Author : Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan

Summarizing the key thoughts from the book:
1.Most often today the difference between a company and its competitor is the ability to execute. People think of execution as the tactical side of business, something leaders delegate while they focus on the perceived bigger issues. Execution is not just tactics – It is a disciple and a system. It has to be built into a company’s strategy, its goals, and its culture.
2.Execution is a specific set of behaviors and techniques that companies need to master in order to have competitive advantage.
3.THE HEART OF EXECUTION LIES IN THE THREE CORE PROCESSES; the people process, the strategy process, and operations process
4.The skill of coach is the art of questioning.
5.To change a business’s culture you need to 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.
6.COMPETENCIES: Functional skills, business skills, management skills and leadership skills.
7.A ROBUST PEOPLE PROCESS DOES THREE THINGS. It evaluates individuals accurately and in depth. It provides a frame work for identifying and developing the leadership talent- at all levels and of all kinds- the organization will need to execute its strategies down the road. It is based on
Linkage to the strategic plan and its near, - medium-, and long term milestones and the operating plan target, including specific financial targets
- Developing the leadership pipeline through continuous improvement, succession depth and reducing retention risks
- Deciding what to do about non-performers
- Transforming the mission and operations of HR
8.Succession depth analysis determines whether the company has enough high potential people to fill key positions. It also looks at whether there are high potential people in the wrong jobs and whether key people will be lost if a job is not unblocked for them.