All of the steps outlined in prior chapters are critical in building a solid foundation for your organization. However, to achieve planned results and success, you must execute your plans. Employees need to be accountable for their commitments to the organization. If you find your company is not achieving the results you have set for the organization, then something, or some things will have to change. Following the same routines over and over again will not achieve different outcomes. You must look at every part of the puzzle to find the piece or pieces that don’t fit.

Successful sports teams do just this in order to become champions. They debrief after every single game, and again during practices before the next game. They analyze films, to better catch mistakes that may have led to a lost point or game. They evaluate their plays, which for companies are their processes, to see if these need to be tweaked or discarded. Perhaps a new play will need to be added. If the plays were sound but the players did not follow them, why not? Where was the breakdown on the field or court that led to a collapse? In business that can happen because an employee does not follow a central team process. These essential processes are put in place to make sure that no critical step is omitted.

In re-reading Colin Powell’s quote, failures are a natural part of the process, but we must learn from them in order to transform them into successes.

Another major thing that sports teams do, primarily in the offseason, is to make changes in their lineup. They look at the weaknesses on their team and try to bring in players that will add strength to a position and work in sync with the other players on the team.

In a Forbes article and Nicole Rodriguez outlines Five Sets Of Tips For Leadership Success:

1. Be a good coach, empower your team members and support their career development.

2. Be results-oriented.

3. Create an inclusive team environment that fosters collaboration, and be a good communicator.

4. Be a strong decision maker and share a clear vision.

5. Hone your skills to advise your team.

A leadership team who can fully understand these tips, work continuously to clarify the vision and goals, improve the company’s operating system and team, and focus on the principles outlined in our How to Become the Leader Who Inspires Others chapter will be making powerful strides toward achieving results and success in any company.