The book that inspired me

In the recent past, Execution by Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan and Charles Burck has inspired me deeply. The authors truly believe in the discipline of getting things done.

As the head of a company, I find that companies and organisations are good at thoughts, making plans and at strategy, but when it comes to the execution, there is always a gap. The result: the best of strategies fall flat, costs go through the roof, money gets wasted and the outcome is mostly less than expected.

Whether it is a plan, a sales initiative, a project or an acquisition, the execution should be planned clearly. And as the authors put it, this is indeed the missing link. They cite it as the main reason why companies do not meet their objectives or their preset goals.

According to them, it is the prime reason why there is a gap between what the senior management wants their company to achieve and the inherent ability of the organisation to make it happen.

As a company, we at Manpower are in growth mode. We have viewed and reviewed the Indian and Chinese markets and wish to be the dominant player in the industry in both markets.

Now, it is my and the senior management's job to come up with plans and goals for the future. But the plans have to mesh with opportunities and realities present on the ground. And that will test our execution plan. The book is provoking and makes you feel that execution can be simplified. Also, its numerous examples show how it can be done and, indeed, has been done.

Soumen Basu, Executive Chairman, Manpower India

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EXECUTION

Authors: Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan and Charles Burck
Publisher: Crown Business
ISBN: 0609610570

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