The Real Magic

Generally, I don’t write blogs about specific individuals, but this week I want to share a powerful experience I had with Carmen Evola ((4) Carmen Evola | LinkedIn) that carries a lesson far beyond just him.

I’ve known Carmen for several years and deeply respect him as one of the most disciplined, results-focused executives I’ve had the privilege to work with. This week, I witnessed one of the secrets to his success firsthand.

Carmen and I were in a meeting where a business was presenting its annual operating plan to a board of directors. The presentation, spanning 3.5 hours, was thorough and impressive. The team walked us through products, customers, markets, financials, and more. They were clearly knowledgeable, and their plan for the coming year was solid.

As time ran short, the division president made a choice to skim over a section on their people strategy, saying, “We’ve done great things with employee engagement and competence; everything is on the right track. Let’s move to financial projections, particularly around covenant compliance.”

Most of the room was ready to move on. But Carmen interjected, and what he said was a game-changer:

“Hold on. We’ve spent three hours talking about data and critical analysis, but we’re about to rush past the true magic behind this organization’s performance: its people. Engagement, competence, and loyalty are the drivers of your success. We need to understand what you’ve done to achieve these gains and how you plan to build on them next year. This isn’t something we can afford to skim over—it’s the secret sauce of your business. Please take the time to explain what you’re doing to drive results through your people.”

The room paused. The division president regrouped, took the time to elaborate, and we all left with a renewed understanding of the critical role people play in driving results.

This moment was a masterclass in leadership. Carmen reminded us all of the importance of prioritizing the human element in any organization. Data and strategy are vital, but without a focus on people—engagement, loyalty, and competence—none of it works.

Thank you, Carmen, for your vision and leadership. It’s a lesson that will stay with all of us who were in that room.