When things aren't moving as quickly as they should

Initiatives are launched but lose momentum. Changes are decided upon but fail to take full effect. Everyone in the company is working hard, but results aren’t coming at the pace needed. The question is rarely what needs to be done. The real challenge is why it isn’t happening.

In many companies, the problem isn’t a matter of strategy or ambition. It’s more about execution. As a leader, you often find yourself caught between clear demands for growth and results, and an organization that can’t quite keep up with the pace required. This creates a situation where the right decisions are made, but the initiatives aren’t carried through to completion.

There are some recurring patterns underlying the lack of follow-through.

• Too many initiatives and not enough focus
  When so many things are important at the same time, it becomes difficult to prioritize. The organization spreads its energy instead of focusing it.
• Unclear Ownership
  It is unclear who is actually responsible for seeing an initiative through from decision to outcome. Issues are assigned ownership in theory but not in practice.
• The management team does not work together to drive
  The management team is functioning, but spends more time on reporting and follow-up than on joint progress.
• Lack of capacity in the line
  Managers and key personnel are already fully occupied with day-to-day operations. Change management ends up being something that has to be done “on the side.”

In the short term, it may seem as though the operation is running smoothly. But over time, clear consequences emerge:

• Growth is slower than planned
• The initiative is not having its full effect
• The organization is losing momentum and direction
• Competitors are moving faster

What is often perceived as moving a little too slowly actually becomes a clear business problem.

There are a few signs that many leaders will recognize:

• The same issues keep coming up at management meetings without being resolved
• Initiatives are launched but rarely fully completed
• You have clear goals but aren't achieving them at the desired pace
• Managers prioritize day-to-day operations over change
• The organization is busy, but progress is slow

Improving execution is rarely about doing more. It’s about creating the right conditions so that what has already been decided actually gets done.

For example, this could involve:

• give clearer priority to the initiatives that should actually be pursued
• ensure clear ownership of each change
• work more actively on follow-up and progress
• make room within the organization to implement, not just plan

In our guide “How to Boost Execution in Your Organization” we describe how many leaders are working to build momentum within their organizations.

Want to get a quick overview of how things are going at your company? Download the checklist: “7 Signs That Execution Is Holding Your Business Back”

In many cases, the challenge isn’t a lack of will. That will is there, both among leadership and throughout the organization. What’s often missing is the capacity to drive change at the pace required.

When key personnel are fully occupied with day-to-day tasks and no one has the time to take clear responsibility for implementation, the pace of work suffers. In such situations, many companies choose to temporarily strengthen their organization with experienced leadership. An interim leader who can take responsibility for an initiative, drive change, and ensure that it actually happens.

It’s not about coming up with more ideas. It’s about making what’s already been decided a reality.