Defining Success

July 3, 2024 Remy E. Jennings, Allison S. Gabriel, and Klodiana Lanaj

Measure of true success: “Success is not measured by where you are in life,
but the obstacles you’ve overcome,” Booker T. Washington once said. Success can also be found in
making a positive impact on others or on the world through charitable work or other forms of service. You
can find success in personal hobbies and projects by having the opportunity to pursue and enjoy activities
that bring fulfilment and joy. Genuinely successful people often strive for more than just money and material
possessions; they focus on creating meaningful relationships and experiences, as well as personal growth
and making an impact. Ralph Waldo Emerson explains successful living beautifully, “To laugh often and
love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of
honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty.” You can find true success by
making a conscious effort to live a life that nurtures your values. Evaluating success through numbers is a
limited approach and doesn’t always give us a complete picture of our lives. Instead, success should be
measured by our impact on others, the memories we have created, and the personal development we have
experienced. Success isn’t just about how much you have or what you’ve achieved — it’s about how you
live your life and your impact on those around you.

Now relating to the IT corporate world, we do have the measure of success clearly defined
by top management based on revenue growth and Profit growth Y-O-Y and M-O-M. But it is also time that
we looked at how much we learnt from the programs/projects we run and how much did we contribute to
the success of the program. Sometimes the program might not end well but it is important that we
acknowledge the contributions done by every team member that would encourage them to introspect and
correct any drawbacks they might have for the future programs. Appreciation is the key to building a
sustainable work force that would give their best and innovate on throwing more challenges at them.
So do not limit success to just $$ earned or short-term wins!! Long term sustainable growth and
success is the key for any organization or team!!

Wish you Success!! ��