A new management book by transformation executive Akin Monehin is drawing attention to the largely unseen factors behind execution failures in many organisations.
In Execution Is a Lie, Monehin argues that poor execution is rarely the result of weak strategy. Instead, he attributes it to deeper institutional issues such as inconsistent systems of work, mixed leadership signals and unclear accountability frameworks that collapse under pressure.
The book, now circulating among CEOs, COOs and transformation leads, challenges the assumption that execution problems stem from lack of effort or motivation. Its central message is that execution is a structural discipline—one that must be deliberately designed, measured and reinforced.
“Many leadership teams believe they have an execution problem,” Monehin told journalists. “What they actually have is an architectural problem. Strategy collapses because the underlying mechanisms cannot carry the weight of delivery.”
Drawing on nearly two decades working across Shell, NLNG, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, Monehin highlights recurring patterns: shifting priorities without structural adjustment, inconsistent governance routines, KPIs without ownership and leadership cultures that deliver conflicting messages between aspiration and action.
At the heart of the book is an exploration of three organisational levers—systems, signals and “skin in the game”—which he describes as the execution spine of any institution.
According to Monehin, organisations falter not because people are unwilling to work, but because these levers are weak or misaligned.
Executives engaging with the book say its appeal lies in its clarity and focus on mechanisms that shape behaviour, including decision-making routines, reinforcement of priorities, consequences management and the rhythm of daily work.
Analysts note that the book comes at a time when many organisations are undergoing restructuring, confronting cost pressures and implementing new strategies that require stronger internal coherence. In such environments, they say, performance increasingly depends on execution discipline rather than the brilliance of strategy documents.
Monehin’s work argues that execution should not be treated as a final step after strategy formulation but as an independent capability that determines whether plans translate into results.
As organisations navigate volatility and rising stakeholder expectations, the book delivers a stark reminder: institutions often fail not for lack of ambition, but because they lack the architecture required to sustain execution.
