The Two Most Powerful Principles for Extraordinary Results

Working with the largest, smartest, and fastest companies in the world, like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, and Microsoft, has taught me that these companies do two things better than their competition: 1) they have greater focus on their strategic objectives, and 2) they use far greater discipline in executing the tactics necessary to reach those objectives.

The intersection of a laser-like strategic focus with flawless discipline in tactical execution forms what you might call the "sweet spot" for creating extraordinary results.

In order to achieve excellence, people (and companies) must focus on only one thing (or at best a very few) at one time. Suppose you have an 80 percent chance of achieving any particular goal with excellence. Add a second goal to that first goal, and research shows your chances of achieving both goals drop to 64 percent. Keep adding goals and the probability of achieving them plunges steeply. Juggle five goals at once, for example, and you only have a 33 percent chance of actually getting excellent results on all of them.

It becomes critical then to focus only on the crucial goals. Great companies, and leaders, learn to prioritize their objectives-they learn to distinguish between goals that are "merely important" and those that are "mega-important." Failure to achieve the "meg-important goals" carries serious consequences and renders all other achievements inconsequential.

Picture an air traffic controller at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. At any moment, hundreds of airplanes are in the air, and all of them are important-especially if you happen to be on one! But the controller cannot focus on them all at once. Her job is to land them "one at a time" and to do so flawlessly. Every company is in a similar position. Few can afford the luxury of "divided attention"; they must focus on those goals that bring the greatest results, both economically and strategically, and provide the greatest benefit to all stakeholders (customers, employees, and shareholders).

The second key principle of great companies is flawless discipline in the tactical execution of their strategic objectives. A company may have an "A+" strategy, but if its discipline in tactical execution is a "C or D", then the company is still a "B" player at best. Outstanding companies, on the other hand, develop procedures and systems that foster discipline, and are fanatical about hiring extremely "self-disciplined" employees.

Let's use another flying analogy. Picture an airline pilot. She settles into the cockpit, surrounded by a zillion complicated switches, levers, and sophisticated instrumentation, sitting atop a $100 million piece of equipment. She always starts with her pre-flight checklist and step-by-step moves through every required item. No matter how routine or "boring" the checklist is, the pilot must complete it every single time. She can't afford to be in a hurry and rush through or skip some of the items. She must demonstrate flawless discipline in executing her checklist thoroughly every time-our lives depend on it.

In the same way, great companies establish systems and procedures for execution that lead to world-class results. They identify and implement the best practices for all their employees to follow. And the employees are "self-disciplined" enough to not allow themselves to ever skip, rush, or gloss over any tactical detail that would adversely effect the company's ability to deliver outstanding results to its customers, employees, or shareholders. This fanatical discipline to execute flawlessly is what moves companies and people from merely being effective to becoming truly outstanding.

The greatest companies in the world have a laser focus on the strategic objectives that are crucial to their success, and they execute the tactics to achieve those strategic objectives with flawless discipline. That's the formula for extraordinary results!

The Two Most Powerful Principles for Extraordinary Results - To learn more about this author, visit George Ludwig's Website.

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