Real Women, Real Leaders: Surviving and Succeeding in the Business World

7 Drive for Results

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”

—Aristotle

One of the primary ways that many of our Real Women have been able to distinguish themselves as exemplary in a man's world is through their ability to drive for results. This chapter shows the myriad ways in which our women have been able to push forward, elevating themselves, their careers, their families, and their lives through their outstanding work ethic and ability to get the job done, whatever it may be.

A tangible way to showcase impact, driving for results is the ability to accomplish tasks with excellence, regardless of obstacles present. A concrete competency, leaders who drive for results have the ability to “consistently focus themselves and others on achieving specific outcomes. They understand how and are able to align the appropriate level of human, physical and technical resources to achieve organizational goals and customer expectations” (Excelis Inc. Talent Competencies Drive for Results).

We can see through this classification that truly exemplary leaders not only meet existing goals, but they utilize all resources necessary to complete essential tasks and, even more, go above and beyond, ensuring that the task has been completed with excellence. Some of the classic behavior traits associated with this competency include timeliness, professionalism, perseverance, and follow-through.

Driving for results can manifest itself in concrete tasks, such as creating ...