Returning from Asia, after a week spent with consultants, human resource and organization development professionals, as well as business leaders from corporations, government agencies, and state enterprises, I reflected on a frustration I’ve heard around the world: “We have spent much energy and focus on developing a strong strategy, but the organization is not able to execute.”

When leaders set strategy, they are indicating that new capabilities are needed. Today, regardless of industry or region, public or private sphere, those capabilities are complex: organic growth through innovation, adding high value solutions to product and service offerings, managing the web of global and local decision-making, and gaining the advantages of scale without sacrificing speed. Building such capabilities requires changes in decision rights, processes, skills, and communication patterns.

Orchestrating the alignment of the organization to build new capabilities is the task of leadership. McKnight, Kaney, and Breuer have produced a valuable guide to creating this alignment and, in the process, of creating an organization capable of strategy execution. Leading Strategy Execution complements the literature on business strategy by providing a sound model by which to create strategy with execution in mind, a means of bringing the rational and socio-emotive aspects of the organization into alignment, and by showing how strategy execution requires designing and building organizational capabilities.

Taking a holistic perspective, this book blends a belief in the power of individuals with a commitment to creating organizational forms that bring out the best in those people. In doing so, this book does several things for business leaders who will otherwise struggle to implement their strategy. It…

1. • Outlines the characteristics of an executable strategy
   

2. • Identifies the “Four Jobs of Strategy Execution”
   

3. • Provides guidance in designing an organization capable of delivering on the strategy
   

4. • Offers valuable counsel for leaders who have to enlist the support of employees, and sustain their energy even when strategy calls for dislocation
   

In this book, you will find a summary and application of the work of Jay Galbraith, myself, and others in the field of organization design. You will also find the integration of thought leaders in the fields of leadership, change, and human resources brought together into a clear and actionable framework. For example, the authors take the concept of the Balanced Scorecard—a powerful concept that many leadership teams struggle to implement successfully—and turn it into an easy to use strategy map that makes absolutely clear the relationship between capabilities and results.

These authors’ many years working as an organizational consultants (combined with Richard McKnight’s photographer’s eye for the telling detail) enable many insights into the workings of organizational life. Leading Strategy Execution is infused with a humanity not often found in business writing.

This wise, easy-to-read, and very helpful book will provide concrete guidance in getting the strategic results you seek.