Results Rule

Randy Pennington wrote a very good book titled Results Rule. It is a book built on a solid premise—at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about what you intended to do but what got done. Approximately 70% of CEOs are removed by their boards of directors because of their inability to deliver results. Several years ago, a leading business publication summed it up nicely—perform or perish.

Yes, results rule and how you get those results is critical. Methods matter. How do we balance results and methods? Suitable methods can quickly be qualified as legitimate by asking these two questions:

Is it legal? Seems obvious but maybe not based on daily headlines. This is the easiest test for any practice or strategy you might employ. The problem, of course, is in the “gray zones.” Those are the areas that seem/might be/probably are/ could be “legal” but we’re not sure. Oddly, we applaud leaders who push the limits—until they cross the line and end up in trouble. Taking risks in legal matters is ill advised. Integrity takes a lifetime to build but can be destroyed in an instant.

Is it fair? Most leaders understand what feels fair to them. Only really good leaders develop a sense of what is fair to those they lead. Something may not technically be illegal, but is it really fair?





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