Every leader has the right to love

Every leader should love results, and they are more than just numbers, writes EBS lecturer Sten Argos in an Äripäev essay.

A leader has every right to love results. Loving results is not self-evident today, as it requires significant effort and dedication, and it is not easy. This love for results is reflected in the desire to see the goal and value purposeful execution, while still being able to see the bigger picture—even when a fast-paced world demands quick wins.

A leader who loves results sees them as more than just numbers – they see them as the realization of their team and organization's potential. Loving the results means making decisions even when you know that part of your decision is hated. 

At the same time, harmony must be constantly found in the complex network of human relationships. Loving the results is not just caring, but caring through actions. This love requires courage and willpower.

Excel in the infatuation phase

There are values to follow – they are like landmarks that help the leader and team stay on track. However, understanding values is not always straightforward – one and the same value can mean different things to different people. 

Openness is an ideal example. For one, it is a source of inspiration and development, but for another, it may seem as excessive forcefulness that provokes resistance. Generational diversity is a separate topic that adds color but also creates challenges in defining and understanding the same values.

All of this is not yet love – it is infatuation, with its strong passion and freshness. Love comes when you are married to the results or at least living together. In the infatuation phase, it is easy to be captivated by the results – goals are set, energy is high, the strategy is written down, beautiful slides are created, and everything seems achievable. 

Infatuation with results is like a short, stormy relationship where passion dominates, but commitment is still fragile. The daily Excel deepens and nurtures this infatuation with its indicators and builds the marriage or heals the difficult results in the background.

A marriage with results is a happy marriage where everyday dullness is spiced up with a varied mental and physical combination. A marriage with results is direct and trustworthy, ready to respond to the unexpected.

Here, not only momentary problems are seen, but also opportunities around the corner. When problems arise, parties understand whose issue it is and take responsibility themselves, instead of blaming others. They know exactly what result to expect and what needs to be done to achieve it.

Many hope that a marriage with results is comfortable and caring, full of well-being from Monday to Friday, mostly fun, always considering the energy level and mental well-being of every employee. A happy marriage does have all of this, but alongside it, there is also strong effort, stepping out of the comfort zone, enduring tension, and actually getting things done.

The owner wants results

A leader married to results is deeply committed and more demanding than average. They set the bar high, but when it goes too far, problems are knocking on the door immediately. 

Employees may feel that their well-being is being neglected. The result is stress and tensions. On the other hand, a leader infatuated with results tends to be caring and focus more on people's well-being and development, but with just care, the leader risks not achieving results. A leader who loves results finds a balance between open communication and demands.

During my periods as a leader, I have been in both the infatuation and love phases with results. Being demanding and caring, leaning slightly towards one side or the other. Much of this has been determined by the situation where I have been as a leader.

On a growing market and with a strong team, it is much easier to lean towards a caring leader than on a declining market where economic indicators are falling and the owner's expectations are not met today or tomorrow. 

At this point, I have found it important to have a direct stance and communication, meaning things are discussed openly, as they are, and immediately if something is going well or poorly. It seems to me that by doing so, the essence of the matter is reached faster and solutions are found promptly. 

Openness is an ideal that is pursued, but it can be both a strong growth engine and a sensitive trap at the same time. For a leader focused on results, openness means honest feedback and constructive criticism – a tool that helps the team develop and achieve goals. However, an employee who is not proud of their results may perceive openness as a personal attack. This often leads to a defensive position and even undermining collaboration.

Open communication also means explaining more planned or made decisions with the team and analyzing them together. If some decision is not liked, understanding it can help relate to it and make peace. Not everything has to be liked. In an open team, responsibility is taken independently if something has been left in the background or has gone wrong. It is learned from it and experiences are shared among the team instead of trying to hide it, hoping it will pass. 

When it is complicated, seek help

If values are perceived only through emotions, they can become a weapon, not a collective compass. The leader must be able to manage this tension – balancing honesty with empathy, demandingness with care. Love for results requires the skill to keep openness as a development tool, not a harm.

For the success of a marriage with results, a strong combination is needed, consisting of achieving results and at the same time noticing the emotional level of employees, understanding their needs, and contributing so that people succeed in their work and remain mentally healthy. 

When things are difficult, seek help sooner rather than later – whether it is with a coach or a therapist. If the situation is already serious, it is better to cry with a psychologist than laugh with a psychiatrist. At this point, as a leader, act more sooner than a little later.

Propose marriage to results, care for your people to succeed. Be demanding for big success.

The article was published in Äripäev in January 2025. Read the full article