In today's world of rapid, disruptive change, the very idea of strategic planning has come into question. Companies like Netflix whose strategies are celebrated in January are junked by March. The concept of dividing the process of strategy and execution just doesn't make sense anymore. In the era of the lean start-up, rapid prototyping, and agile product development organizations must often act first and strategize later. How can leaders adapt to this world without losing their strategic minds-or worse-their shirts? Laura Stack's breakthrough is show leaders how execution-think of it as organizational productivity-can drive strategy, rather than the other way around. Using her LEAD model to build feedback loops, better communication, and strategic alignment, leaders can work with their people to build strategies in real time. You may not have time for strategic planning, but there will always be time to build an organizational culture that is great at strategic execution.
About the Author
Laura Stack Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, has consulted with Fortune 500 corporations for nearly 20 years in the field of personal productivity. She is the president of The Productivity Pro, Inc., and the creator of The Productivity Pro planner by Day-Timer. Laura has been featured nationally on the CBS Early Show, CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, NBC TV, the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the WashingtonPost.com, the Chicago Tribune, O Magazine, Entrepreneur, Readers Digest, and Forbes magazine. Her client list includes Starbucks, Wal-Mart, IBM, GM, MillerCoors, Lockheed Martin, Wells Fargo, and Time Warner. Laura is also the outgoing President of the National Speakers Association (NSA) a Certified Speaking Professional, NSA's highest honor.
Industry Reviews
"Execution IS the Strategy is a powerful formula to crack the code and turn the table on strategic planning."
-Alan J. Maxwell, Head of Global HR Transformation, Lockheed Martin
"I'm glad to see that even as Laura Stack emphasizes her key message of execution and results, she continuously brings readers back to the importance of people-teamwork, collaboration, empowerment, trust. Why? Because she knows that without your people, you're nothing."
-Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Trust Works!
"Borrow from Laura Stack's twenty-two years of execution excellence to create your culture of high performance and big results."
-Darren Hardy, Publisher and Founding Editor, Success magazine, and New York Times bestselling author of The Compound Effect
"Laura Stack's great book addresses every leader's unique execution challenges!"
-Jennifer Colosimo, Vice President of Wisdom, DaVita Healthcare Partners, and coauthor of Great Work, Great Career (with Stephen R. Covey)
"Execution IS the Strategy is the handbook for leaders to diagnose and execute with exceptional results. I recommend this book to all leaders who want to develop the ability to turn at the speed of now."
-Jeff Bettinger, Director, Leadership and Organizational Development, Petco
"A fresh take from Laura Stack on how to blow up obstacles to efficient execution. If you want your employees and teams to be more productive, read this book!"
-Randy Gage, author of the New York Times bestseller Risky Is the New Safe
"This book is chock-full of helpful ideas to assist leaders in ongoing efforts to get things done more effectively. I encourage you to take two major steps toward enhanced execution today-first buy, then read Execution IS the Strategy."
-Phillip Van Hooser, speaker, trainer, and author of Leaders Ought to Know
"Laura's all about saving time, and she makes a convincing case that long-term strategic plans don't work well with today's business conditions. Read Execution IS the Strategy, and you'll learn how to seize opportunities, act on ideas, and be ready for anything."
-Laura Vanderkam, author of What the Most Successful People Do before Breakfast
"Laura Stack not only inspires action but gives us incredibly practical guidelines for the effective execution of ideas that will drive positive results."
-Joe Calloway, author of Be the Best at What Matters Most
"This book encourages you to re-evaluate your way of thinking to achieve goals in an efficient and effective manner. Maximize your execution efforts through these proven strategies!"
-Dr. Nido Qubein, President, High Point University, and Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co.
"Laura Stack's newest book elevates her concepts to the leadership level and shows you how to empower your team members to efficiently execute your strategic priorities. Don't just read this book-execute the ideas inside this book. You will be glad you did!"
-Shep Hyken, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Amazement Revolution
"Execution IS the Strategy shows leaders how to shift strategic course quickly and turn on a dime. Learn to lean on your team members and make solid, reliable decisions to best execute your priorities and get things done."
-Eric Chester, author of On Fire at Work
"Laura Stack's approaches to maximizing your productivity are tangible and easy to implement. Anything she writes is a must-read!"
-Laurie McDonald, Director, Sales Effectiveness, Kronos Incorporated
"Laura Stack shows you how to throw out the strategies of old and get focused on the things that will drive your business forward."
-Rory Vaden, cofounder of Southwestern Consulting and New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs
"This powerful, practical book gives you a set of proven tools to equip your leaders with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to turn your strategy into performance. When you apply these simple principles, your employees and teams can start getting more done, faster, than ever before."
-Brian Tracy, author of No Excuses!
"The #1 Productivity Pro offers practical and effective tips to ensure competitive success. Her book is a road map to gain the best outcomes. I wouldn't want to navigate without it."
-Tim Jackson, CMP, CAE, President/CEO, Colorado Automobile Dealers Association
"After reading Execution IS the Strategy, you'll have all the tools and techniques you need to execute your ideas quickly and benefit from the results. The only question is, what are you waiting for?"
-Bruce Turkel, CEO/ Executive Creative Director, Turkel Brands
"Execution IS the Strategy is a must-read for leaders who want to learn how to create agile organizational cultures that can drive initiatives forward."
-Daniel Burrus, author of the New York Times bestseller Flash Foresight
"Laura Stack has demystified strategy to be accessible, actionable, urgent, and even fun. She shows us how to apply it to work and life and understand that it is ultimately about taking action despite uncertainty."
-G. Shawn Hunter, author of Out Think
"Laura Stack provides a simple yet powerful blueprint for bringing ideas to fruition. Anyone in a leadership position who does not read Execution IS the Strategy should be immediately executed!"
-Stephen Shapiro, innovation evangelist and author of Best Practices Are Stupid
"Laura Stack goes beyond the to-do list and good intentions to a strategic approach for execution. If you follow her advice, you will have no excuses not to move forward on needed changes, and it will make you a more successful leader."
-Lisa Ford, author and speaker on helping companies create customer-focused cultures
"Execution IS the Strategy is packed full of relevant, real-world, actionable tactics that will elevate your performance as a leader and deliver results that count."
-Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman, author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo
"Laura Stack does a masterful job of weaving together elements of leadership, program, change, and her famous time management techniques in a simple, easy-to-implement format. She is my shortcut to excellence."
-Eva J. Milko, Senior Director, Global Procurement, Molson Coors Brewing Company, and author of 10 Steps to Effective Execution in Strategic Sourcing
"Execution IS the Strategy is a must-read for leaders in any industry. This step by step guide can help you manufacture the one thing you need the most-time!"
-Anthony DiBlasi, Director, Merrill Lynch
"Execution IS the Strategy puts the final nail in the coffin of micromanaging, overplanning, and control-freakism. Simply put, it's brilliant. Do yourself, your team, and your organization a favor-buy it, download it, and share it. I have, and the results are amazing."
-Simon T. Bailey, leadership catalyst and author of Release Your Brilliance
"Laura Stack provides practical, easy-to-implement techniques to ensure your team is equipped to properly execute your core business objectives with precision and speed. Highly recommended."
-Matt Schupp, Vice President of Human Resources, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Southeastern Division
"Laura Stack's new book is easy to understand, remember, and implement. There is always something to learn on every page-including the table of contents!"
-Herve Borensztejn, Managing Partner, Karistem Corporate Consulting, speaker, trainer, and author of Growing Talents
"This book will give you the tools you need as a leader to get more done yourself and through others. Laura Stack really is 'the Productivity Pro.'"
-Mark Sanborn, President, Sanborn & Associates, Inc., and author of You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader
"Stack has captured in this book what those select few great leaders know: you cannot strategize your way to greatness. You execute your way there! A must-read for anyone who wants better results!"
-Peter Sheahan, President, ChangeLabs
"A how-to for leaders who are serious about results. Make time to read this book-then thank Laura for all the time you save on future projects!"
-Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive
