Customer Reviews

It's Not What You Say...It's What You Do: How Following Through At Every Level Can Make Or Break Your Company

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Previously, Haughton co-authored with Jason Jennings a book which I admire very much, It's Not the Big That Eat the Small...It's the Fast That Eat the Slow, in which he and Jennings explain how to use speed to achieve and then sustain a decisive competitive advantage in business. In this volume, Haughton focuses on the importance of follow-through which he asserts (and I agree) often determines success or failure in a competitive marketplace, whatever its nature and extent may be. He insists that what makes or breaks an organization is NOT the result of finding (or not finding) the perfect strategy; rather, contrary to conventional wisdom, success or failure is determined by the nature and extent of follow-through at every and all levels of an organization.

Haughton's conclusions and assertions are based on extensive research (his and others,' duly cited) to explain disfunctions common to most organizations. For example, a situation cited in a research study conducted by Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business:

"Half of all the decisions a company makes in order to solve some problem or take advantage of some opportunity will fall through the cracks in less than two years...not because of uncontrollable factors like a recession, unexpected cost hikes or any other outside factors but simply from a lack of follow-through." In this context, there appears to be what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton characterize as the "Knowing-Doing Gap." How to prevent or overcome it? Haughton identifies four "building blocks," the components crucial to effective follow through:

1. Having [begin italics] a clear direction [end italics] so everyone understands where they're headed in no uncertain terms.
2. Matching [begin italics] the right people [end italics] to every goal.
3. Getting off to a great start with plenty of [begin italics] buy-in [end italics].
4. Making sure everyone maintains their momentum by increasing [begin italics] individual initiative [end italics].

Easier said then done? Of course. Haughton knows that and provides in the first three chapters several specific, practical suggestions as (1) to "how to turn vague, general, or conflicting expectations into clear, specific, and coordinated targets -- even if you're the manager stuck in the middle between headquarters, and customers," (2) "how to quickly connect the dots between what people say and what they really want, without them telling you in an overt of explicit manner," and (3) how to formulate and then implement "a system for thinking things through more thoroughly (even under tight deadlines) and fine-tuning your directions with tactics prone to [begin italics] succeed [end italics]." The balance of this book provides addition information, observations, and suggestions -- as well as countless anecdotes, real-world examples, and executive profiles -- which will help decision-makers in any organization (regardless of size or nature) to flourish.

Chapter 7 offers especially valuable material. In it, citing Anand Sharma's simple four-step strategy, Haughton explains how to outmaneuver the CAVE people (i.e. citizens against virtually everything) who rigorously -- and cleverly -- oppose all change initiatives which threaten what, in Leading Change, Jim O'Toole calls "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." (Please see pages 107-121 in It's Not What You Say....) Of great value, also, is Haughton's discussion of Leslie Robertson (a structural engineer who helped design the World Trade Center) and James Crowe (CEO of Level 3 Communications) in the book's final chapter. Both offer compelling examples of those who understand that follow-through is a way of life, not a strategy. As Haughton explains when concluding his book, "All managers must be willing to expose themselves (like Robertson and Crowe) and say, 'The robustness and stamina of the follow-through is my responsibility. All our promises have my name on them.' "

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out the aforementioned Pfeffer and Sutton's The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action and O'Toole's Leading Change; also Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, and Scott D. Anthony's Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change; and Marco Iansiti and Roy Levien's The Keystone Advantage: What the New Dynamics of Business Ecosystems Mean for Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability.

Lack of follow-through is a leading cause of company failure. This book tells the stories of a unique group of managers who have mastered the art of making things happen: execution.Their stories and the lessons learned are presented around four building blocks which are the components crucial to following through: 1) having a clear direction, 2) matching the right people to every goal, 3) getting started with lots of 'buy-in,' and 4) ensuring everyone maintains momentum by increasing individual initiative. How these four keys to follow-through are achieved forms the substance of this work. In the book you'll find the author addresses how to overcome a variety of obstacles to getting things done. The author spotlights what works and what does not in real-world situations. A solid, practical book providing down-to-earth guidance for managers seeking to get people into action and keep them moving forward.

Some books titles draw me in immediately. Such was the case with this book - I mean would anyone disagree with this title?

Even so the book sat on my shelf for quite awhile. Once I picked it up, I read it in about a day and a half.

It's that good.

The book is built on four building blocks - the cornerstones the author identifies to creating greater follow-through in any organization.

- Clear Direction
- The Right People
- Buy-in
- Individual Initiative

I love that Haughton uses the phrase building blocks, because that is what they are. He reminds to forget quick fixes, but rather to get back to the basics. Then he gives us ideas and examples of what we can do that will predictably create projects and initiatives that will create results, rather than disappointments.

This is a book about personal leadership accountability and how to create an organizational expectation of higher accountability. In other words, this is a book about getting greater results. Read it and you will get many ideas on how to do just that.

So read it . . . and hold yourself accountable for putting what you learn into action.

Laurence Haughton has hit a home run with this book. A combination of insight and memorable stories make this a key primer for both executives and managers. Not only does Haughton emphasize the importance of following through with plans and directives, he gives important strategies to avoid the landmines that pose dangers to all executive and managerial initiatives - how to outmaneuver the CAVE people (those naysayers who always oppose new initiatives.) This is great reading. Enjoy it!

A must for managers, CEO's, and business entrepreneurials in 2005. "It's not what you say, It's what you do" is a compelling and unique read detailing new ideas to ensure follow through makes, not breaks your company. Using case studies from global organisations, Laurence Haughton paints a step by step picture to implement perfect follow through at all levels of the organisation. There's a warning for contemporary management thinkers, and those into excessive empirical measurements,there can be too much accountability! Building block four outlines individual initiative and explains how there's a fine line between enough, and too much accountability. Perhaps today's almost universal panacea of individual accountability is already showing signs of weakness. This book is a comprehensive manual of exciting ideas including the importance of a clear direction, the right people, who buy in, and individual initiative. This tantalizing read is compelling and highly recommended.

Too often I find that I have to push myself to get through business books, but Laurence's book combines an easy reading style, engaging examples, and relevant practicals to keep pulling the reader along. It wasn't long before grabbed a high-lighter and started taking notes to share with others I work with.

Liked the writing style--the author uses real-life examples to support easy-to-understand principles/building blocks to achieving success on business initiatives. If you liked "Good To Great," you will enjoy this one, especially with respect to ways to get the right people on the bus. There are practical tips on how to counteract the CAVE people in a company (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) and they have already proven helpful. Like the previous book he co-authored, this one should also be a bestseller.

Quoting the conclusion of "The Everygreen Project" in the Introduction, the author made his theme loud and clear: "it matters very much though that whatever you choose to implement you execute it flawlessly.......to make every level follow through." Using plenty of well written examples, well structured analysis and action points riding on the four conceptual building blocks (clear direction, the right people, buy in, individual initiative), the author did his job brilliantly. I am obliged to give extra credit for his intelligent use of acronyms like SMART (specific, measurable, accountable, realistic and time-bound for goal setting) and CAVE people (citizens against virtually everything) in the right place at the right time to elaborate his ideas. In short, a must read for all business people. Highly recommended!

Below please find one of my most favorite concepts for your reference.

Four steps to outmaneuver the CAVE people and result in more buy-in:
1. Kick off your change with a Wow! event
2. Blitzkrieg them (blitzkrieg means to follow through so fast the CAVE people dont have the time to organise their resistance)
3. Create disciples from the rank and file
4. Take your success story straight to the top

Great customer service is based on emapthy but how do you teach empahty to service workers? Haughton's chapter of Reading Between the Lines does it. It's the best, most practical, business-centered writing I've seen teaching empathy as part of customer servise. He draws on the example of the Union Square Hospitality Group in New York. But his concepts and examples are easily transferable. In fact, I used excerpts from the chapter to teach superviors and staff of small groups homes for people with developmental disabilities.

The "Between the Lines" chapter would be worth the price of admission but Haughton keeps scoring runs. A later chapter on CAVE people (Citizens Against Viturally Everything)is one of the best I've seen on overcoming organizational resistance to change. As Haughton puts it so succintly, "Every organization has an immune system with antibodies that attack all changes automatically." Haughton covers a series of proven strategies for creating healthy change in an organization before CAVE people can run it into the ground.

Buy this book, study it, and help your business of nonprofit thrive.

To be a successful business, you must have a clear direction with the right people who have the abilities to do the job wholeheartedly. Character is the ability to maintain monentum long after the mood has passed. Creating a reason to rise above tough conditions is necessary. Respect others and realize that there's a fine line between enough and too much accountability. Mainly, you've got to get back to basics; the things which makes or breaks the company is the manager's ability to get everyone at every level following through and to show a good example.

Customers are fickle and will take advantage of the best offers and costs. Chance plays a big part, as does inducement to switch and, as always, curiosity (wanting the best deal even if you have to go way cross town to get it) are important considerations of customers or clients' actions. Disappointment in the product, services, or common courtesty on the part of the company they've trusted will drive them away. Everyone can be replaced.

Recently, a store manager at Walgreen's repeatedly hurt my feelings at different trips to my neighborhood store, and was most unfair to a regular customer. Did it do any good to go to the head office? I doubt it, as the district over the local stores refused to listen. When this happens, you lose business, prestige and other customers -- as interested bystanders viewed his tough and mean attitude and will no doubt go elsewhere. Also, word-of-mouth publicity will cause that particular Walgreen's to get a bad reputation in this town where stores close as fast as they open, and gives the nationwide company a black eye.

A very important factor to consider is not to abuse the elderly customer (as there are lots of us out here) and someone who can't fight back. Nobody will spend their money on a bully. It goes way past disappointment. He said some mean things but what he did (humiliate a regular, long-time customer in front of others) is abdominable. To stoop so low became 'the straw that broke the camel's back.'

First, your product must be reliable. If you fail to stick to your store's promises just as long as things are fine, but when they're not, you fall back on excuses, or accusations to get your point across and lose customers as a consequence, that's when a change should be made.

Customers don't "understand" being made a fool of in public, and they'd be crazy to come back for more abusive attitudes. You can say that you're right until you're blue in the face, but you are definitely a failure at your job when you don't adhere to the adage, "Customers come first" to prove your point that you are 'in charge.'

If you do what what you say you're going to do to correct a situation (not turn the tables on the customer and put the blame on him), then you can be relied on to do the right thing. The follow-through to make things right, just 'touching base,' are what makes a business person successful. Otherwise, he's a failure representing that store, and should be replaced. There is a vast difference between winners and losers in every phase of life but, in business, it makes or breaks the company's reputation in the long run if managers are allowed to run amok.