Results & Outcomes: Why Leaders Need to Speak to Both

Results are often celebrated for their clarity. They line up neat, measurable targets: increase participation, secure funding, or launch a new program. These are results - the tangible, trackable markers of progress.

But here’s a leadership tip: results are only half the story.

When we stop at results, we miss the bigger picture - the outcomes. Outcomes describe the change, the impact, the ripple effect of those results. They answer the critical question: So what?

• Participation increases → Outcome: More people find connection, growth, or belonging.

• Funding secured → Outcome: Entire communities gain access to opportunities they didn’t have before.

• A new program launched → Outcome: Families experience support that changes their daily lives.

• Graffiti removed within 24 hours → Outcome: The park feels cared for - and so do the people who use it.  

• New scheduling system launched → Outcome: Staff spend less time juggling details and more time connecting with people.

Why This Matters for Leaders

Teams often work tirelessly toward hitting measurable markers, but if leaders only talk about results, the story feels flat. Results are numbers. Outcomes are meaning.

• Results tell your team what they’ve achieved.

• Outcomes remind them why it mattered.

Leaders who frame both create an environment where people don’t just check boxes - they see themselves as part of something bigger. This dual language fuels motivation, commitment, and pride.

Speak to Both

When you review a milestone, pause to name the result (what we did) and the outcome (the difference it makes). For example:

• We hit our target of 1,000 registrations (result), which means 1,000 people now have access to resources and experiences that can improve their lives (outcome).

• We completed every park inspection on schedule (result), which means families can safely enjoy clean, well-cared-for spaces all weekend long (outcome). 

That simple shift turns a progress report into a story of purpose. 

A Call to Leaders

If your team only hears about results, they may always feel like they’re running a race toward the next number. If they also hear about outcomes, they’ll feel like they’re changing lives.

So, the next time you update your team, ask yourself two questions:

1. What’s the result we achieved?

2. What’s the outcome it created?

Because the best leaders don’t just track progress. They give progress purpose.

#leadershipdevelopment #parksandrecreation #outcomes #developyourteam