Results Will Always Come First

Drawing inspiration from a family member’s admonishment

My cousin is a client director at a large Tech firm. Apparently, I irked him slightly in a recent blog post on strategy and leadership, when I quoted Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, who happens to be one of his main competitors. Sorry, Dave!

He admitted he loved the blog but suggested an alternative motivational quote for me – something along the lines of, “just win the [bleep] deal…”. He’s a salesman at heart (and of course knew his audience when pulling my leg), but to be fair, he made a great point: ultimately, you are always going to be judged by your results.

The phrase, “it’s a results business…” holds true across many aspects of life. Perhaps a more famous quote than Dave’s – although one I’m sure he would approve of – is from Winston Churchill, who once said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” The point is, you really need both a solid strategy and measurable results if you want to be consistently successful.

Results matter in business for many reasons and serve as tangible indicators of progress and effectiveness. For my company, that means delivering day in, day out for our shareholders, our clients, our partners (our staff), and our communities.

To do that, first and foremost, we need to hit our financial targets. Key markers include revenue growth, expense management, profitability and return on investment. Not only do these data points signify the success of current strategies, they also ensure the necessary resources are available for future innovation and growth. And a business with strong, consistent financial results is also going to be better positioned to weather economic and market cycles – something particularly pertinent to the banking sector recently.

Strategically, results are a reflection of the effectiveness of an organization’s vision and planning. Consistent, positive results validate the alignment of the organization's actions with its strategic goals. On the other hand, poor results may indicate the need for strategic adjustments.

Operationally, results are equally important – especially in an asset servicing and administration business like mine. Analyzing operational performance is key to creating future efficiencies, improving productivity and enhancing resiliency.

Competitively, results can be the key point of difference. Clients are drawn to successful businesses. The number of new clients is a great results indicator, demonstrating whether or not an organization has the right mix of capabilities and services to create client value. And a proven track record of success builds brand reputation and client loyalty – a virtuous circle.

Reporting results also plays a crucial role in employee motivation and engagement. When employees see the impact of their efforts on the success of the business, it fosters a sense of accomplishment and pride. Everyone wants to be on a winning team!? Recognizing and rewarding positive results can further motivate teams to consistently strive for excellence.

How to achieve results consistently

Successful businesses are consistent, and many of the most successful have been consistent over multiple years…decades…even centuries. They don’t stand still. They adapt. They anticipate.

The key is having a results-oriented culture where there’s a continuous drive to excel. For me, some indicators of a results-driven business include:

• Clearly defined goals: Well-defined objectives that align with the organization's mission and vision provide a sense of purpose and direction.
• Transparent communications: This helps set the foundation for accountability. Get it wrong and it will lead to a disconnect between strategy and execution – which is the biggest cause of poor results, in my opinion.
• A sense of ownership: When individuals feel accountable for their work, they are more likely to take the initiative and strive for excellence.
• A positive work environment: Reinforced by a constructive company culture, a positive work environment promotes collaboration and mutual support.
• A culture of innovation: The encouragement of new ideas and an innovative mindset enables an organization to source future progress directly from within.
• Opportunities for skill enhancement: The ongoing development of your employees’ professional skillset directly relates to a company’s ability to keep evolving and moving forward.
• Management leading by example: It’s important for a leadership team to set the tone by example – walking the walk and demonstrating a results-oriented mindset – every single day.

Ultimately, results will always matter most because they demonstrate the real, meaningful outcomes which define our success, guide our decision-making, and drive continuous improvement. But they can only be consistently achieved if everyone is aligned and pulling together in the same direction. As the title of Michael Dell’s book states, “Play Nice But Win.” (Oops, I’ve done it again…sorry, Dave!)