"Realism is the ally of execution."  Since denial comes easy to people and organizations, successful enterprises know they must understand reality in order to effectively operate.

Executing is about more than just starting a project -- it's also about finishing a project.  It's tempting to get sidetracked, distracted, or bored.  People who execute follow through until an issue is "done or irrelevant."

By recognizing achievers, you are actually recognizing execution.  Those who are achieving goals and making progress are the ones executing the game plan.

I love this quote from Kawasaki: "Good people accept accountability.  Great people ask for it."  When a person knows that progress is being measured -- and that they will be held accountable for their actions -- their motivation to succeed increases.

Goals only work if you measure progress.  As Kawasaki reminds us, "What gets measured gets done."  If you're not measuring progress, there's a good chance you haven't set any real goals.