Strategy Execution Will Win the Super Bowl

As I sit here exhibiting the first signs of football "separation anxiety," I'm thinking about the classical debate of what wins football games -- coaching strategy or on-field execution.
 
The obvious answer is both.  Everyone agrees that first you need to develop disciplined executional excellence -- and many teams and businesses do this well.  But the more subtle point is that winners build strategies around their executional capability and do not try to implement strategies that their teams are not equipped to execute.

It's clear to me that both Arizona and Pittsburgh's coaches have done a masterful job of evaluating the talent on their teams, and then building a game plan that makes the most of their players’ strengths.   How often do you hear that a great football player is not successful because he does not fit into the team's "system"?  To me this is wrong minded -- the strategy should be built from the talent on the team.

The same is true in business.  In a recent survey conducted by OnPoint Consulting, 49 percent of executives saw a gap in their strategy and execution, and 69 percent did not believe they would be able to close the gap.  That illustrates a problem with management establishing unrealistic strategies.  Conversely, Robert S. Kaplan from Harvard recently coauthored a book called The Execution Premium, in which he writes about "the importance of integrating strategy and operations."

Of course, the starting point in both football and business is building disciplined executional capability  -- a core part of our heritage at Frito-Lay.  In the early 1990s, our CEO at the time, Roger Enrico -- a great Frito-Lay and PepsiCo leader -- captured the importance of sales execution by rolling out a new internal mantra -- "Take Back the Streets," and win business at the store level though superior customer service with our retail partners.

Today, that spirit is alive and well at Frito-Lay, and to find out how it continues to work, I talked to Cregg Jerri, Frito-Lay Zone Sales Leader in Fresno, Calif.  His team was recognized this year, among more than 100 Frito-Lay sales zones, for executing "perfect service" with the sales/service calls made to retail outlets selling our products. This is particularly important at Frito-Lay, since one of our hallmarks is our direct-store delivery system, in which our sales associates deliver product directly to stores and merchandise it themselves.

"First I want our sales people to have ownership, so we jointly agree on execution objectives," says Cregg, a 25-year Frito-Lay sales veteran.

"Then I have a weekly scorecard to track progress, understand obstacles and help sales people overcome them," he says.  "Most importantly, I go to stores and talk with the store managers.  I want the store manager to know their Frito-Lay sales person -- their name, their family members’ names . . . and, really believe that Frito-Lay provides top-level service among the 10 or so companies that call on their store."

At Frito-Lay -- as with the Super Bowl-caliber teams -- our best strategies have traditionally been the ones that build off of the executional excellence of the team.  In future blogs I'll talk more about such excellence.  In the meantime I need to live in the moment and enjoy Sunday's Super Bowl game, without worrying how I'll spend my weekends without football.   What do you think makes a Super Bowl-caliber team? 

Comments

[Mrs. P.J.]

Hello

I am pregnant, in the first trimester, and relentlessly craving your Tostitos Flour Tortilla Chips. You used to carry the chips in all my local stores and now they are no where to be found. I put in my zipcode & the closest place that sells them is close to an hour away. Can you advise as to whether I can order the chips online? Also, will you please start redistributing the chips to the West Chester, PA & Downingtown, PA stores. Thanks

[Kristin]

Re: Mrs. PJ; I am sorry to let you know that the Tostitos Flour Tortilla chips are being discontinued. There are still some bags in stores today as the phase-out occurs, but due to slow sales, the flavor is no longer being produced. We currently don't have plans to reintroduce the flavor, but please know your comments will be shared with our sales and marketing teams for future consideration. In the meantime, we have many other great snacks you can enjoy -- my personal favorite is Baked Cheetos. Thanks for your feedback!

[D. Burns]

Bring them back! People with CORN ALLERGIES love them! There may not be a high demand yet, but better marketing with a highlight to the population percentage with allergies would give you a higher sales in this product. There are very few varieties for people with corn allergies out there. All potato chips are all usually high in corn oil too, there is nothing out there for the corn allergic. This leaves us only the option of making our own. That so sucks! WE MISS THEM, WE NEED THEM. They dip better in thick salsa too, better than the thin corn chips. My whole family loves them. FABULOUS PRODUCT, please consider bringing them back. Thanks!

[Polly Evas]

My husband and I are big fans of spinich dip and we only buy Tostitos chips, so when we saw the Tostitos spinich dip we were very excited. The only thing is on the bottle it say's to try them with the Flour Tortilla chips. As I read above in the blog you are discontinuing the Flour tortilla chips, so what do you suggest will go as good with the spinich dip?

[Maggie]

The flour tortilla chips were the best chip I have ever tasted. Me and my mom have looked high and low for them. I really wish you would bring them back. Everyone I knew loved them in Georgia! They were a hit! I hope in the near future, they come back! Thanks.

[Sheena]

I miss these chips and wish you would put them back on the market! I've bragged about them and then sadly realized they are no longer being made! Please "trial" them again...

[sheri]

Please bring them back. I really love them with my texas caviar salsa, with regular salsa, with spinich dip, with taco meat and cheese, well I just love them period! I promise to buy at least one bag a week for the rest of my life if you would bring them back. It was the only tortilla chip that my whole family agreed to buy!