Product Thinking Episode 171: Applying Military Tactics to Strategy Execution with Author Stephen Bungay
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May 15, 2024 Author Stephen Bungay discusses his approach to strategy execution, highlighting the three gaps in execution - Knowledge, Alignment, and Effects. He provides military-like solutions for each gap, emphasizing clarity, briefing, and intent. Alignment struggles in product management are often due to a lack of clear intent, which can be resolved through effective leadership. The podcast delves into the importance of leading through intent, empowering teams through problem-oriented direction, and crafting a cohesive strategy for successful outcomes.
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Three Gaps That Kill Execution
- Organizations fail at execution because they confuse plans with action and don't align people behind a clear intent.
- Stephen Bungay identifies three gaps: knowledge, alignment, and effects that block execution.
More Control Often Makes Execution Worse
- Leaders' default reaction to execution gaps is more detail and tighter control, which worsens the problem.
- That shifts attention inward, slows decisions, and turns teams into obedient robots.
State Clear Intent, Not Task Lists
- Express strategy as a clear intent stating what you want to achieve and why, not a list of tasks.
- Use briefings and back-briefs so teams can interpret intent and tell you how they will achieve it.