The Definition of Success

Success as defined
by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster defines the word ‘success’ as 1) the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect or fame; and 2) the correct or desired result of an attempt.

For some, achieving wealth, etc., is the only correct definition. It is the only goal on which to focus, and those who don’t embrace this truism will always be less than they could be. In essence, nothing else really matters except increasing the financial bottom line and personal prominence.

For others, achieving the desired result of an attempt is the ultimate accomplishment, regardless of what that attempt entails. For instance, many people feel successful because they are able to live simply with relatively little stress and have sufficient funding to support that lifestyle. It is the simple pleasures in life, rather than driving the top of the line 2015 Audi to a multi-million dollar home, that defines success for them.

The definition of success 

is different for everyone.

Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with either opinion (after all, that’s really what it is). 

The fact of the matter is that the definition of success is different for everyone based on many different factors such as personality, life experiences, and exposure to, or opportunities for, resources to not only set, but to also achieve goals.

For instance, the difference between a nonprofit organization and a for-profit organization is simply the main focus of their efforts. Both want to be successful (whatever that means to them), but they go about it in different ways.

Nonprofits focus most of their efforts and resources on achieving their mission. However, none of that can be done without identifying and soliciting funding/donations to support the programs and services it provides. 

In some nonprofits, the development team is larger than the other organizational teams combined simply because the amount of funding needed to support the mission is so great. While increasing the financial bottom line is a measure of success for a nonprofit organization, it isn’t the most important one. The mission is always Priority #1.

For-profit organizations also have a mission to fulfill, but the most important measure of success for these boards of directors and stockholders is achieving an ever-growing financial bottom line. 

Just like their nonprofit counterparts, for-profits cannot provide programs or services without funding (stockholder and sales) support, so in this case, product sales and stockholder satisfaction are the highest priorities for the team.

Again, neither one is better than the other; they are just different.

For me, the definition of professional success includes the achievement of my academic goals (PhD) and sufficient client-base activity at Dawn GannonConsulting to support my family at or above a specifically-defined (and private) financial level. I have been somewhat successful in reaching these goals, and I know that only time, resources and hard work will make them happen. Without a doubt, there is still much to be done.

However, like everyone else, I also have a personal definition of success. For me, that includes family, friends, good health, and peace of mind. For the moment, I’m doing well there, but there is always room for improvement.

The closer I move to the magical age of 50 (6 months from now!), the more I understand that the underlying key for success for any person or organization is simply the definition. Once you are happy with the definition that meets your needs, all that remains is the journey to get there.

So, I ask: What is your definition of success? What words of wisdom can you share from your journey toward that goal?

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

When All Hell Breaks Loose

“We have to make quick decisions or all Hell will continue to break loose. I can’t believe we didn’t see this coming!”

I suspect all of us have been in this situation more times than we care to admit, whether we were leading the effort or simply a cog in the decision-making wheel. 

You have been there a time or two. What did you do? 

Either way, the answer brings to mind two additional questions:

• How did you make your decisions?
• Did they turn out to be the right ones, or should you have done something else?

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of blogs and research articles on how the quality of leadership affects the decision-making process. I realize that it seems to be obvious that a good leader makes good decisions, while a poor leader makes poor decisions. One of the more interesting articles I have read on this topic lately, found in the Harvard Business Review, expands on this theory while exploring the question of how a poor leader affects his/her subordinates and vice versa.  

While the authors present some interesting conclusions to their research, I find that I need to delve a little deeper, and ask the elephant-in-the-room question: given the same information and resources, what causes a leader to make a good or bad decision when all Hell breaks loose?

Is it a lack of training or support from upper management or the Board? Is it a slight hesitation due to a fear of choosing the wrong option? Or, perhaps choosing to do what has worked before – although safer – did not adequately address the needs and requirements of the current situation.

Regardless, as you are putting out fires and salvaging what you can from the ruins, making good decisions require good leaders to:

• Identify and focus solely on the exact issue. There will be many other side issues that appear to be important, but are really only manifestations of the core challenge.
• Identify and evaluate your options, both inside and outside the proverbial box. Although your gut instinct will generally point you in the right direction, you need facts and figures to support your decision.
• Just do it. Do not hesitate; make the decision and let it go. The old saying, “timing is everything” is just as true in business as it is in life.

In short, good leaders focus on solving the actual problem and make fact-based decisions quickly when all Hell is breaking loose. Poor leaders hesitate and make decisions without adequate information to support their choice of fire companies to put out the flames.

 Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

What Makes a Leader Great?

All of the great leaders I have ever met or admired from afar have, are, or exhibit the following on a daily basis:

• An open and effective communicator
• Honest
• Integrity
• The respect of others
• Effective management skills

While all of these are necessary for success, what is it about a leader that makes them not good – but great? In their book, The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes & Posner attribute great leadership not to great personality, but simply and ONLY to the behavior of the individual.

Thinking once again about the great leaders that I have come across, they have also exhibited the following behaviors:

1. Having and sharing their unbridled passion for the organization they serve. Having a passion for the work you do every day is vital, not only to the success of the organization, but to yours and that of your team as well. Who wants to give their best for something they could care less about?
2. Articulating a clear vision for success. In a recent post, Intuit’s President and CEO, Brad Smith noted that thinking out loud, and openly sharing your vision for success with the entire organization and seeking feedback opens the door to dissenting opinions, which in turn can lead to fresh, new ideas and innovation. This also encourages others to do their best, and to succeed.
3. Recognizing and celebrating the success of others. Rather than taking the credit themselves, great leaders openly acknowledge and celebrate the success of those who make things happen. There is no better example of what not to do than to compare the end of the NFL championship game interviews of the Bronco’s Payton Manning and the Seahawks’ Richard Sherman. One focused on the team effort, while the other made a spectacle of himself by touting his "greatness."
4. Finally, while there are others I could mention, I’ll conclude this post with my favorite behavior of great leaders: Words are ALWAYS followed by action to support them. After all, if you can’t walk the talk, who will follow?

The answer? No one.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.