Building a Team

Execution from a technology standpoint is really no different from any other endeavor. First, you have to agree on the vision - the goal you're going to achieve. Then you have to build a plan to achieve the goal. It has been said that the difference between a hallucination and a vision is the presence of a viable plan to achieve the vision. You have a process for identifying the goals of your organization, although the way to go about this is not always clear, as the means that each organization uses are diverse and often subject to personalities and company practice. But no matter the process, the common thread will be the ability to lay out what can be and why it is in the organization's interest to do it.

The process is no different from everything else. It's a project management execution strategy, where you lay out the goals, the milestones, and the steps you need to accomplish those milestones and the resources you need. Then you have to have the diligence to monitor and control those elements.

Ultimately though, I've always found the most important resource is your people. No significant endeavor ever gets done by one person - you need to build a team that comprises people with the right skills to accomplish the goals. Recognize that not all people are experts at everything. You need to match your people with the skills that are required. Some of the best execution people have no vision. Some of the people who have vision have no execution skills. Think of it as a football team. A successful football team will have a great quarterback, a great line, receivers, and so forth. But you wouldn't expect the quarterback to be on the defensive line. Identify those skill sets required to execute the project. Make sure you have the right alignment to achieve the project goals.