On the Importance of Managing for Results (while Involving Your People)

Most of us, at one time or another, have worked in organizations with inspiring mission statements. These carefully drafted statements aim to convey a sense of higher purpose – “serving the community”, “making a difference in society”, “helping the world”. Meanwhile, while seeking to communicate an uplifting, clear mission, organizations have to manage the day-to-day and deliver results. 

In his “Managing for Results”, Drucker reminds us of the realities organizations must reconcile, including: “results are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems” and “economic results are earned only by leadership.” (Drucker, 2006). Drucker reminds us that leadership in the organization has a profound influence on strategy and results. And he also emphasizes the importance of effectively managing people towards achieving the mission.

Having worked in several organizations throughout my career, I can recall instances of effective managers who understood the importance of focusing on the mission, while managing people with respect and dignity. These managers realized that employees must be clear about the mission, yet the way you treat them also matters. What is the point of drafting an “inspiring” mission statement, if managers do not even come close to understanding what their people need, the challenges they are facing? Effective managers acknowledged that it was important to inspire employees with a vision, while living up to the values of the organization. 

It is essential then, that managers instill the values and vision of the organization so as to achieve a common set of goals that will provide direction and standards of performance. The organization and its managers should also be committed to enriching and motivating individuals to achieve higher levels of performance.

What did these effective managers have in common? They listened to what employees, at all levels, had to say about their functions and the processes around them. These managers understood the job functions, and therefore could relate to the challenges their people could be experiencing. (Conversely, there are cases of managers who have oversight over functions and processes, and yet are completely clueless). 

These effective managers asked questions and listened to employees. They made an effort to get to know their people. Moreover, they understood that building employees’ morale and confidence is important. And increased morale and motivation can help improve performance. 

Effective managers invited people to contribute ideas. They solicited opinions and insight, and often acted on it. Rather than pretending they were listening to ideas, they called for people to become actively involved in the decision-making process. They also did not push decisions downward. They realized that pushing decisions on people is counter-productive and leads to attrition. 

These effective managers trusted their people and delegated responsibilities. They assigned challenging tasks and held people accountable. But they did so respectfully, never insulting or demeaning a person. They had high expectations of themselves and of their people, but treated everyone with dignity and respect. 

They encouraged people to learn news skills and to take on new projects. And they supported their people – coaching, mentoring, training. Additionally, they promoted teamwork and had meetings that involved people from different departments. They were careful not to create organizational silos. According to Csikszentmihalyi, teamwork helps increase the “flow” in the organization through increased feelings of concentration and satisfaction in achieving goals and performing tasks well. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).

It is possible for organizations to achieve their mission - “serve the community”, “make a difference in society”, “help the world”. However, in order to achieve their mission, managers need to manage their people effectively. The organization needs to manage for results, and it can only do this through its people. And it is only through engaged and motivated people that organizations can prosper and produce results. If we truly want to serve the community and make a difference in society, we must be able to build our people, motivate them to contribute, and treat them with respect. Otherwise, we will only have an illusory mission statement, with no organization to support it.