Execution: The Discipline Of Getting Things Done is a self-help manual that teaches individuals in management positions how to finish the task and deliver effective results.

Contents:
Part I: Why Execution is Needed
1. The Gap Nobody Knows
2. The Execution Difference

Part II: The Building Blocks of Execution
3. Building Block One: The Leader's Seven
4. Building Block Two: Creating the Framework for Cultural Change
5. Building Block Three: The Job No Leader should delegate- Having the Right People in the Right Place

Part III: The Three Core Processes of Execution
6. The People Process: Making the Link with Strategy and Operations
7. The Strategy Process: Making the Link with People and Operations
8. How to Conduct a Strategy Review
9. The Operations Process: making the link with strategy and people

Conclusion: Letter to a New Leader
Index

Execution: The Discipline Of Getting Things Done will teach readers how to master the art of execution by understanding strategy, operations, and how to link people together. These three processes are at the center of every business.

The book clearly points out that top leaders give too much importance to creating a vision, devising strategies, and formulating plans. After doing so, they remove themselves from the picture and delegate tasks to their subordinates. This methodology is frowned upon in this book. Instead, it is recommended that leaders should adopt a hands-on approach. According to the authors, it very important to be passionate and deeply involved in one’s organization. Having robust dialogues about individuals, operations, and strategies, results in a business culture that is based on realism and honesty. Therefore actually “running” a business depends on carrying out these processes and not necessarily having a vision and leaving the responsibility of execution on others.

The authors also maintain that one important job that a leader must execute is choosing and evaluating people. A task that should not be passed on to others. This entails personally checking references for key candidates and ensures that the right people will be selected for the right job. A gene pool with leadership is able to conceive and select strategies for execution that are in alignment with the economy, competition, and marketplace. When the right individual and strategy are selected, an operating procedure is chosen. This results in specific programs getting implemented and assigning accountability. The methodology outlined in this book is effective because it spells out an operating process which transcends the usual way of looking at budget and goals.