Click 'Read Original' for details. Every year we talk about execution, yet it remains difficult. The methods are correct, the concepts are correct, the tools are correct, and the execution systems are robust. Nothing is missing except consensus among stakeholders. Consensus generates shared intent; shared intent enables collaboration; collaboration leads to success. We often face this situation: reviewing the year's results, whether with joy, complaint, or anger... Various emoticons are also telling: the year's goals are not executed properly, performance falls through again, and the company faces mid-year reviews, which are as nerve-wracking as a trial, causing anxiety, depression, and heartache. How can execution be done properly to form a thriving situation of self-awareness, spontaneity, voluntariness, and healthy competition? From years of management practice, for execution, we do not lack tools, systems, or slogans and concepts. What we lack is consensus on execution. Therefore, without consensus, there is no internal drive for execution. Consensus on goals, tools, time, capabilities, customers, resources, etc. Only by clearing these cognitive deviations in execution and integrating these consensuses with tools can the resulting plan have execution power and achieve the expected execution results. Reaching consensus or forming consensus is the prerequisite for driving execution. "If you want a ship, don't hire people to collect wood, nor assign tasks, but instead inspire them to yearn for the sea." This is a common quote when discussing execution. It conveys two meanings: one is to stimulate productivity through interest; the other is to achieve action through consensus on goals and vision. Here we discuss why our team and channel partners execute certain plans or matters "unwillingly," and how to reach consensus to improve execution. Where does resistance come from?
Once, during a marketing organizational structure adjustment, as soon as you voiced your idea, someone might raise angry objections. Because we did not discuss with stakeholders in advance or gain their support.
Once, during an adjustment of compensation and performance appraisal indicators, before you finished presenting on stage, some people began to form factions to oppose. Because we may have only focused on the organization's interests, ignoring the feelings and consensus of those being assessed.
A promotional activity plan may end up shelved and not executed. Because we may have neither listened to the opinions of regional managers nor obtained suggestions from distributors, completely ignoring the actual situation of the regional market, or not considering whether the regional market has done it before and whether the results were satisfactory. Clearly, when we have not reached agreement on a plan or matter, we inevitably encounter the following problems during execution: First, Team members or channel partners do not understand, reducing their willingness and interest in execution. Second, Ignoring the feelings and initiative of team members or channel partners gives those executing a sense of "going through the motions" and feeling their interests are overlooked, damaging the execution ecosystem and easily leading to negative execution attitudes. Third, During execution, passive execution and insincere cooperation cause the process and intent to deviate, easily breeding problems that greatly affect execution performance. Fourth, Among our execution decisions, plans or matters that lack feasibility are more likely to appear. But why are we eager to make decisions and thus encounter the above problems? I think there are the following main reasons: 1. We believe that reaching agreement on a decision requires too much time and communication cost. Any decision we make, whether small, such as changing the work focus, responsibilities, or interests of team members or channel partners at a certain stage, which may cause conflicts among several departments that need to cooperate, or large, which may directly affect the rise or fall of the entire enterprise. It is evident that if we seek unanimous opinion internally on a resolution, we may need to communicate with all parties directly involved. This naturally requires a certain amount of time and communication cost. In addition, at the moment we make a decision or issue an execution order, we always have the habitual understanding of "the sooner the better," which inevitably leads us to think we should hurry and not spend too much time communicating. 2. Worry and fear of seeing "annoying" objections during the communication to reach agreement, thus using the will of power and the authority of position to obtain superficial agreement and execution when issuing orders. Communication to seek unanimous opinion is not only a process of gaining recognition and support but also a process that may involve a hundred schools of thought. For most managers, no matter how democratic their discussion style and how open and inclusive their mindset, objections are somewhat harsh. Who wants to listen to those harsh voices? 3. The "I am the boss, I decide" mentality is at play, even ignoring the interests and demands of team members and channel partners. I am the owner of this company, I am the manager of this regional market, I am the manufacturer's person in charge of this brand... I am the boss. When making a decision, what does it matter whether I consult others? This mindset lurks in many managers' minds. 4. We have developed a strong decision-making style where once a result is determined, no one can change it. If you are such a manager, whatever you say, whatever decisions you make, your team members may only nod in agreement. Gradually, you may develop and reinforce the belief that "relying on subordinates to participate in decisions and improve oneself" is unreliable. Clearly, this situation is also related to the problem of over-reliance on individuals in decision-making and non-standard decision procedures. Now let us explore: how to reach agreement at low cost while minimizing the impact on decision sensitivity and timeliness.
- Try to reach agreement as much as possible. This does not mean seeking absolute approval, but rather making your decision more scientific and safer, and winning more recognition, understanding, and a good soil for execution. Adequate communication in advance cannot satisfy everyone, but it is conducive to "seeking common ground while reserving differences"; it is conducive to letting them more fully understand the background and necessity of a certain decision, and how you weighed pros and cons to arrive at the optimal plan, and reach as much consensus as possible on it. This consensus is very beneficial in reducing execution resistance caused by people not fully agreeing with the specific content of a decision, thereby ensuring higher smoothness and performance of the decision's execution.
- Put yourself in others' shoes. Some things are clear at a glance, meaning not everything requires communication to reach agreement. Therefore, you should put yourself in the shoes of team members or channel partners to review your decision and see which aspects need more thorough communication with them to improve management performance.
- Be understood. In daily work, create more opportunities for team members and channel partners to understand you, trust you, and recognize your abilities and the positions and principles you take in doing things. As the saying goes, "when water flows, a channel is formed." With such groundwork, our ideas can be more easily accepted and recognized by them.
- Use key people well. It is not necessary to communicate with everyone related to a decision. In many cases, our decisions are accepted by some and not recognized by others. In such situations, we can mobilize those who accept our decision (sometimes you can even have a superior who agrees with your decision come forward) to influence those who have objections. Even if we go ourselves, we only need to find a few key figures among the objectors whose status and abilities match. This way, the communication process and cost can be effectively shortened and reduced.
- Stamp the executor's mark on the decision. Few people oppose themselves. We can let those directly related to a decision participate in making it, so that the decision bears their imprint. For example, when adjusting the compensation and performance appraisal system, first discuss it with some regional managers in a small scope; when issuing a promotional plan, send the proposal to some regional managers or distributor representatives for reference opinions.
- Patch the shortcomings. Identify the shortcomings in the decision yourself and patch them in advance. If necessary, we can also present the multiple alternative solutions we considered earlier for solving a problem, telling everyone how we weighed pros and cons to make the decision.
- More people will do as you do. Whether for your own team or channel partners, once we take the lead in a decision, show enough determination, and maintain enough pressure, it is also conducive to reaching consensus during execution.
- Standardize decision procedures. Make your decision procedures more reasonable and standardized, rather than stubbornly holding onto the "boss" hat and being opinionated. At the same time, we should also be careful that our power is not exploited by those with selfish motives and ill intentions. Once a decision is mixed with someone's selfish motives, it may cause our management chain to become unbalanced. Thus, encountering resistance and destructive factors is only to be expected. We say that to have execution, we must have consensus. This consensus is not 100% agreement from everyone. The consensus I refer to is only the consensus of the majority among employees, core backbone, or key managers, not a fake democratic consensus that seeks everyone's agreement regardless of cost. Because influenced by the enterprise's development stage, employee quality, and maturity, people lack respect for rules. Giving too much democracy and freedom, which one cannot control, may lead to abuse of democracy and even greater tragedy. Therefore, consensus is the consensus of those who share work, knowledge, and intent, not simply a majority. Every year we talk about execution, yet it remains difficult. The methods are correct, the concepts are correct, the tools are correct, and the execution systems are robust. Nothing is missing except consensus among stakeholders. Consensus generates shared intent; shared intent enables collaboration; collaboration leads to success. I hope that for execution, we do not always walk on the path of unsatisfactory results. From August 22-24, the "2018 China Digital Innovation Conference (2018FDIC)" with the theme "Finding New Growth Engines" will be held in Shanghai, hosted by the China FMCG Industry Association and organized by New Distribution. The conference will last 3 days, focusing on two main themes: marketing and supply chain, with six parallel forums: brand, channel, communication, B2B, same-city logistics, and innovative retail. We will invite industry experts, CEOs, and brand executives to deeply interpret the trends and drivers of digital transformation in the FMCG industry. We will invite more than 500 FMCG enterprise executives, 200+ B2B industry CEOs, and 1000+ major FMCG industry distributors to gather and discuss how the FMCG industry can use digital tools to achieve rapid growth again in the digital era. This conference will build a bridge for brand owners, distributors, retail enterprises, and marketing agencies, helping FMCG manufacturers obtain the latest information, understand best practices, and master more transformation practical skills. Proposed Companies Conference Time August 22-24, 2018 Conference Venue Shanghai Baohua Marriott Hotel Conference Content August 22: Full-day check-in Afternoon 14:00-17:30 Distributor same-city logistics parallel forum Evening 18:30-21:00 New Distribution Night Gala Dinner August 23: Theme: Marketing Digital Innovation Morning 9:00-12:00 Marketing Digital Innovation Main Forum Afternoon 14:00-17:30 Brand, Channel, Communication Parallel Forums August 24: Theme: FMCG Supply Chain Digital Upgrade Full day: FMCG Supply Chain Conference Registration Method Registration is now open. Long press the QR code below or click "Read Original" to register. Early bird tickets are limited to 200, with 50% discount, while supplies last! Registration Consultation Ticket inquiries: Media cooperation inquiries: New Distribution Previous Conference Highlights Click the links below to review the first, second, and third FMCG + Internet Conferences: -END-