By Carol Hymowitz
The Wall Street Journal, March 27 '06
(excerpt)

Other trendy buzzwords have sprouted in reaction to what came before. Executives who a few years ago constantly used the word "strategy" now talk about "execution." "The pendulum has swung from endless talk about strategy, which in many cases was never followed, to getting things done," says Michael Mankins, a managing partner at management consultant Marakon. But he doesn't want to throw out an appreciation for intelligent strategy. "If you have a bad strategy, no amount of good execution will help," he says.