Two Dozen Ways to Improve Your Ability to Execute

By Bruce Firestone | Uncategorized

Mar 23

Execution Counts

Here are two dozen things you can do to improve your ability to execute:

1. narrow your focus/identify priorities/remember to deal with urgent and important matters first, urgent but unimportant, last/manage your time efficiently/decide what NOT TO DO/build a model of your business/organization/product/service and make sure you have a spreadsheet analysis of what you are doing/exercise financial discipline and control costs 

2. set goals with reasonable timelines/hold yourself and everyone in your ecosystem accountable/visualize yourself and your group achieving your goals/note that planning is (sometimes) a form of procrastination but goals never are

3. create to-do lists every day

4. keep a really good calendar with not just meetings, but also goals/tasks/if you know how to use it, set up a critical path schedule using Microsoft Project or some other decent piece of software

5. don’t drink and think/keep a clear mind/get some exercise

6. there are no fire and forget missiles in business–remind everyone what their deadlines/roles/goals are/be a good communicator

7. the three most important things in terms of being a good executive are: CHECK/CHECK/CHECK everything and everyone/be relentless

8. be decisive/only change direction if absolutely required to do so

9. there is no plan B/every time you have a plan B, it sidetracks plan A/in fact, plan B becomes plan A

10. pay attention to SALES, CASHFLOW and FINANCE

11. get launch and pre-launch clients/ABC: always be closing/SELL SELL SELL

12. get sponsors

13. be a supply chain ninja/hold suppliers to the same standards as you hold yourself/hire up!/hire people who can do things faster, cheaper and better than you

14. be passionate about what you do

15. under promise and over deliver

16. don’t over-plan/be flexible/discover new ways of doing things/achieving things as you go/be creative/be open to new ideas

17. keep control over your files/data, be the one person who has access to all his/her info in digital format with good file names so you can find/locate data/agreements etc fast

18. stay positive and never panic

19. figure out how to connect with your customers effectively through marketing that really works

20. keep winners/dump losers

21. don’t fear competition/it’ll create a bigger market/make you sharper

22. make your own rules

23. IDEAS ARE CHEAP, IT’S EXECUTION THAT COUNTS!

24. MAKE A PROFIT!

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About the Author

Bruce is an entrepreneur/real estate broker/developer/coach/urban guru/keynote speaker/Sens founder/novelist/columnist/peerless husband/dad.

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