How To Set Effective Outcomes For Success

As a business coach, I have worked with organisations on many different levels and have found time and again that one of the most important indicators of success or not is clarity about the outcomes from the perspective of the owners and the team.

Differentiate Between Tangible And Intangible Outcomes

Tangible outcomes are concrete, things you can touch. This is the bit that most people are familiar with already. These outcomes will drive what you do in terms of activities.

You also need to think about the less tangible outcomes that are normally to do with relationships between people.  What do you want people to feel? Enthusiastic, committed to taking action? Or to feel they have been heard and their views taken seriously? These outcomes will drive your style and how things are done.

External Outcomes

Once you have your own outcomes clear, you want to make sure that you understand the outcomes of your team. What do they want to get out of it? Sometimes you will know what these outcomes are and sometimes you may need a business consultant to help you find out.

How Will You Judge Success?

  • During the process, how will you know you are on track?
  • How will you know you have ultimately achieved your outcome?

What Will Change?

This last question will help you ensure a lasting impact:

The change might be quite small - you will know more about different views on a particular policy; or more significant - the project team will have the full service up and running by the end of the year. The question alerts you to things you need to be thinking about and doing to substantially increases the likelihood of decisions you take having lasting impact.

Summary - How to Set Effective Outcomes for Success:

  1. Be clear about your outcomes, both the tangible and intangible,
  2. Think about the outcomes from your team’s perspective.
  3. How you will judge success - what will you see, hear, and feel at the midpoint and at the end?
  4. What will change as a result?

I use this framework often, and my favourite moment is when a client says: ‘I know what you are going to ask - what are my outcomes?’
That’s a sure sign of success.

For more information about business coaching and business consulting services, contact me:
083 256-0378   |  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

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