The 4 Disciplines of Execution Book Summary - The 4 Disciplines of Execution Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

The 4 Disciplines of Execution summary

Chris McChesney Sean Covey Jim Huling

Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals

4.4 (273 ratings)
17 mins

Brief summary

The 4 Disciplines Of Execution offers a powerful framework for achieving organizational goals through focused execution and team engagement.
Table of Contents

    The 4 Disciplines of Execution
    Summary of 8 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 8

    Getting people to change is the real challenge of executing strategic goals.

    Change is good, especially from a business standpoint. Why? Well, look at it this way: If you aren’t always improving, you’re creating an opportunity for your competition to swoop in. Preventing that is a big challenge. And here’s why:

    Even though there are an infinite number of possible growth strategies, there are only two ways to execute those strategies: with the stroke of a pen or by changing human behavior.

    Of course, stroke-of-the-pen actions are easy for executives. All they have to do is sign a paper and then someone, somewhere, will take care of the rest.

    But these are normally quick-fix actions. Lasting change, on the other hand, requires people to alter their behavior. That’s where most executives come up short – and not surprisingly. Anyone who’s ever stopped smoking or gone on a diet will concur: change is hard. And these examples only involve changing yourself. Changing others is even harder!

    After all, your staffers might not understand the company goal or have a clear sense of how changing their behavior will help achieve that goal. Alternatively, they might simply not care.

    At first glance, it may seem like there are easy fixes to these problems. You could just hand out detailed descriptions of company goals, be precise about each team member’s responsibilities and fire anyone who doesn’t care. But the heart of the problem is far more complex.

    All of these problems and decisions are called the whirlwind – a term the authors use to describe the daily tasks that take up your time and drain your creative energy. The whirlwind is the biggest foe of change. Imagine you spend an hour persuading someone to make certain changes; meanwhile, they’re busy thinking about the ten urgent things that need to be taken care of ASAP.

    Although it’s difficult, you can achieve major strategic goals despite the whirlwind. Mastering the four disciplines of execution makes it easier. And we’ll explain those to you in the upcoming blinks.

    Want more?
    Read or listen to the key ideas
    from 7,500+ titles

    Key ideas in The 4 Disciplines of Execution

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is The 4 Disciplines of Execution about?

    The 4 Disciplines of Execution (2012) is a manual for CEOs and managers, showing leaders how to execute their strategic goals by getting their staff to behave differently. By introducing the four disciplines of execution, you’ll help motivate your team to achieve broader company goals.

    The 4 Disciplines of Execution Review

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution (2012) reveals a practical approach to achieving your most important goals. Here's why you should read it:

    • It provides a proven framework for executing on your organization's top priorities.
    • The book emphasizes the importance of team engagement to drive results.
    • It offers real-world examples and actionable steps to help you turn ideas into reality.

    Unlock your organization's potential by diving into The 4 Disciplines Of Execution.

    Best quote from The 4 Disciplines of Execution

    The real enemy of execution is your day job!

    —Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
    example alt text

    Who should read The 4 Disciplines of Execution?

    • CEOs, managers and company leaders who want to execute their strategic goals
    • Students of economics and management
    • Anyone who wants to see their organization achieve its goals

    About the Author

    Chris McChesney and Jim Huling are leaders at FranklinCovey, a company that helps individuals and businesses to improve their performance.

    Sean Covey is an author, speaker and publishing executive. His work centers on time management and business leadership.

    Categories with The 4 Disciplines of Execution

    Book summaries like The 4 Disciplines of Execution

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.8 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    34 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    The 4 Disciplines of Execution FAQs 

    What is the main message of The 4 Disciplines Of Execution?

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution teaches how to achieve organizational goals with a focused execution strategy.

    How long does it take to read The 4 Disciplines Of Execution?

    Reading The 4 Disciplines Of Execution typically takes around 7 hours, while the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is The 4 Disciplines Of Execution a good book? Is it worth reading?

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution is a valuable read for those seeking a proven framework for achieving organizational goals.

    Who is the author of The 4 Disciplines Of Execution?

    The authors of The 4 Disciplines Of Execution are Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling.

    How many chapters are in The 4 Disciplines Of Execution?

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling has 13 chapters:

    1. The 4 Disciplines of Execution
    2. Discipline 1: Focus on the Wildly Important
    3. Discipline 2: Act on the Lead Measures
    4. Discipline 3: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
    5. Discipline 4: Create a Cadence of Accountability
    6. Installing the 4 Disciplines
    7. The Whirlwind
    8. The 4 Disciplines and Human Nature
    9. Leading with the 4 Disciplines
    10. The 4 Disciplines and the Law of the Harvest
    11. The 4 Disciplines and the Speed of Trust
    12. The 4 Disciplines and the Ultimate Competitive Advantage
    13. The 4 Disciplines and the Hand You Are Dealt

    How many pages are in The 4 Disciplines Of Execution?

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution has 352 pages.

    When was The 4 Disciplines Of Execution published?

    The 4 Disciplines Of Execution was published in 2012.

    What to read after The 4 Disciplines of Execution?

    If you're wondering what to read next after The 4 Disciplines of Execution, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Think Small by Owain Service and Rory Gallagher
    • Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell
    • 5 Levels of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
    • Leadership by Henry Kissinger
    • Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace
    • Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
    • The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
    • Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim
    • Help Me, I Have No Discipline and Zero Self-Control by Vaughn Carter
    • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick M. Lencioni