“You can’t improve what you don’t measure and generally, whatever you measure…improves.” ~ HP Motto

Your shareholders demand outstanding results, your customers expect an experience that sets your brand apart from your competitors, and your most valuable employees have a strong desire to feel their job matters —like the role they play fills an important need.

The more significant your leadership responsibilities are, the higher the stakes become, and the more important it is to consistently achieve results that matter in a way that balances near-term gains with long-term sustainable results all while having a high degree of commitment to both the bottom line and the greater good.

Here are five ways to ensure high-achievement leadership that yields results that matter:

1. Be crystal clear about your organization’s key performance indicators – both tangible and intangible – and ensure that everyone in your organization understands how they contribute to those indicators of success. This will improve stakeholder engagement, commitment, and accountability, while fueling the motivation necessary to maintain focus and energy on what matters most.

2. Create and maintain strategic focus by translating “big picture” thinking into thoroughly developed strategies and rigorous execution plans to ensure that the organization will thrive in the near and long-term. This requires a deep understanding of how your organization’s mission fits into the marketplace, monitoring the strategic implications of day-to-day decisions, having a good sense for the timing of market place initiatives, and not getting caught up in short-term firefighting.

3. Maintain an inspiring long-range view by being purposeful and visionary. This is demonstrated by a deep sense of purpose that shines through in your unwavering passion, enthusiasm and commitment to the organization and its people. In a survey conducted by EY Beacon Institute and Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, 90 percent of executives said their companies now recognize the importance of having “an aspirational reason for being, which inspires and provides a call to action for an organization.” Your vision, and that of others, is formed and enhanced through ongoing dialogue creating deep commitment to and ownership of the organization’s purpose and desired future state. This purpose and vision sustains a future results-oriented focus.

4. Have a track record of being consistently goal directed. This requires the ability to successfully translate vision into strategies, strategies into goals and goals into actions that achieve desired results. It also requires having the courage to take well-calculated risks and persevere in the face of setbacks and resistance. Perhaps most important, sustainable goal achievement is generated from the ability to develop high performance in others.

5. Make timely and confident decisions and be comfortable moving forward in uncertainty. This involves balancing the use of data and intuition when making decisions, taking reasonable risks to ensure momentum is maintained, and having a composed approach to decision-making when under pressure. Failing to be decisive will contribute to a drift in operations and erosion of strategic goals.

Leaders who consciously design and execute on a strategy that supports near-term objectives while fulfilling the vision of a broader long-term purpose consistently produce results that matter.

Grow with purpose.

Emily Rogers is an executive coach, business consultant and retreat facilitator. She strategically advises and supports organizations and individuals in growing and realizing their full potential in purposeful and balanced ways. You can connect with her at www.emilyrogers.com.