Strategy That Works - by Paul Leinwand & Cesare R Mainardi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In a recent survey of executives, two-thirds of the respondents said they didn't think their organization could execute the company's defined strategy. Why is the strategy-execution gap so pervasive? And what can executives do to close it? In Strategy that Works, Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi share their latest research into how the best companies in the world connect strategy to execution. Having the right capabilities in place is essential; but subsequent research by the authors' firm, Strategy&, shows that capabilities alone don't close the gap between what companies aspire to do and what they can actually accomplish. The authors identify, in all, five fundamental principles for connecting strategy and execution, and show how the best companies in the world use these principles to out-execute and out-compete their opponents. They: - Commit to winning by what they do best, instead of chasing multiple opportunities - Focus on and build only those capabilities, instead of benchmarking against competitors - Prune what doesn't matter to invest more in what does - Leverage the culture they have instead of reengineering it - Shape demand instead of constantly reacting to market changes Based on in-depth interviews inside companies that are known for their flawless execution and for redefining the competition in their industries, this book provides executives with the path for connecting strategy to execution"--

Book Synopsis

How to close the gap between strategy and execution

Two-thirds of executives say their organizations don't have the capabilities to support their strategy. In Strategy That Works, Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi explain why. They identify conventional business practices that unintentionally create a gap between strategy and execution. And they show how some of the best companies in the world consistently leap ahead of their competitors. Based on new research, the authors reveal five practices for connecting strategy and execution used by highly successful enterprises such as IKEA, Natura, Danaher, Haier, and Lego. These companies:

- Commit to what they do best instead of chasing multiple opportunities
- Build their own unique winning capabilities instead of copying others
- Put their culture to work instead of struggling to change it
- Invest where it matters instead of going lean across the board
- Shape the future instead of reacting to it

Packed with tools you can use for building these five practices into your organization and supported by in-depth profiles of companies that are known for making their strategy work, this is your guide for reconnecting strategy to execution.

Review Quotes

"Strategy That Works, by Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi, offers a perspective on how companies can create value in the long term, underscoring the importance of culture." -- The Economist

"...few tomes have actually turned the research into a story of how human failings and foibles come into play and how they can often be part of a successful effort. Until now." -- Forbes

"Paul Leinwand and Cesare R. Mainardi, along with Art Kleiner, have written a book that... disenchants the reader with the strategy dogma of the day, and replaces it with a new proposition." -- 800 CEO READ

"... a great framework to overcome this conundrum of successful implementation...While reading the book, one stops and ponders as to what one can do better - a sign that it serves the purpose intended by the authors." -- Business Today, India

"... a practitioner-oriented, prescriptive book." -- Choice magazine

ADVANCE PRAISE for Strategy That Works:

Mark T. Bertolini, Chairman and CEO, Aetna--
"Strategy That Works provides a behind-the-scenes look at the characteristics of unconventional leadership and the importance of culture and identity as foundational components of a strong corporate strategy."

Zhang Ruimin, Chairman and CEO, Haier Group--
"Any successful large enterprise must strike the right balance between openness to change and having a powerful, long-lasting core identity. Strategy That Works shows how to bring these two contrasting ideas together."

Marshall Goldsmith, author, New York Times #1 bestselling Triggers and global bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won't Get You There--
"Leinwand and Mainardi show you how to transform your value proposition into real results."

Sally Blount, Dean, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University--
"Strategy is all about making clear plans and sticking to them. Yet organizations get easily distracted. This great new book explains how to gain coherence across an organization in strategy setting and execution."

Alessandro Carlucci, former CEO, Natura--
"This book will help you think about whether your organization is really aligned with your strategy: from the company's value proposition to its distinctive capabilities to the products and services it provides."

Karim Michel Sabbagh, President and CEO, SES--
"Strategy That Works demonstrates how capabilities shape successful markets, enable winning companies, and sustain on-target execution. The case for capabilities-driven strategy strengthens with every turn of the page."

About the Author

Paul Leinwand is Global Managing Director, Capabilities-Driven Strategy and Growth, with Strategy&, PwC's strategy consulting business. Cesare Mainardi is the former CEO of Booz & Company and Strategy&. They are the principal architects of capabilities-driven strategy and the authors of The Essential Advantage and Cut Costs and Grow Stronger. Both are adjunct professors of strategy at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Art Kleiner is editor-in-chief of strategy+business, the management magazine published by PwC.