Tom Peters is famous for saying, "Execution is strategy. Strategy is execution." In a turbulent market, those companies that are able to effectively execute on strategy have a far greater chance of success. The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management (2009) noted that successful execution requires:

1. Clear goals that support the overall strategy

2. A means of measuring progress towards these goals on a  regular basis 

3. Clear accountability for that progress..

During a recent customer service workshop, I was reminded again of the outstanding work done by Jan Carlzon on "Moments of Truth" - this great idea that a moment of truth is any "opportunity that a customer gets to create and develop  an impression of your business."