Results Matter

As baseball's spring training begins, I find myself conflicted.  The weather is turning warmer, the players have begun their exhibition games and hope runs eternal for all teams.  I have one problem-I don't care.  I don't remember a season where I haven't had a sense of excitement at the start of spring training.  In Philadelphia, we have a good team, great players and coaches, a beautiful stadium and fun announcers.  It doesn't matter, I just can't get into it. 

Here's the problem.  I watched or listened to at least 150 of the 162 games last year-probably more.  I watched the Phillies win 102 games and only lose 60.  They tore through the league with ease on the backs of their pitching staff.  They stumbled a bit in September but came out of it before the playoffs.  Then, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual World Champion, St. Louis Cardinals.  The regular season didn't matter.  All that time investing in the team went down the drain in less than a week.  To make matters worse, our best hitter was at the plate and made the last out for the second year in a row.

We have all worked with people in our organizations that follow a process but don't get results.  They make their calls, they track their time, the fill out the project management paperwork but they can't seem to get results.  In essence, they aren't productive because they're not moving the organization forward.  So it is with the Phillies.  Since 2008, when they won the World Series, they have gotten further and further away from their goals.  Good organizations don't let that happen.  Processes should be put into place that assist the organization, not hinder it. 

As leaders, we need to make sure we are putting the emphasis on results and not only the process.  Make sure your processes yield the results you're looking for so you continue to move forward, not stagnate in place.