accountability.” That is, everyone working on The two were able to rapidly form a partnership to a team must be clear about what needs to get done manufacture the devices at scale, and the Food by whom, when, and why. Employees must also and Drug Administration gave it an emergency- be equipped with the right skills and mindsets to use authorization. solve problems, instead of waiting to be told what to do. And there must be disciplined follow-up As this example illustrates, partners are increasingly to make sure actions were taken and the desired important in dealing with the pace of change, results achieved. complexity, and disruptions that are becoming the norm. The rate of technological and business- CEOs who are serious about execution excellence model innovation alone makes it nearly impossible are investing in helping their workforces up for any single organization to do everything itself. their execution game—through targeted programs, Furthermore, the connected world is breaking down realigning incentives, and directing rewards and the traditional boundaries between buyers recognition to teams that execute with speed and and suppliers, manufacturers and distributors, and excellence. Building execution excellence does employers and employees. not have to come at the expense of innovation. Quite the contrary: it can help discover powerful ideas For partnerships to be successful, the relationship and innovation from the frontline teams that are must be built on deep trust, for example by adopting closest to the customer. And it can drive excitement a more open-source approach to innovation and and loyalty among the employee base. embedding the partner into everything from strategy- setting to routine operations. Trust allows the Consider the example of a chemical company that is parties to integrate their systems and processes, undergoing an enterprise-wide transformation of enabling them to find solutions, make decisions its business. Every meeting begins with a statement quickly, and execute efficiently. In the case of J&J of objectives and ends with a list of actions to and Prisma Health, they had a shared mission to take, including those who are responsible for help patients and medical professionals. each. Outcomes and milestones are tracked, and employees are rewarded for achieving their goals. The next three actions aim to reimagine structure Leaders communicate the purpose of these actions to go beyond the traditional “boxes and lines” and (the why behind the what and the how) and build toward the development of the kinds of teams that conviction in their employees to do the right thing. work together to deliver value: Employees, in turn, are motivated by a sense of personal ownership and pride. By knowing who 4. Flatten the structure. A speedy organization has exactly is doing what when, at all times, the pace more people taking action and fewer people feeding of execution can be accelerated. Such an approach the beast of bureaucracy—briefing each other, both speeds up and improves execution. reporting, seeking approvals, sitting in unproductive meetings (and then huddling up in the meeting 3. Cultivate extraordinary partnerships. Working after the meeting to have the real conversation). with partners is routine. But the speed of action only Rigid hierarchies must give way to leaner, flatter goes so far if other players in the ecosystem fail structures that allow the system to respond quickly to move just as fast. During the pandemic, we have to emerging challenges and opportunities. There seen companies work with partners in new ways are fewer middle managers and span-breakers to achieve extraordinary impact. For example, Prisma and more doers and deciders. Creating this new Health, a South Carolina–based not for profit, organism requires reimagining structure not as a had a design for an emergency ventilator-expansion hierarchy of bosses, per the traditional organization device but lacked the capacity to build and chart, but rather as a dynamic network of teams. distribute as many as were needed. Johnson & As one CEO told us, “We can finally turn the page on Johnson’s Ethicon division, on the other hand, the traditional matrix and reinvent how we organize had the capacity and distribution infrastructure. and how work gets done.” 24 What now? Ten actions to emerge stronger in the next normal September 2020