Kris Vallotton • Mar 12, 2017

9 Ways Leaders Measure Success

How do you define success? How do you measure it? By how much money you’re making? By how much influence you have? I’ve been leading people for as long as I can remember, and through the years I’ve learned so much about what success is, in my personal life and in the businesses I’ve gotten to build and the teams I’ve had the privilege of leading. The world likes to tell us that success looks like having a profitable career, getting married and having a perfect family. But I think true success is much bigger than that. I think success lies in being faithful to do the things God has called you to do. So how do you set yourself up to do that?


I get a lot of questions about being successful in leadership, whether that’s in a big or small capacity. Today I’d love to share nine things that I tell the leaders who sit down with me in my office and ask me about leading well. Here are nine keys for being a successful leader:

1) The depth of your success is determined by the quality of the people with you. Success is a team sport; no one ever succeeds alone, therefore the impact of your leadership ability is measured by the caliber of people you attract to lead alongside of you.

2) Your capacity for success is determined by your courage to take great risks, and the wisdom to know when not to.

3) The sustainability of your success lies in how you remember your mistakes. You must keep the tension of a short-term memory in the courage department of your mind when you fail, and a long-term memory in the wisdom department of your mind so you don’t repeat the same mistakes again.

4) The power of your success is determined by the level of confidence you have in your own ability to complete the mission, and the amount of faith you have in God’s ability to cover your weaknesses, as well as fix your failures.

5) The longevity of your success is determined by your ability to reproduce world changers and history makers; people who can carry greatness into the generations you will never see.

6) The definition of your success is in your faithfulness to your divine call, not in the outcome of your mission. In other words, faithfulness is success because the Lord ultimately determines outcomes.

7) The beauty of your success lies in the grace you display in tough seasons, and the level of kindness you give to those who fall short of your standard or fail your mission.

8) The memory of your success is determined by how you made people feel on the pathway to the pursuit of your purpose.

9) The culture of your success is in the level of ability your people have to either empower true greatness or shrink people’s confidence.

After reading over these I want to challenge you to think through how you’ve defined and measured success in the past, and how you’ll start to define it today. I pray that God will highlight the ways He wants to refine some of your thinking so that you can be successful in the things He’s called you to!


THE BLOG

Discover more blog posts

the sun is setting over the ocean with clouds in the sky
By Kris Vallotton 06 Feb, 2024
In early December, I began seeking a prophetic word from the Lord for 2024. He told me, "I am not going to give you a word for 2024. Instead, I am going to give you a word for the Body of Christ for a new era." He explained that January 2024 would be a half-time; marking the closure of an era and the beginning of a new one. This period would be characterized by immense transition, culminating in the discipling of nations. A supernatural metamorphosis, metaphorically akin to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, would occur right before our eyes.
By Kris Vallotton 02 Jan, 2024
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of life's chaos, desperately needing a break, clarity, and a spiritual reset? Picture it like halftime – that pivotal moment when the coach steps in, recalibrates the team, and sparks a turnaround. The game isn't over; this is a chance to come back stronger and claim victory! In recent weeks, a resounding message has been echoing in my heart and mind: January is the Church's halftime! Our divine Coach is calling us to the huddle, to draw close, and let Him fine-tune our game plan – our values, thoughts, and behaviors. Amid the noise, He's inviting us to step away, knowing that leaning into these divine moments will catapult us into the second half, ready for victory. And in this game, we already know the final score – He wins!
A table with a video game controller resting on top with blue, red and orange lighting.
By Kris Vallotton 20 Dec, 2023
Gen Z, labeled as the seemingly lost generation to Christianity, and Gen Alpha, the digital natives immersed in screens, stand at the crossroads of an era defined by the rapid evolution of technology. As they navigate the evolving landscape of identity, both personal and global, a crucial question reverberates: "Has the Church lost this next generation?"
Show More

NEWSLETTER

Get free digital content from Kris with his weekly newsletter

 
//]]>
Share by: