Chris McChesney and co-authors have written a #1 Best Selling business book called “The 4 Disciplines of Execution”. When I read the title it sounded like it probably would be cluttered with detailed business jargon and technical details so I wasn’t very interested. However, that changed after attending a 1/2 day workshop as part of a book tour that David Browder arranged for a group of TexPTS physical therapists.
What are the 4 Disciplines of Execution?
- Discipline 1: WIG (Wildly important goals)
- Discipline 2: Act on the Lead Measures
- Discipline 3: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
- Discipline 4: Create a Cadence of Accountability
Of course, exactly! Crystal clear on how important these 4 disciplines are to living a successful life, right?…..well, not exactly. At least not at first and not for the last three. However, as I went through that morning I quickly realized the part of the reason this book has become such a hot seller and found by many to be helpful for business is that these disciplines are necessary if you are going to be wildly successful in your life (the most important business of all).
If we define these a bit further and ask a few questions we will see why.
1. WIG – Do you have any? Are they focused? How many do you have and which 2 or 3 or most important? Answering these questions gives you Focus. What determines whether something is really a WIG is not the name, but the amount of attention you give it.
2. Act on the Lead Measures – A Lead measure is something you can influence that leads to your WIG. A WIG is also called a Lag measure; the thing that you want to have happen. Knowing the Lead measures gives you Leverage. Do you know what yours are?
Example: you have a WIG/Lag measure of losing 20 pounds. You Lead measure could be number of minutes exercised everyday.
3. Keep a compelling Scoreboard- It can’t be boring! It also has to be simple, highly visible, tied to the right Lag and Lead measures, let you know at a glance whether you are winning or losing, and is best when emotionally engaging. Keeping a compelling Scoreboard not only keeps you engaged but let’s you tap into the power of small wins. Are you experiencing small wins in your life? How do you know?
Example: A monthly calendar on your door or car dashboard on which you put a heart sticker for every intentional touchpoint you make on an important relationship you’re seeking to build or improve.
4. Create a Cadence of accountability – Having a cadence of accountability keeps you… accountable! Without this, failure is almost assured no matter how good you are with the previous three Disciplines. Who do you meet with? When and where? If not a person, do you have a system you use? You simply can’t go it alone and expect to Win.
Example: Person – weekly round table at dinner, at a breakfast meeting or simply on a phone call to share Scoreboard results with family or an accountability partner. A system might be your review of a Weekly Rhythm Register (WRR) to judge your results for the week.
Ok, those are the Disciplines, but they are worthless without behavior that follows. I look forward to sharing my experiences in the weeks to come and look forward to hearing yours.
Rob