The old question of “what’s the meaning of life?” never seems to get the same answer, no matter who you speak to. Likewise, the definition of success seems to be an ever-moving target. In a fast-paced world, challenging economic environment, and technological era that can’t keep pace with
itself, the definition of success varies for virtually every individual you speak to.
When it comes to workplace matters, defining success – like anything worth doing – truly takes intention, direction and a healthy dose of realism. There isn’t an individual employee out there that doesn’t differ in their opinions about the success they individually achieve as they work for you, or what success means for your organization.
Intention is something that most organizations lack. We’ve talked before about “assumicide” where the business neglect to exercise intention in their goals, culture, leadership and the day-to-day, preferring to believe that everyone knows where they’re headed. It isn’t true, people don’t know,
and if you’re not paying attention to what they value and what they deem a success, you won’t achieve success.
Three simple words are all you need to truly embrace success in your organization:
Purpose + Clarity + Results = Success
Sounds simple, and it is if there’s effort behind it, but so often this most valuable of business results is left to chance through complete lack of intention.
Please humor us and try this little exercise with us, answer the following with a simple yes or no:
- Do your employees know the purpose of the work they do?
- Do your employees have a clear understanding of the goals of the business?
- Would each employee give the same answer about purpose and goals?
- Do your employees understand what the word success means in your organization?
- Do you understand what each employee in your organization needs to feel they have achieved success?
How did you do? Let’s flip the coin. How do you define success in your organization?
- Money
- Power
- Innovation
- Changing the World
- Meaningful work
- Headcount
- Top Line Revenue
- Profit
- Altruism
- Client Satisfaction
- Personal fulfillment
- Recognition
- Market share
- Balance
- Freedom
- Challenge
- Solutions
- Happiness
- Growth
- Leadership
- Fun
- Teamwork
- Collaboration
- Belief
- Common Purpose
- All the above?
26 of them, and we’ll bet you can think of 1,000 more because it doesn’t stop there, does it? For all of your organizational and personal goals, your employees have their own too. Start taking stock of your A-Z’s, and your definitions of success may actually lead you to it.