Latest news with #execution
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why Smart Leaders Fail: The Missing Link Between Trust And Execution
Leadership Under Pressure: The Missing Link Between Trust and Execution Research from the Corporate Executive Board (now part of Gartner) and Harvard Business Review estimates that 50 to 70 percent of new executives fail within their first 18 months, regardless of whether they are hired externally or promoted from within. With good intentions, these leaders double down on execution while neglecting the relational work and organizational acumen that enables lasting change. In doing so, they underestimate the importance of political acumen, stakeholder alignment, employee mindset shift, and relational equity. As a result, they struggle to realize the cultural shifts required for their strategic and operational agendas to succeed. What's missing is not often a better strategy or execution—it's trust. And without it, even the most innovative leaders and well-designed plans fall short. Chris Zook and James Allen, authors of The Founder's Mentality, and leadership expert Patrick Lencioni have emphasized that organizations rarely fail because of the technical aspects of the business, like strategy, innovation, and marketing; they fail because of people-related issues. Zook and Allen found that 85% of executives attribute stunted growth to internal factors rather than external market forces. Lencioni's work in his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, makes a compelling case that trust is the foundation of high-performing teams and the lack of it derails team and organizational performance. At its core, leadership is not only about direction but also about connection. As John Maxwell puts it, 'People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.' Contrary to corporate opinion, caring sells. It accelerates the translation of vision into tangible outcomes. Trust is not built through an impressive slide deck or a bold strategic plan; it is created in everyday interactions and shared experiences. Investing in these experiences is vital for leaders whose abilities are still being evaluated and whose trust-based relationships have yet to be formed. Chip and Dan Heath, authors of The Power of Moments, said shared experiences create connection, deepen trust, and build relational memory. These moments are not limited to off-sites or milestone celebrations; they occur when teams navigate challenges, reflect after wins and losses, brainstorm under pressure, or listen to each other. Shared experiences don't need to be grand, but they must be authentic. Feelings are rarely discussed in organizations because their impact on performance is difficult to quantify. However, shared experiences are shaped by how people feel after interacting with you. Maya Angelou wisely said, 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' The emotions that leaders evoke in their teams influence engagement, trust, and execution. If that's true, the question becomes: Are you filling your team's emotional tank with confidence, clarity, and respect or draining it with fear, defensiveness, and detachment? To win over your team, you must connect with their heads and hearts to move their hands to action. Otherwise, they will drag their feet and ultimately head towards the door. In my experience, a clear pattern emerges across industries and leadership teams: when shared experiences are missing, people disengage. They may appear aligned, nodding in meetings and following direction, but they withhold honest feedback, compete with each other, avoid challenging assumptions, and are reluctant to take ownership. What begins as quiet compliance often evolves into costly silence. Even innovative leaders would make poor decisions when they lack input from those closest to the work. It's no surprise that 70 percent of organizational change efforts fail. I once coached a leader who had just been appointed to a senior role. He was driven, visionary, and eager to make an impact. However, frustration set in quickly. He sensed passive resistance from team members and, instead of engaging, dismissed their feedback and sidelined their input. The real problem? He believed he got the job because he was the most competent, so he skipped the relational groundwork that could have provided insight, revealed context, and built trust. As a result, the organization stalled. This is the missing link between trust and execution: shared experiences. It turns direction into alignment, compliance into commitment, and talent into a unified team. Without shared experiences, even the most compelling strategies fail because people don't just follow your credentials; they follow who they trust. How do you regain confidence when trust is low, silence sets in, and momentum stalls? In my work coaching and helping executives and leadership teams through high-stakes transitions, results are a lagging indicator, and when leaders fixate on this, they struggle. Instead, focusing on a shared purpose and cultivating relationships helps restore alignment and drive results. To help leaders transition from disconnection to energized, I developed The Trust-Shared Experience Matrix. It's a practical framework grounded in two critical dimensions: trust and shared experience. When represented on a 2x2 matrix, relationships typically fall into one of four zones: Trust-Shared Experience Matrix The goal isn't to just diagnose where a relationship stands, but to help leaders identify the relational barriers that block execution and offer paths to move each relationship forward. Below are tips to help you get started: At every transition, a shared purpose acts as a catalyst for progress. Without it, people lose direction, but with it, they progress. Take a moment to reflect on the vital relationships in your leadership circle: peers, direct reports, cross-functional partners, and customers. Ask the following: Next, categorize each name into one of the four zones of the Trust-Shared Experience 2x2 matrix. Now ask: Camaraderie brings people together. When you navigate tough times, share laughter, or spend late nights working with someone, your trust in them deepens. Caroline Santiago, a global executive leadership advisor and Navy SEALs coach, emphasized that camaraderie is one of the most underutilized superpowers in high-performing teams. It is the driving force behind success, moving people from co-workers to co-owners. It fosters a sense of 'we are in this together,' not 'I am on my own.' It produces the emotional glue that binds teams together through uncertainty, conflict, and rapid change. The true power of shared experiences lies in the results and connections built among people. Strategy doesn't fail in isolation; it fails due to a lack of trust, common purpose, and co-ownership. When leaders invest in shared experiences, they restore alignment and ignite commitment, creativity, and execution at scale. That's the missing link between trust and execution, and it's what separates smart leaders who fail from those who thrive.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Redefining the Trade Stack: How Bloomberg Broadway Powers the Future of Execution
The sell-side trading landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by emerging technologies, complex regulatory demands, and evolving buy-side behavior. In this webinar, we explore how cutting-edge technologies and data-driven decision-making are transforming deal-making and operational efficiency. Join us to discover how Bloomberg Broadway empowers sell-side desks with low latency, fast execution across asset classes — built on an API-first, open architecture that seamlessly integrates with proprietary and third party systems. With high-performance infrastructure, embedded analytics, and flexible deployment options, Bloomberg Broadway helps firms scale globally, adapt quickly, and trade smarter in today's fast-moving markets. The session will conclude with a live Q&A. Themes: Navigating modern challenges in Sell-side trading execution Optimizing trading execution for speed and accuracy
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
South Carolina inmate chooses to die by lethal injection amid concerns about firing squad
South Carolina death row inmate Stephen Stanko on Friday chose to die by lethal injection after his lawyers said he was troubled by what appeared to be a lingering death of the last person in the state who was killed by a firing squad. Stanko, who set to die June 13, had a choice among firing squad, lethal injection or the electric chair. His lawyers said in previous court filings he didn't want to suffer what he thought was cooking from thousands of volts of electricity. Firing squad questions They said he was leaning toward the firing squad before questions surfaced about whether Mikal Mahdi suffered agonizing pain for about 45 seconds — three times longer than expected — at his April 11 execution after the firing squad nearly missed his heart. In reviewing autopsy reports, attorneys told him the state's lethal injection protocols appear to send a rush of fluid into the lungs that feels like drowning when a lethal dose of pentobarbital is put into the inmate's veins. Stanko's lawyers had asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to delay his execution so they could get more information about the firing squad or further investigate any potential problems, but the justices refused their request Wednesday. South Carolina's multiple executions Stanko, 57, has been sentenced to death twice in the state for two separate murders — the killing of a friend and the killing of his girlfriend as he raped her daughter. South Carolina restarted executions in September after obtaining pentobarbital used in lethal injections thanks to a new secrecy law. The state didn't execute a prisoner from 2011 to 2024 after its supply of lethal injection drugs expired and pharmacies refused to sell them more unless their identities could be kept secret. The crimes Stanko is being executed for killing his 74-year-old friend Henry Turner. Stanko went to Turner's home in April 2006 after lying about his father dying, and shot Turner twice while using a pillow as a silencer, authorities said. Stanko stole Turner's truck, cleaned out his bank account and spent the next few days in Augusta, Georgia, where he told people in town for the Masters golf tournament that he owned several Hooters restaurants. He stayed with a woman who took him to church. She called police once after seeing his photo and learning that he was wanted, police said. Hours before killing Turner, Stanko beat and strangled his girlfriend in her home and raped her daughter before slashing the teen's throat. The daughter survived and testified against him at one of his trials. How the lethal injection will happen During Stanko's execution, he will be strapped to a gurney with his arm outstretched. Medical workers will place an IV in his arm before the curtain is opened to the witness room. His lawyer can read a final statement and then the execution will start with no announcement. It has typically taken about 20 minutes before a doctor comes in, checks the inmate and declares him dead. Autopsies done on two of the three previous inmates killed by lethal injection in South Carolina in the past year have shown their lungs filled with massive amounts of fluid. Experts said that is what usually happens when someone is given a massive dose of pentobarbital. Medical experts hired by the state said the drug knocks the inmate unconscious before they ever feel any other sensation or pain. Witnesses to the executions said inmates don't have any signs of consciousness after about 30 seconds. Other experts hired by lawyers for the inmates said prisoners may still be able to feel and that the rush of fluid is like drowning. One of the three inmates killed by lethal injection last year did not choose to have an autopsy for religious reasons. Two doses of the drug In the three most recent lethal injection deaths, prison officials have given two large doses of the sedative pentobarbital about 10 minutes apart. Most other states and the federal government give just one dose of the drug but have a second on hand if needed. Prison officials have not said why they are giving two doses or whether that is part of their normal procedures, citing a 2023 law that keeps secret the providers of lethal injection drugs, the identities of members of execution teams and the procedures used.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Human-Centered Leadership: The Ultimate Execution Advantage
Jon Michail, Founder & Group CEO of Image Group International, best-selling author of Life Branding and Brand & ME! Despite our evolution into an age dominated by AI, automation and digital transformation, one truth remains unchanged: Leadership is still an active human endeavor. The true mark of change rests in human-centered process alignment, engagement and empowerment, something no algorithm can replace. In my experience, execution is where most organizations fall short. The lack of synchrony between an organization's results and its strategies is far more than an operational problem; it is a complex issue that stems from leadership. Technology indeed streamlines efficiency, but leadership ensures execution takes place. According to multiple sources over time, anywhere between 60% and 90% of companies fail to execute their strategies successfully. This is often not a result of resource, vision or technological capabilities. Rather, it's often due to: • Unclear Priorities: Focus becomes diluted when teams lack a clear directive; scattered efforts contribute to zero progress. • Poor Real-Time Decisions: Deciding reactively is a direct result of lacking proactive insights. • Inconsistencies: Resources are wasted when efforts don't align with expectations and disregard guidelines. • Irregular Accountability: No incentive to move the needle exists without any responsibility over the outcome. These problems stem from a singular source: leadership. Achieving proper execution does not mean getting more tools or optimizing your processes; it means giving direction to teams in a way that motivates them to take action and achieve results. Leadership's true test comes when the time for execution arises. High-performing organizations have crafted great strategies but have also employed leaders who implement them into action. The following core principles will assist you in closing the gap between strategy and execution. Leadership isn't control; it's what you choose to focus on. Leaders must cut out all the noise that might shift teams away from critical priorities. Execution becomes easier when there is no complexity. Actionable Steps: • Identify the priorities that are essential for the growth of your organization. • Ensure that these priorities are communicated at every level of the organization. • Simplify processes so that the execution is seamless. When your employees comprehend what needs to be tackled, this clarity allows effortless contribution. A frequent obstacle is neglecting who's working on execution. Systems increase efficiency, but motivation, collaboration and accountability are the cornerstones of execution. Actionable Steps: • Knock down silos between teams to promote cross-functional collaboration. • Create moments where everyone is accountable, like daily stand-ups or weekly check-ins. • Show employees the impact of their work on high-level goals in order to ensure continued engagement. Execution flourishes in agile teams that move as one, not in bureaucratic hierarchies. Execution is not an event but rather an ongoing process that requires proactive tracking and real-time alterations. Even still, it is commonplace for many organizations to utilize what I call "vanity metrics," measuring things that have no impact on positive progression. Actionable Steps: • Prioritize leading indicators over trailing indicators (outcomes). • Create a performance dashboard that captures keystones of execution. • Foster an environment in which teams can pivot quickly instead of waiting until the next quarterly meeting for a review. By measuring and tracking performance metrics, you can create real accountability. When employees consider themselves mere cogs in a machine, execution stalls. For action to be continuous, people must be able to establish psychological ownership of their work. Actionable Steps: • Stop micromanaging teams to death—a little autonomy helps. • Let employees connect to the cause by linking their work to the company vision. • Value and appreciate exemplary execution. What we celebrate, we eventually repeat. Empowered employees begin taking ownership and becoming accountable for their actions instead of waiting for direction. That is when execution picks up speed. Organizations will increasingly run more smoothly with the advances in technology that automate, optimize and digitize different sectors. However, execution is not an endeavor for machines but for people. No amount of complex machinery can substitute the leadership of a person who: • Gives orders and delegates different tasks with the hope of achieving a desired outcome, instead of only instructing people to complete a job. • Implements a system of firm control to make sure that people do their work correctly, not just for the sake of making sure work is done. • Does not micromanage but instead supervises the processes and trusts people to perform their work at the appropriate level. When a team or company operates with discipline and delivers results consistently, it can prioritize what truly inspires its people: purpose, growth and ethical values. Leaders can then visibly demonstrate the organization's mission through decisions and behaviors that align with its stated principles. With the boom of AI and other automation dominating the working industries, the ability to lead effectively will become increasingly important. For successful leaders, knowing is a differentiating factor; however, doing is the primary one. What will your next action be? How do you plan to lead with precision, focus your people, quantify impact and foster a culture of responsibility? Regardless of how sophisticated technology gets, implementation will always be a human capability—for now, at least. We all have the opportunity to take charge and make things happen. Smart leadership involves putting plans into action. Are you ready to be the one who bridges the implementation gap? Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
South Carolina Supreme Court rejects inmate's request for more firing squad details
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a request for more information on the firing squad from an inmate set to die next month over concerns about whether a man executed by the method last month suffered a lingering death. The justices unanimously ruled that attorneys for Stephen Stanko did not prove the previous execution was botched even though lawyers argued the firing squad nearly missed the inmate's heart and prolonged his death. They also said all three bulleted fired may not have hit the prisoner's body. Stanko, 57, is scheduled to die June 13. He has been sentenced to death twice in the state for two separate murders — one a friend and one his girlfriend as he raped her daughter. Stanko has until Friday to decide if he wants to die by firing squad, lethal injection or the electric chair. Potential firing squad problems Stanko's execution is the first scheduled in South Carolina since Mikal Mahdi was put to death by firing squad on April 11. Mahdi's lawyers released autopsy results that show the shots that killed him barely hit his heart and suggested he was in agonizing pain for three or four times longer than experts say he would have been if his heart had been hit directly. Stanko's lawyers asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to require prison officials to release more information about the firing squad and lethal injection, saying he was leaning toward the firing squad until the possible problems with Mahdi's execution surfaced. Mahdi was the second inmate to die in South Carolina by firing squad. Autopsy issues The only photo of Mahdi taken at his autopsy shows two apparent chest wounds. Officials said all three bullets fired by the three volunteer prison employees hit Mahdi, with two going through the same hole. During the state's first firing squad death, the autopsy found that Brad Sigmon's heart had been destroyed. Just one of the four chambers of Mahdi's heart was perforated, which likely meant he didn't die in the 15 seconds experts predicted he would have if the squad's aim was true, according to his lawyers. Witnesses said Mahdi, who had a hood over his head, groaned 45 seconds after he was shot. Lawyers for Stanko said Mahdi's autopsy lacked X-rays, an examination of his clothing or other testing typically done to allow the results — like where a bullet tracked — to be independently verified. South Carolina Supreme Court responds But the state Supreme Court rejected the request for any reports the prison agency produces to review executions, the description of the training the firing squad conducts and the steps taken when an X-ray is done before the shooting to locate the heart. The justices also refused to require prison officials to say if the same members of the firing squad and target placement team used for Mahdi would work on Stanko's execution. 'Appellant has made no showing that Mahdi's execution was 'botched' or that protocols were not followed such that Appellant needs further information to make an informed election of the method of his execution,' the justices wrote. The crimes Stanko is being executed for killing his 74-year-old friend Henry Turner. Stanko went to Turner's home in April 2006 after lying about his father dying and then shot Turner twice while using a pillow as a silencer, authorities said. Stanko stole Turner's truck, cleaned out his bank account and then spent the next few days in Augusta, Georgia, where he told people in town for the Masters golf tournament that he owned several Hooters restaurants. He stayed with a woman who took him to church. She then called police once she saw his photo and that he was wanted, police said. Hours before killing Turner, Stanko beat and strangled his girlfriend in her home and raped her daughter before slashing the teen's throat. The daughter survived and testified against him at one of his trials. 'Stephen Stanko is just plain evil. He has in his core down deep inside something that makes him evil. He's a bad man, he knows it, and he likes it. He doesn't turn away from it. He will hide it. He's very, very, very good at hiding it, but you cannot equate evil with insanity,' then-prosecutor Greg Hembree said in his closing statement at one of Stanko's trials. Hembree later became a state senator and was the chief sponsor of the 2021 law allowing South Carolina to use a firing squad.
