In a significant development for the corporate and business management sector, renowned transformation executive Akin Monehin has launched a provocative new book that is rapidly gaining attention among Nigeria's top executives.
The Core Argument: Execution as an Architectural Problem
Akin Monehin's new management book, 'Execution Is a Lie,' directly challenges conventional wisdom about why organisations fail to implement their strategies effectively. Released and circulating among CEOs, COOs, and transformation leads since late November 2025, the book presents a compelling case that poor execution rarely stems from weak strategy or lack of employee effort.
Drawing from his nearly two decades of experience working with major international companies including Shell, NLNG, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways, Monehin identifies consistent patterns of failure. He observed that organisations typically struggle with shifting priorities that lack structural adjustment, inconsistent governance routines, KPIs without clear ownership, and leadership cultures that send conflicting messages between what they aspire to achieve and what they actually do.
Three Critical Levers of Organisational Execution
At the heart of Monehin's analysis is what he describes as the 'execution spine' of any institution. This framework consists of three fundamental organisational levers: systems of work, leadership signals, and what he terms 'skin in the game'—referring to clear accountability frameworks that hold people responsible for outcomes.
According to Monehin, organisations falter not because people are unwilling to work, but because these critical levers are either weak, misaligned, or completely absent. He emphasizes that execution should be treated as a structural discipline that must be deliberately designed, consistently measured, and systematically reinforced throughout the organisation.
Timely Insights for Today's Business Environment
The publication of 'Execution Is a Lie' comes at a crucial moment when many Nigerian and global organisations are undergoing significant restructuring, facing intense cost pressures, and implementing new strategies that demand stronger internal coherence.
Business analysts note that in such challenging environments, organisational performance increasingly depends on execution discipline rather than the brilliance of strategy documents alone. Executives who have engaged with the book report that its appeal lies in its clarity and practical focus on the mechanisms that shape workplace behavior, including decision-making routines, reinforcement of priorities, consequences management, and the rhythm of daily operations.
Monehin's work delivers a powerful reminder to business leaders: institutions often fail not for lack of ambition, but because they lack the architectural foundation required to sustain execution under pressure. As organisations navigate increasing volatility and rising stakeholder expectations, building this execution capability becomes not just advantageous, but essential for survival and growth.
