Stick with It: Mastering the Art of Adherence
by Lee J. Colan and Julie Davis-Colan
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all strategy, especially in today’s highly complex and competitive world of business. But there is such a thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to business success … it’s called the Art of Adherence.
This is an enhanced and expanded follow-up to Lee’s bestselling book.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all strategy, especially in today’s highly complex and competitive world of business. But there is such a thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to business success … it’s called the Art of Adherence.
A good strategy gets you in the game, but adhering to your strategy gets you into the winner’s circle. With today’s microwave mentality, business leaders often abandon strategies quickly because they don’t yield immediate results.
Learn how world-class leaders and organizations master the Art of Adherence. Stick with It reveals a time-tested, real-world validated formula for winning:
When you consistently sharpen Focus, build Competence and ignite Passion, you plant the seeds of victory. Initially, you may not see tangible results, but rest assured growth is occurring under the surface. As individuals and teams stick with it, momentum builds, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of victory.
The authors draw upon 25 years of corporate leadership, field research, executive consulting, and training with many of the world’s leading organizations. They share winning insights from JPMorgan, The Container Store, Fossil, KidKraft, National Motor Club, Sears, Southwest Airlines, The Hartford, UCLA Health Center and more!
Stick with It combines real-world stories that cut-through-the-clutter so you can convert this rapid-read book into fast results. It also contains 12 FREE tools and templates to download and use immediately.
Read Stick with It today and WIN tomorrow!
SAMPLE PAGES
VIDEO
ENDORSEMENTS
“We have successfully applied Colan’s powerful tools for 12 years to help drive our business growth and organizational engagement. Stick with It delivers another clear model and supporting tools presented in Colan’s practical and actionable style. We have integrated his thinking into our business which has been an important factor in our ability to adapt and thrive in the market.”
Barry E. Davis, President & CEO
Crosstex Energy Services
“Stick With It simplifies the complex topic of business execution. We have applied these concepts to create winning business results and a winning culture.”
Paul Spiegelman, CEO
The Beryl Companies
“The Art of Adherence is to Strategy what The Theory of Relativity is to Physics. It’s just as compelling but much simpler. Why settle for anything less than eloquent execution and stratospheric success? You don’t have to with Stick with It as your guide book.”
Ronald G Rossetti, Esq., Associate Vice President, Trial Division
Nationwide Insurance
“We have applied the concepts from Stick With It and we have won! Colan’s practical approach makes the hard work of execution very logical, and this book lays it all out clearly and simply.”
Andrew Levi, CEO
Aztec Systems
“Colan is a truly elite corporate coach. Stick with It delivers invaluable insights into adherence – a common factor for winning leaders. As a result, this book will quickly become a common factor for winning organizations.”
Mark Blinn, CEO
Flowserve
“This book is the secret sauce to being successful with ANY strategy. Stick With It is a practical guide for avoiding the very reason that most strategies fail – lack of adherence. The authors bring in real-world and understandable examples that will make you and your organization soar to new heights.”
David T. Feinberg, MD, MBA
President and CEO, UCLA Health System
“The Stick with It model works in any company because Colan’s strategies are grounded in real organizations and in the reality of human nature – not the theoretical. His passion for ‘keeping it simple’ gives leaders confidence they can successfully create positive change.”
Joe Bosch
Chief Human Resources Officer
DIRECT TV
“Stick With It delivers a simple way to tackle a complex problem – execution. This book contains practical tools and insights that help you win on and off the field – in business and in life.”
Roger Staubach, Executive Chairman – Americas
Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.
“Colan’s cut-through-the-clutter approach to strategy enabled us to spend more time on important questions about our business. The Art of Adherence does the same thing when it’s time to put the strategy to work and execute. Stick with It brings it all together in a quick-read and easy to apply format.”
Mike Barnes, Group CEO
Signet Jewelers
“Short, sweet, and to the point. Stick with It boils business down the basics of execution and puts the responsibility in the reader’s hands to make change happen. I look forward to buying copies for my team and the leaders of the companies we invest in. It will be a value to them all.”
Jeff Jensen, Chairman
National Motor Club
“The Adherence Equation (Focus x Competence x Passion) is a powerful formula for driving growth and winning in today’s market. Stick with It balances research with real-world examples to deliver field-tested tools. You can read it on Friday and apply it on Monday.”
John Walker, COO
KidKraft
“Lee Colan is not only a successful businessman, leader and great verbal communicator – he writes a great book! His simple, clean and carefully worded prose makes reading this book a joy. Real world examples provide positive reinforcement for each point made. Simplicity – focus – prioritization – visibility – meeting effectiveness – accountability – Lee handles all of these important issues with wit and clarity. I heartily recommend Stick with It to leaders and their teams.”
Bryon Potter, Vice Chairman & CEO
DW Distribution
“Persistence and perseverance – to me, two of the most important attributes of a great leader. Lee and Julie provide a wonderful field guide for those committed to developing great strategies and ideas, but most importantly, executing them with excellence.”
Melissa Reiff, President
The Container Store
“Stick with It brings a new level of clarity and simplicity to the age old challenge of how to achieve outstanding results. Lee’s ability to cut through the clutter and give you just the right formula is priceless.”
Cheryl Johnson,
Director, Field Human Resources & Organization Development
ULTA Beauty
“Colan illuminates the adherence gap between strategy and action. He simplifies what many of us all too easily over-complicate: that a good strategy can take us to “next” as long as we dedicate ourselves to the belief in and diligent execution of the plan. Stick with It provides simple, useful concepts and exercises to help leaders with the ‘why’ and what, but as importantly, the ‘how’ of winning.”
Pritchard
President, Global Retail
FOSSIL
“The Adherence Equation presented in this book is perhaps one of the single-most important leadership formulas ever produced. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind based on personal observations that the ‘stick with it’ principle separates the great leaders from the good ones. The authors articulate this principle masterfully in this book and break the components – focus, competence and passion – into understandable and applicable actions. I not only read the original 2003 edition in one day, I took my entire Leadership Team through it. I plan on doing the same with this book!”
Larry Taylor, Ph.D.
Head of School
Prestonwood Christian Academy
“Colan has done it again. He breaks down a complex problem into specific and simple ingredients that together, create an actionable recipe for winning.”
Whitney Shelley
Vice President and Chief HR Officer
Denbury Resources
“The authors hit the bull’s eye! In our company, one of the single biggest challenges is finding leaders who will execute a plan. I strongly recommend Stick with It to any leader who wants to build a successful team.”
Jerry Crawford
President
Jani-King International, Inc.
“Some books impact your business. Other books change your life. This book does both.”
Richard A. Lavinski, CPA
Managing Partner
The SolomonEdwardsGroup
“Stick with It clearly outlines the art and the science of consistent execution. It’s rare simplicity and clarity for a business book make it quick to read and easy to apply. The authors build a bridge between knowledge and action that creates a powerful competitive advantage.”
Darron Ash
Chief Financial Officer
Sammons Enterprises, Inc
“Speed is today’s critical advantage, so read Stick With It now. Its timely and timeless concepts will put you on the fast track to success!”
Vince Poscente, Author
New York Times Bestseller, The Age of Speed
“Stick With It is a great book for any company, large or small, or any individual striving for success. It contains a terrific roadmap on how to win! The timing of this book could not be better because there are so many companies trying to dig out of the recession. I invite everyone to use this book to chart their goals and objectives whether personal or business.”
Larry Foster, Chairman
Foster Financial Group
“Great book! It includes tips and tools to help you and your team persevere. We need to ‘Stick With It’ whether hard, complex, or monotonous.”
Lora J. Villarreal, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer
Xerox Business Services, LLC
“Stick With It is a must read because it teaches the proven formula backed up with actionable strategies to gain a competitive advantage and win in today’s challenging business environment.”
Billy Cox
Author, Performance Coach and Business Leader
“Strategy is the fuel to survive and flawless execution is how you thrive. Fill your tank with this superb book and reenergize your leadership journey.”
Robert J. Bunker
Chairman & CEO
Medical Staffing Network LLC
“Lee and Julie get it right. Consistent with Lee’s past works, they deliver simple, practical, take away tools to the reader. Both experienced leaders and people who are new to leadership will understand how to select and execute around what is most important. Lastly, the authors give you ways to measure your progress along the way.”
Henry J. Evans
Founder and Managing Partner, Dynamic Results, LLC &
Author of Winning With Accountability, the Secret Language of High Performing Organizations
“At a time when clutter, fast-changing priorities and obsessive doubting seem to be the norm, Stick with It provides the most practical blueprint for achieving business and personal success that I have ever seen. This is a ‘must read’ book for every business leader.”
Chuck Corbin
VP, Strategy & Business Development
BancTec, Inc.
“Most business books leave you hanging somewhere between ‘too theoretical’ and ‘too simplistic’ and nothing ever gets applied. Stick with It is all about application, application, application – striking the right balance of explaining the why’s and giving clear steps on how. You will not be left hanging.”
John C. Bentley
Executive Vice President
Retirement Advisors of America
“Stick with It is unusually clear and straightforward for books on this topic. The authors outline a simple, actionable blueprint for building a successful and profitable organization.”
Dudley Hafner
Former CEO
American Heart Association, Inc.
“I have spent my career in the field of adherence to fitness routines. The Adherence Equation these authors have field tested applies to business and personal success. It’s simplicity is what distinguishes it from being just another model to serving as a powerful tool for getting results.”
Charles L. Sterling Ed.D.
Chairman Emeritus, Fitnessgram
The Cooper Institute
“I have spent my career in the field of adherence to fitness routines. The Adherence Equation these authors have field tested applies to business and personal success. It’s simplicity is what distinguishes it from being just another model to serving as a powerful tool for getting results.”
Charles L. Sterling Ed.D.
Chairman Emeritus, Fitnessgram
The Cooper Institute
“Colan has done an extraordinary job of simplifying the complex into chewable, doable pieces. The ‘art’ of Adherence includes doses of ‘science’ about what drives team success. If you are looking for the path to excellence … this is your compass.”
Lisa Lapiska
Vice President, Training and Communications
FOSSIL
“A fresh management approach to getting better results. The techniques are so simple, but seldom followed by the business world. This is a practical, informative and highly readable guide for winning leaders.”
Gary Siegel
Chief Human Resources Officer
ZTE USA
“Perseverance is a real commitment to overcoming all obstacles – a true virtue. The Colan’s teach us THE secret of winning – the what and how of sticking with it.”
Denis G. Simon
Senior Executive Vice President
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
“Stick with It gives us what we really need – a blueprint for successful execution. It contains important insights into the application of simple, time-honored principles that yield results. It helps us bridge the knowing-doing gap.”
Scott Topping
EVP, CFO and Treasurer
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
“Lee has always been a master of weeding out complex, impractical formulas and theories to arrive at fundamental, effective solutions to business and life. Stick with It sets a new standard of clarity and simplicity for any organization, big or small, wanting to turn their ideas into reality.”
Carl Lapiska
Founder
Argilos, LLC
“Lee excels at packing an enormous amount of wisdom and practical application into concise, quick reading. Lee’s material could not be easier to share, train and reinforce with your associates. Teaming up with his wife Julie on this book brings a true complementary and fully comprehensive perspective to the Art of Adherence.”
Cindy Lewis
President/CEO
AirBorn, Inc.
“With backgrounds in both engineering and team-building, I doubly appreciate the value of: (1) working within a proven system and (2) sticking to a challenge in order to conquer it. Stick With It empowers you to do both by providing a step-by-step pattern to follow. No fluff here. If you lead an organization, or team, of any kind, this book’s for you!”
Russ McNeil
Founder, Aha! University &
author, Prospecting Rules! & Lessons from the Ark
“If you are looking for the keys to making your strategy come to life, you have found it in Stick with It. The authors present an easy to follow blueprint for executing any strategy. They address the critical components mastering the art of adherence – from Focus to Competence to Passion. A must read for anyone responsible for delivering results!”
Matt Krzysiak
CEO
National Motor Club
“Stick with It provides a simple yet elegant blueprint for success for any organization. Despite the fact that we live in a rapidly changing, interconnected, and always-on world, the keys to success in life and in business remain the same: namely that clarity of purpose, a solid game plan, and most importantly, consistent daily execution always produces superior results … Stick with It should be required reading for every leader…. I know it will be for ours.”
Dave Borden
CEO
Pharmaceuticals Strategies Group
“The beauty of Stick with It is that it embodies the very principles it sets out to teach – focus and simple. Lee and Julie present strategies that will transform managers into leaders. It charts a clear course for personal accountability and challenges every individual to take the leap from where they currently are to what they can become!”
Sharon Goldstein
Campus Operating Officer
Berkeley College Online
“For change to matter, it must endure. Lee and Julie lay out thought-provoking and relevant tools to make change, but also to create and sustain impact that really sticks.”
Dean Carter
Chief HR Officer
Sears Holdings
“Stick with It speaks volumes to me about leadership courage in today’s environment of multi-cultural and multi-generational organizations. Courageous leaders know that execution of a well-defined plan is critical to success, and this book explains why having the skills to execute and the courage to remain committed to the plan is key. I especially like the admonition to leaders that if the plan is created with the purpose, competence and capacity of the organization in mind, the organization should be prepared to Stick with It and succeed. Anticipation, innovation and determination are necessary for success and this book explains why these are important and how leaders can cultivate adherence tendencies within the teams they lead.”
Henry A. (Hal) Thomas, P.E.,
Patent Attorney
Advisory Engineering & Analytics, LLC.
“Stick with Itis a treasure chest of practical advice. A plan can be brilliant, but if you don’t have the confidence in it to execute it with precision and consistency you cannot succeed. Tenacity is critical to personal success in any area of life. This book is a powerful reminder of that basic truth.”
David L. Boren
President
University of Oklahoma
“You once again bring simplicity to a complex process. By defining Adherence as a formula with Focus, Competence and Passion, you provide a clear roadmap for the ‘how to’ of strategy.”
Jana Baker
Director of Training
Nueterra
“Adherence! The key component we all strive to master within our organizations and personal growth. Lee and Julie provide a road map to a strategic system with proven effectiveness that can be implemented by ALL leaders in ANY company to reach their potential!”
Terri Lynn Schmidt
Elite Level V Executive Consultant
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists
“Serving on Boards and being a student of the ‘pillars of wisdom’ for the last twenty years has allowed me to see, hear, and read the work of great thought leaders – Lee and Julie Davis-Colan are among the elite. The Colans’ discipline of simplicity with depth is compelling. Stick with It is beautifully framed and sequenced. It presents a system of thinking and acting that, if followed, can be the basis your personal and professional success.”
Jerry McNabb
McNabb Advisory
Advisor to Affluent Families and their Businesses
“The authors of Stick with It artfully make the point that adhering to your organizational plan is the key success determinant. This is another outstanding, actionable book by Colan for those of us seeking to optimize our organization’s effectiveness and success.”
Stephen L. Mansfield, Ph.D., FACHE
President and CEO
Methodist Health System
“As usual, the Colans are wise and practical about something we seem to be losing – our ability to stay the course. It is a message that really resonates in today’s short-term, rapidly changing, disposable world. Their concept of adherence is central to executing strategy, building resilient company cultures and productive relationships.”
Robert E. Hall
former CEO and author of best-sellers,
This Land of Strangers: The relationship Crisis that Imperials Home, Work, Politics and Faith
and The Streetcorner Strategy for Winning Local Markets
“Stick with It captures in an exceptional way the challenges faced by leaders in maintaining a sharp focus on the execution of strategy, especially when facing the immense tactical pressures of day-to-day business.”
Raanan Horowitz
CEO
Elbit Systems of America
“Colan’s books have reliably, over the years, given busy leaders the essence of what they need to achieve results. He understands that time is a precious commodity and has given leaders another quick read on how to consistently execute their plans with easy-to-apply principles.”
Roxanne S. Davies, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for
Mission and Institutional Effectiveness
Barry University
“Some books impact your business. Other books change your life. This book does both.”
Richard A. Lavinski, CPA
Managing Partner
The SolomonEdwardsGroup
