I have always been pretty hot at strategy. I can read a big picture, have good imagination for idea generation, can weigh up pros and cons and even produce some sort of plan. Where I failed it was usually in execution, and in most cases that was due to its human aspects.
You can’t achieve all that much alone. Your power comes from finding ways to multiply your own abilities by utilizing others. And that is a secret I never really mastered. I recall one humbling example, at a workshop given by some guru or other. There were six of us divided into two groups of three, the three bosses and the three workers. I was the senior worker at the time and was appointed their leader.
The whole point of the exercise was that we were supposed to win. My two team members were a Japanese guy who did everything for the group, never lacking energy or willingness, and the secretary, immersed with practical and human skills. The three bosses all talked a good game and were engineers so had some practical skills, but they were supposed to over-theorise and argue about roles while our team got on with the task at hand. Except we didn’t, and I think the reason was my terrible execution leadership. We had the smarter idea, better plan and the more diligent workers, but somehow we lost. I think the fundamental cause was that I did not care enough, and that communicated itself to my teammates.
I learned a lot about execution during my short spell in Major Project Management for Shell, but actually not as much as I should have, because I suspect many of the group had the same weaknesses as me. They were wonderful at process, so they made beautiful plans. Major parts of those plans involved stakeholder management and communication. But somehow things often went wrong. Just like in that workshop, this might have had something to do with passion.
I recall a couple of other Shell stories with lessons about execution. At one point I was somehow put in charge of building new networks of petrol stations in newly open Eastern Europe. It was a wonderful job and I think I did it quite well. We built strong models, good practices, and attracted excellent talent. We made some good decisions and left a lasting legacy. But the real success went to my successor, a Hungarian man of monumental energy and passion. He took our framework and brought it alive. It helped him that he was local and could relate to his team more authentically. He did a brilliant job.
Another example was in Scandinavia, where we had a failing business and I developed a strategy to turn it around. By happenstance, at a perfect moment for us Shell fell in love with a consultant who was peddling a particular method. As it turns out, the method was not especially good strategically and in most countries it failed dismally. But a team of us was able to hitch my strategy to the method and the results were spectacular. The method was the perfect vehicle for a passionate execution.
My last example goes against the theme, because it was a success and I was in charge. We had to integrate an acquired company into a running business before closing down the former operation. There was little guidance available, and I did a good job, I think, at defining the issue and forming a plan. Somehow my team also managed to execute it well, despite me being in charge. Perhaps by that stage I had learned a few tricks. Perhaps my team was exceptional. Perhaps the passion for the task somehow created itself. I don’t really know, but the results were certainly satisfying.
This discourse on execution is prompted by a series of experiences in 2020. Major Project Management has had a unique role this year because of the pandemic. Most governments have failed dismally. I think I know some reasons why.
First, here are some examples. In April, congress showed a rare burst of brilliance and passed a bill allocating $1200 to all citizens. The challenge was always going to be executing this and, true to form, rich people with bank accounts got their money easily whereas the people who really needed it did not. I assumed we would not qualify, but, in September, we received a general letter that led me to believe that our son actually did, so we filled out the forms and made an application. We were told that the application was valid, but three months later he still has not received the money. The funny part was what happened when he called the helpline to ask when he might receive his cash. The clerk, perhaps with a straight face, explained that it might take months because everything was moving slowly – because of the pandemic! Of course the pandemic was the solitary reason for the programme in the first place.
We had a similar experience this month when trying to obtain covid PCR tests. We will be flying tomorrow and our airline demanded a PCR test carried out within 72 hours of the flight, which in practice meant yesterday. Our challenge was that most commercial providers, except the most exorbitant ones, have a turnaround time for getting results of up to week. I really wonder what the value of such a test is to anybody, since within a week we can infect most of our neighbourhood. Still, in their wisdom NYC had a particular scheme that was perfect for us, offering rapid turnaround lab tests at specific locations. The appointment could only be made two days before the test, and that led to the challenge, because the website was such that most of the time no appointments were on offer. Luckily by getting up at 4am on the relevant day I managed to game the system.
Since arriving in the US, we have been willing to donate blood. But at first we were told that our foreign blood wouldn’t be on any use to them, first for five years and then for seven or ten. Seemingly they believe most European blood in contaminated by mad cow disease, which would be a scary thought if I trusted the US professionals who reached that conclusion. Now, almost every week, the NYC blood service issues a call for more people to donate because the pandemic has increased demand. So I tried again, calling the helpline a couple of times, but they either failed to call back or lacked key information, so we have still been stymied.
All of these are execution failings. I could add many more. The NYC plan to reopen schools has lurched from problem to problem, though on that one I have sympathy for the mayor, who took a brave position and is constrained by teacher’s unions with dubious motives. Cuomo’s late intervention to a subway tunnel repair was hardly exemplary, though the outcome seems to have been good. Every encounter with the DMV has given me plenty of evidence of poor execution.
I can draw a few general lessons. Firstly, execution is difficult. We can all complain about the school reopening but that is a tough, multi-dimensional challenge. It should make us appreciate those organisations that seem to pull off tough execution challenges as a core competence: Amazon and IKEA come to mind. Public sector examples are harder to find, especially military ones. The Chinese seem to have acquired this competence recently, and it may be why they are progressively eating our lunch.
Second, execution and politicians don’t mix. The mayor’s office doubtless had great intentions with his rapid covid testing idea, but the Major Project execution was probably a terrible process with mixed motives, little attention to motivation, and too many last-minute interventions. Politicians love to overpromise, and also hate to compromise until the very last minute, which is poison to project execution. Just ask the poor mandarins currently trying to find a Brexit path forward.
Lastly, passion can overcome a multitude of sins. 2020 has seen many miracles of execution along with the failings, and the key ingredient has been humans with passion. I can only admire such people, recalling that humiliating workshop when I let down my fellow workers and lost to the bosses.
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