Todd C. Williams - Filling Execution Gaps: How Executives and Project Managers Turn Corporate Strategy Into Successful Projects

Todd C. Williams

Filling Execution Gaps

ISBN 978-1-5015-1520-0

e-ISBN (PDF) 978-1-5015-0639-0

e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-1-5015-0634-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress.

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;

detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.

2017 Todd C. Williams

Published by Walter de Gruyter Inc., Boston/Berlin

www.degruyter.com

I expected good, but this is great.

Janet Pirus Phelps

Principle, Strategic CFO

Former CFO

Papa Murphys Pizza

Los Angeles, California

Each chapter of the book is a master-class in strategy deployment! Todd ingeniously brings together the critical elements of the strategy execution puzzle, revealing with remarkable clarity the pathway to implementation success.

Claudio Miers

Managing Partner, Pitcairn Partners

Former VP Operational Excellence, Organizational Transformation

Emerson Automation Solutions

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Todd captures the reality and essence of what it takes to deliver strategy. By sharing thought provoking stories and examples, Todd provides helpful tools and approaches to navigate the difficult yet rewarding work of transforming strategy into results. A must read for anyone who works in the strategy space.

April Blackmore

Vice President of Operations & Supply Chain

The Little Potato Company Ltd.

Chicago, Illinois

Filling Execution Gaps is a thoughtful review of what successful leaders do in a multifaceted, matrixed business to drive successful execution of the strategy.

John E. Panichella

President and CEO

Solenis

Wilmington, Delaware

Todd Williams has written a book which made me think about my acceptance of current governance practices and approaches to program management in a whole new light. By applying lean concepts to achieve effective governance, Todd has changed the game. This book offers valuable thought provoking advice and I have recommended it to all our steering committee executives and PMs.

Charles (Chuck) Elson

General Manager, Asset Management Solutions

Bell Canada

Toronto, Ontario

This book is another home run for Todd Williams! I love the authors writing style. He grasps the key concepts, then shares them in descriptive terms. The quotes at the start of each chapter are inspiring. The questions at the end of the chapters are reflective.

The authors years of experience in project management show he truly understands how things work in all sizes and types of companies....

This book is a must-read for executives, middle management, project managers, and project teams!

Connie Plowman

Former COO, Cadence Management Corp

PMI Nominating Committee, Leadership Advisor, and former Region 1 Mentor

Portland, Oregon

Todd provides the right guidance on how to establish an effective change management organization. This is a must read before undertaking of your next organizational project, as it will help you avoid many pitfalls which drive delays or project failures.

John T. Lenga, Jr.

CEO, Head Business Group North America

Autoneum North America, Inc.

Novi, Michigan

Filling Execution Gaps a great balance of methods and personal experience that delivers a practical approach to successful execution of projects. A must-read for any project executive sponsor!

Tom Flookes

Global Business Services Associate Partner

IBM

Seattle, Washington

We have all been there. Kicking off well deserved projects with much fanfare, only later to see them never achieving their full potential. There is a solution to this problem and Step One is to read this book!

Steve Porter

Vice President & CFO

Columbia Cascade Company

Portland, Oregon

A quote from in this book as a company is searching for a project manager reads. We are looking for an anal-retentive, tenacious, asshole and we thought of you.

These traits are often overlooked in the politically correct world we live in where people are too busy looking for consensus builders who never get anything done or at least done on time. Todd Williams points out the pitfalls of far too many projects and provides insightful and practical advice for navigating around and sometimes, unfortunately, through them.

Mike Scotese

Affiliate

CR3 Partners, LLC

Chicago, Illinois

Todd Williams clearly understands that project managers do more than manage projects they must manage communications and facilitate change in the organization. He has packed a lot of observation and experience in to this bookheed his advice!

Karri Eggers

Vice President, Project Management Office (PMO)

Dignity Health Medical Foundation

Rancho Cordova, California

Todd Williams new book, Filling Execution Gaps is a deep dive into how to build a company culture that tilts the odds as far as possible in favor of successful execution of strategy.

This book is an invaluable resource for project managers and executives alike who are working to improve their effectiveness.

Bram Kleppner

CEO, Board Member

Danforth Pewter

Middlebury, Vermont

Todds book does an excellent job of defining the challenge of executive sponsorship of a project who must often perform multiple leadership roles, and this requires development and training to be successful.

Steve Hufford

Chief Executive, Society for Information Management

Enterprise Architect, Portland General Electric

Portland, Oregon

Suggesting the CEO as the executive sponsor for enterprise projects effecting change can be a game-changer for many organizations. This also necessitates CEOs engaged with such initiatives for the duration, which requires a mind-shift about the CEO role.

Demetrios Sapounas

Chief Strategy Officer

Tascet

Sterling, Virginia

Todd Williams provides a unique window into the role that effective leadership plays with projects. His insights on the game changing impact that leadership makes in terms project execution, help differentiate from other project leadership works.

Jim Doyle

Sr. Mgr. Talent & Organizational Development

GNP Company Careers

St. Cloud, Minnesota

In his latest book, Todd has been able to dissect the leadership components of not only projects but all organizations with the skill of a surgeon with a scalpel. Todd has captured the nuances of leadership in projects and organizations at every level, not just the executive level where many seem to see it residing. Excellent insight and delivery!

Dennis Bonciolini

President

Prober.com

Sherwood, Oregon

Todd Williams knows a lot about getting failing projects back on track, His Filling Execution Gaps provides a thorough roadmap for initiating projects well and ensuring their progress toward successful completion. The focus of the book on organizational factors makes it a good reference for leaders at all levels, particularly at the upper levels where actions and decisions have such a significant impactfor better or for worseon project outcomes.