“What gets measured gets managed.”—Peter Drucker
From the desk of Henry Russell, CEO of SANTOS Holdings:
Our conference room overlooking the Manhattan skyline buzzed with energy as I stood ready to address our team. Considering recent changes at SANTOS Holdings, I was excited to set the tone for our future. Addressing our team, I said, “Today, we start a journey of transformation. But to do this right, we must measure our profit progress and impact on employees, projects, and communities. It was a firm stance, a risk even, but I believe in measuring company progress using specific methods and tools. So, I introduced something I knew would be different… key performance indicators (KPIs). These indicators are used to track our initiatives, emphasizing employee and community satisfaction metrics.
“Taking a realistic look at our success,” I said, “will help us determine what’s working and where we need to improve.” Seeing our team embrace my ideas and walk away, ready to use KPIs in their daily roles, was amazing. All of this reminded me of what author Stephen Covey said. “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Covey’s leadership advice inspired me to align SANTOS Holdings’ KPIs with our strategic priorities, focusing on measuring key results.
After a few months of setting this initiative in motion and embracing these KPIs, we had impressive results. With these initiatives, we developed “Innovative Fridays,” which encouraged the team to brainstorm new ideas, discuss issues, and openly share challenges. We found Innovative Fridays a welcomed approach with the team and a responsive resident program initiative that sparked enthusiasm and community collaboration. Everything was taking shape, and the first quarterly review showed significant increases in team engagement after the start of the KPI program.
Once we saw the results, there wasn’t any way of returning. The tangible and measurable data-driven results allowed us to follow the right paths toward company success. W. Edwards Deming once said, “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion. Deming’s second point highlights how data transforms leadership from guesswork to well-informed choices. This was the answer to what SANTOS Holdings needed, predictable and tangible results.
The author of the 4-Hour Work Week, Tim Ferris, said, “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” With the KPIs and Innovative Fridays in place, our team walked away knowing our company was strong.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” It was a risk, and at first, I was apprehensive about KPIs, but holding strong, we did that one thing with significant results. At the end of the year, with strong data results, we had an expansive market picture filled with important trends and predictions. I thanked my team for their contributions. “Together, we’ve made our vision a reality. This is just the beginning. Let’s keep innovating and measuring.”
Several months later, walking through our new mixed-use development, I couldn’t help but be proud of what we had accomplished. Standing at the edge of development, everything became clear. SANTOS Holdings isn’t just changing Manhattan’s skyline; we’re enriching many lives, our team, and our community. Measuring our progress with KPIs was just the beginning. Together, we are making a real-world impact and life-changing differences- one project, one community, and one life at a time.
If you are interested in learning more about SANTOS Holdings’ offerings, contact us today to explore the immense possibilities.