The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I saw a recent article in USA Today mentioning an updated release of Peter Druckers 1973 timeless business strategy — Management; Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices.

I found this very interesting because it seems like every day there is a new business philosophy that is the must follow process in today’s world.

Every so-called expert finds a new gimic to push on the business community as the new way to be successful. Drucker and others consistently pointed out, even in the 1970s, the need to have sound strategy and strong execution.

A strong foundation continues to be important today. And everything in business really boils down to those two elements.

Do you have a plan that executes the following:

Fully analyzes the external environment and competition.

Understands internal strengths and core competences.

Is effective in establishing where your organization diverges from competition along a path of consumer value.

Does an effective job of cascading actionable strategies down into the organization so that they can be executed seamlessly

Strong execution typically involves having well–trained and motivated employees following defined processes that break down complex tasks into manageable stages and provides a mechanism for tracking performance.

Easier said than done.

This takes discipline, commitment and most importantly and often overlooked, built-in flexibility to adapt to emerging opportunities.

Cultivate a process within your company that facilitates consensus-based, detailed strategy development and build your organization around executing the plan with excellence. Do this and you will be ahead of the game.

Lewis is the owner of Empower Strategies. He can be reached by phone at 296-4457 or by e–mail at glewis@empowerstrat.com. For more information about Empower Strategies, visit www.empowerstrategies.com.