Activity, Efforts or Outcomes

A recently released report on successful government leaders [http://www.boozallen.com/publications/what-it-takes-to-change-government] lists several characteristics, one of which is “outcome oriented.” Leaders happen at every level of the organization- formal and informally.  As we diligently work to do the best we can, we also need to ask the question, “So What?”  This is one of the most powerful questions to help us see the impact of our toil.  It can bring us back from the frustration and chaos to focus on what’s important. “Is what I’m doing making a difference?”

Does compiling the number of people who attend a training class matter? Yes, if it is for compliance records.  But why does that record keeping matter? What is important is how the people use the skills and knowledge gained from the training. How do your specific programs and activities contribute to the overall, higher-level societal expectations?

Leaders with a results-oriented focus represents a fundamental shift in the way the public sector does business—a fundamental shift in the nature of think­ing, acting, and managing that moves away from a focus on process and regulations to a focus on out­comes and results. [http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/KlobyIntro.pdf]

We need to understand the ‘why’, the purpose for the activity, and what end result is truly expected. Placing these in context of the mission of the organization, not just the statement-in-the-wall, but connecting with the deep core values of the people in the organization is a true leadership characteristic.

One thought on “Activity, Efforts or Outcomes

  1. What do we do when we’re trying to change to culture of the organization? How do we connect with those core values when that’s what we’re trying to change?

    I work in an agency where we spend a lot of money sending executives to seminars where they learn to change the culture, but it never seems to happen. Any advice?

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