your people really understand your customers: their needs, their buying behaviors, and the changes in those behaviors.”
4. “Always look for ways to improve you results.”
5. “Maintain and sharpen your intellectual honesty so that you’re always realistic.”
6. “Take care of yourself.”
7. “Consistent behavior is a sign of a contained ego, and inspires confidence in you from those around you.”
Jon’s comments: This short letter at the end of this book is priceless. In my opinion, the notes above provide great advice for any leader. I know this book will help me in the business world, but I also believe it will help me in my community leadership roles as well. If you are a leader, I’d highly recommend reading this book. It could provide the advice you need to take your organization to the next level.
Until the next post…
Execution – Outline Part II
Here’s part two of my review of Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan:
II. Part II – The Building Blocks of Execution
A. Chapter 3 – Building Block One: The Leader’s Seven Essential Behaviors
1. “Know your people and your business.”
2. “Insist on realism.” “Embracing realism means always taking a realistic view of your company and comparing it with other companies.”
3. “Set clear goals and priorities.” “Leaders who execute focus on a very few clear priorities that everyone can grasp.”
4. “Follow through.”
5. “Reward the doers.” “You have to make it clear to everybody that rewards and respect are based on performance.”
6. “Expand people’s capabilities through coaching.” “One of the most important parts of your job is passing it on to the next generation of leaders.” “Good leaders regard every encounter as an opportunity to coach.”
7. “Know yourself.” “Good leaders learn their specific personal strengths and weaknesses, especially in dealing with other people, then build on the strengths and correct the weaknesses.”
a. Four core qualities that make up emotional fortitude:
i. authenticity
ii. self-awareness
iii. self-mastery
iv. humility
Jon’s comments: It all starts with the leader. This chapter provides valuable encouragement to any leader. I especially appreciated that the authors offer hope to leaders who make mistakes. We can all learn from our experiences – successes and failures. What we do with what we learn is key.
B. Chapter 4 – Building Block Two: Creating the Framework for Cultural Change
1. “To change a business’s culture, you need a set of processes – social operating mechanisms – that will change the beliefs and behavior of people in ways that are directly linked to bottom-line results.”
2. “The foundation of changing behavior is linking rewards to performance and making the linkages transparent. If a company rewards and promotes people for execution, its culture will change.”
3. “You should reward not just strong achievements on numbers but also the desirable behaviors that people actually adopt.”
4. “You cannot have an execution culture without robust dialogue – one that brings reality to the surface through openness, candor and informality. Robust dialogue makes an organization effective in gathering information, understanding the information, and reshaping it to produce decisions.”
Jon’s comments: Who and what is your organization? Figure it out through discussion. Go after it. Reward people for it.
C. Chapter 5 – Building Block Three: The Job No Leader Should Delegate – Having the Right People in the Right Place
1. “An organization’s human beings are its most reliable resource for generating excellent results year after year. Their judgments, experiences, and capabilities make the difference between success and failure.”
2. “To consistently improve its leadership gene pool, every business needs a discipline that is embedded in the people process, with candid dialogues about the matches between people and jobs, and follow-through that ensures people take the appropriate actions.”
3. “If you want to build a company that has excellent discipline of execution, you have to select the doer.”
4. “Getting things done through others is a fundamental leadership skill.”
5. “You can’t spend too much time on obtaining and developing the best people.”
6. “If you sit down with your boss and your boss hasn’t said something to you about your weaknesses, go back! Because otherwise you’re not going to learn anything.”
Jon’s comments: You can’t put a square peg in a round hole (and vice versa). As leaders, we need to be extremely diligent in finding the right people and putting them in the right place.
Until the next post…
Execution – Outline Part I
I finished reading Execution (see my previous post) this morning, and I thought I’d share my outline. There’s a lot of great information in this book that is great for business leaders and community leaders.
I. Part I – Why Execution is Needed
A. Chapter 1 – The Gap Nobody Knows
1. “The gap nobody knows is the gap between what a company’s leaders want to achieve and the ability of their organization to achieve it.”
2. “Unless you translate big thoughts into concrete steps for action, they’re pointless.”
3. “Execution is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability.”
4. “The heart of execution lies in the three core processes: the people process, the strategy process, and the operations process.”
5. “An organization can execute only if the leader’s heart and soul are immersed in the company.”
6. “Leaders energize everyone by the example they set.”
Jon’s comments: Organizations can have the best intentions; however, they will miss the mark, if they aren’t serious about execution. Their leaders need to be passionate about the mission of the organization and about making sure the rest of the organization is correctly directioned in order to pull it all off. Leaders must make sure they are aligned when it comes to their people, their strategy, and their operations plan.
B. Chapter 2 – The Execution Difference
1. Involve “all the people responsible for the strategic plan’s outcome – including the key production people in shaping the plan.”
2. Ask “people about the HOWS of execution“.
3. “Set milestones for the progress of the plan, with strict accountability for the people in charge.”
4. “Set contingency plans to deal with the unexpected.”
5. “Especially when a business is making major changes, the right people have to be in the critical jobs, and the core processes must be strong enough to ensure that resistance is dissolved and plans get executed.”
6. “People imitate their leaders.”
Jon’s comments: Execution starts at the top and filters down. Poor execution can be devastating to an organization. Excellent execution can be the difference maker. Organizations intent on pursuing this path must create a culture of execution. Performance must be judged based on execution. Rewards have to be attached to the goals. Realistic stretch goals are important. And constant dialogue throughout the entire process is critical. Leaders must ask and answer the tough questions.
Until the next post…
Marathon Training Suggestions from a Novice
It struck me recently that I’ve actually had many opportunities to share some of my own running tips to several people. This is pretty comical when you consider that as a high schooler I was a pretty average (if not lousy) runner. I ran cross country and winter track for a season and managed cross country for a season just so I could be with my friends who were much more accomplished runners. I specifically enjoyed the bus rides and conversations with my buddies Brian Willem and Paul Braun. In the past six years, I’ve taken up running for several reasons. First, running has provided an avenue for “Jon-think” time. I truly enjoy the chance to think about all kinds of things during my runs. Second, running has helped to balance one of my other favorite hobbies – eating. I enjoy food, and I have found that I can eat more without positive waistline growth if I am consistent with my running. I believe my friends from high school have been amazed that I’m the first one of us to run a marathon. Actually during the past six years, I’ve run two marathons (Philadelphia and Baltimore), four half marathons (four Philadelphia Distance Runs), two ten milers (two Broad Street runs), two survival triathalons (two Lenape Survival Challenges), and dozens of 5Ks (too many to recount).
So what are my suggestions to someone who is considering running a longer race? Good question. Here’s a few things that come to mind:
1. Slow down! This may seem crazy, but for me it makes a lot of sense. So many people try to run a 5K or longer at their one mile pace. For most of us, this is simply unrealistic. Try running a minute or two per mile slower. Once you’ve done this, you can start adding mileage. I was amazed the first time I did this and was able to run nine miles all at the same time.
2. Find a running partner. This was critical for me at the beginning. Joe Homan was a huge part of my initial running resurgence. We held each other accountable to getting up on those days when we both felt like being in bed. I didn’t want to leave him hanging, and I knew he wouldn’t leave me waiting for an early morning run.
3. Eat smart. Food is an important part of keeping your energy strong throughout your training. Don’t eat foods that you know will upset your stomach during those long runs. Find foods that will give you good energy and hydration. Fruit is a big part of a runner’s diet. I believe it’s also important to get the appropriate levels of protein to help build and rebuild your muscles.
4. Get sleep. This may sound crazy, but sleep is important to maintaining my energy for the runs but more importantly for the rest of my day.
5. Drink smart. Drinks lots of water throughout the day. When you start running longer distances consider carrying water or dropping water off on your route that you can pick up while you’re running. I’ve also found that energy gels are helpful on the longer runs. Don’t try this out during your race. Make sure you test the energy gel thing during your training. Your stomach will most likely respond differently to the many different kinds of gels that are out there.
6. Get the right shoes. There are many running stores around that will help you find the right pair of shoes for your feet. I actually went to a store in Allentown, PA that let me run outside in nine different pairs of shoes before I found the right pair for me. I run in Asics Gel Landreths right now. I have two pairs that I try to rotate. (Actually, I’m in need of two new pairs as mine are way past their normal mileage for appropriate cushioning.)
7. Start reading running magazines. I read Runner’s World and Running Times regularly. These magazines provide great tips for runners at all levels. For me, they also provide stories of inspiration of other average “jons” who are making a go at this running thing.
8. Set goals. Find a race that interests you and put it on your calendar. Make it your goal to be ready for this race. If I run another marathon, I want it to be in another state. That’s part of the reason that I’m considering the New Jersey Marathon on May 4th in Long Branch, NJ.
9. Cross train. I really should do a better job of this. I know it’s important to keeping your body healthy. Consider swimming or biking.
10. Have fun. Believe it or not, running can be fun.
Well, these are just a few of my thoughts. Let me know if you have any ideas to add to my list.
Until the next post, run…
2008 – Week 9 Exercise Review
Solid week…
2/24 – 10.0 miles (hilly – outdoors)
2/25 – 6.0 miles
2/26 – 6.0 miles
2/28 – 7.8 miles (7 Yasso 800s – speed interval training)
2/29 – 8.2 miles
Weekly Total – 38.0 miles
I’m hoping to get a good long run in tomorrow – around 12 miles – and a hill interval workout later in the week.
Until the next post…
Execution
Disciplines like strategy, leadership development, and innovation are the sexier aspects of being at the helm of a successful business; actually getting things done never seems quite as glamorous. But as Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan demonstrate in Execution, the ultimate difference between a company and its competitor is, in fact, the ability to execute.
Execution is “the missing link between aspirations and results,” and as such, making it happen is the business leader’s most important job. While failure in today’s business environment is often attributed to other causes, Bossidy and Charan argue that the biggest obstacle to success is the absence of execution. They point out that without execution, breakthrough thinking on managing change breaks down, and they emphasize the fact that execution is a discipline to learn, not merely the tactical side of business. Supporting this with stories of the “execution difference” being won (EDS) and lost (Xerox and Lucent), the authors describe the building blocks–leaders with the right behaviors, a culture that rewards execution, and a reliable system for having the right people in the right jobs–that need to be in place to manage the three core business processes of people, strategy, and operations. Both Bossidy, CEO of Honeywell International, Inc., and Charan, advisor to corporate executives and author of such books as What the CEO Wants You to Know and Boards That Work, present experience-tested insight into how the smooth linking of these three processes can differentiate one company from the rest. Developing the discipline of execution isn’t made out to be simple, nor is this book a quick, easy read. Bossidy and Charan do, however, offer good advice on a neglected topic, making Execution a smart business leader’s guide to enacting success rather than permitting demise. –S. Ketchum
Execution is “the missing link between aspirations and results,” and as such, making it happen is the business leader’s most important job. While failure in today’s business environment is often attributed to other causes, Bossidy and Charan argue that the biggest obstacle to success is the absence of execution. They point out that without execution, breakthrough thinking on managing change breaks down, and they emphasize the fact that execution is a discipline to learn, not merely the tactical side of business. Supporting this with stories of the “execution difference” being won (EDS) and lost (Xerox and Lucent), the authors describe the building blocks–leaders with the right behaviors, a culture that rewards execution, and a reliable system for having the right people in the right jobs–that need to be in place to manage the three core business processes of people, strategy, and operations. Both Bossidy, CEO of Honeywell International, Inc., and Charan, advisor to corporate executives and author of such books as What the CEO Wants You to Know and Boards That Work, present experience-tested insight into how the smooth linking of these three processes can differentiate one company from the rest. Developing the discipline of execution isn’t made out to be simple, nor is this book a quick, easy read. Bossidy and Charan do, however, offer good advice on a neglected topic, making Execution a smart business leader’s guide to enacting success rather than permitting demise. –S. Ketchum
Over the next week, I hope to post some of my observations from the book.
Until the next post, I’ll be reading Execution…
2008 – Week 8 Exercise Recap
This was my recovery week. Here’s how it went:
2/18 – 7.0 miles
2/20 – 7.5 miles
2/22 – 6.0 miles
Total for the week = 20.5 miles
This week will be back to building (actually, I already have 10 miles banked for this week thanks to an outdoor hilly 10 miles this weekend).
Until the next post…
Punked Phillie Style
In the midst of all the stresses of life, it is great to have fun. Growing up, I was always a big baseball fan. I would study my baseball cards (which I still have) for all kinds of interesting facts and stories about all the players. Baseball (along with many other sports) has been tainted in more recent years by allegations of cheating and steroid use by star players. The sport is no longer the blue collar sport that I enjoyed as a kid as it is dominated by costly ticket prices, out-of-this-world player contracts, and players who lack loyalty to their team. It was great to see that the Philadelphia Phillies are still having locker room fun amidst all the bad news. Watch the video below for a good laugh. How would you like to be traded to Japan for a famous hot dog eater?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nKKqPOiJxI&rel=1]Until the next post, don’t get punked…