Welcome back to the Lucrative Leadership Conversations podcast! Over the past two episodes, we have discussed how leaders can master change by leveraging their conversations to impact others within the organization.

My co-host, Gene Morton, has developed the Leaders First Process, which includes "6 Bold Steps" leaders can take to sustain performance and create a collaborative structure that aligns with your vision. In episode 4, we introduced the 6 Bold Steps with Step #1: Leaders agree to commit to personal responsibility. Today, we introduce and unpack Step #2: Defining critical outcomes. Gene and I discuss what these critical outcomes are, what they are not, and how they act like a compass pointing toward profitability. Developing critical outcomes will allow leaders to greatly improve Clarity and Focus within their organization.

Developing clear, precise outcomes within your leadership team and organization is a critical step in building and maintaining company growth and prosperity. According to Gene, it is the foundation that a leadership team needs in order to begin the strategic planning process that will lead to the implementation and deliverance of the outcomes to a company's customers. Today, Gene shares with us how developing clear outcome statements differ from other types of statements often used within a company's industry, such as ethical statements. He defines exactly what an outcome statement is as well as how defining and clarifying a company's outcome will lead to business growth and development.

Here's a Breakdown of Today's Episode:

• How does the leadership structure and process compare to strategic planning?
• What is leadership structure and why is it important?
• How Gene learned that leadership structure is often missing from strategic planning within organizations.
• How outcomes differ from a company's goals and visions.
• Why defining an organization's outcome statements is the core step in the Leaders First process?
• How will an organization know when they have effective outcomes?
• Why it is essential that the leadership team participate in creating outcomes.
• How long does it typically take to develop a company's outcome statements?
• What "outcomes" are – and what they are not.
• Actionable steps you can take today to help you being developing clear outcomes.

"You want your outcome statements to be as precise as a knife's edge." – Gene Morton

5 Critical Characteristics of a Well-Defined Outcome:

1. Outcomes have been written down. (Don't rely on the leadership team's memory!)
2. Leaders agree on the outcome.
3. The outcome is something desired by your customers.
4. The outcome is timeless. (Once the outcome is developed and implemented, it remains relevant for many years.)
5. The outcome is independent of any single function or role.

Critical Outcomes Are Not:

• Daily tasks, duties, or responsibilities.
• Financial or operational goals and objectives (If a goal does not lead to an outcome or delivery, it is either wrong or irrelevant. Outcomes supersede goals.)
• General or superficial statements of values, platitudes, or beliefs. (Outcomes are not the same as ethical statements.)
• Theoretical or abstract ideas.
• "High-sounding" company slogans.

"Developing outcome statements requires heart and head work." – Gene Morton

Today's Takeaway:

The next time you are in a meeting, at the beginning of the meeting, ask "What is our outcome for this session?" Then, continue to ask the same question at each meeting or exchange that you are involved in. This will help you to start thinking about your company's outcomes.

 

Helpful Links & Resources:

• Gene's Book: Leaders First: 6 Bold Steps to Sustain Breakthroughs in Construction