Show the Value of What You Do
Measuring and Achieving Success in Any Endeavor
byPatricia Pulliam Phillips, Jack J. Phillips
Book Edition Details
Summary
In a world where proving your project's worth feels like deciphering an ancient script, Patti and Jack Phillips bring clarity with their award-winning insights. In "Show the Value of What You Do," these ROI virtuosos reveal a trailblazing method to quantify success even when metrics seem elusive. Picture this: transforming intangible efforts into undeniable value across businesses, nonprofits, and even healthcare. Through vivid case studies, including a chaplaincy triumph in an ICU, they illustrate a six-step alchemy for aligning projects with business outcomes. This isn't just about numbers; it's about crafting a narrative that champions your work's impact. Whether steering a corporate ship or guiding a community effort, this book is your compass to relevance and growth.
Introduction
In today's evidence-driven world, the question "What's the value of what you do?" has become impossible to ignore. Whether you're leading a team, implementing a new system, or pursuing a personal project, demonstrating tangible results is no longer optional—it's essential. Yet many talented professionals find themselves struggling to articulate their contributions in ways that resonate with decision-makers and stakeholders. The challenge isn't necessarily in doing great work, but in proving that great work delivers meaningful impact. This disconnect between effort and recognized value creates frustration, limits career advancement, and can even threaten funding for worthwhile initiatives. The solution lies not in working harder, but in adopting a systematic approach to measuring and communicating success that transforms how others perceive your contributions and how you approach your work.
Start with Impact and Select Right Solutions
The foundation of demonstrating value begins with a fundamental shift in thinking—starting with the end in mind rather than diving into activities. Impact represents the measurable difference your work makes in key performance indicators that matter to your organization or community. This isn't about activity or effort, but about concrete outcomes that address real problems or opportunities. Consider the story of Chip Huth, who led a SWAT team in Kansas City facing a crisis of public trust. The team was receiving 30-40 citizen complaints annually, with each complaint costing the department approximately $70,000 just for investigation. Rather than implementing token changes or defensive measures, Chip identified the core impact measure that needed to improve—reducing citizen complaints—and worked backward to find the right solution. He discovered the Outward Mindset approach, which focuses on seeing others as people who matter as much as you do, considering their needs and challenges while pursuing collective results. The transformation was remarkable. By implementing this mindset shift throughout the team, complaints dropped to zero while productivity in drug seizures, warrant services, and arrests actually increased. The key was Chip's decision to begin with a clear impact measure rather than jumping to a predetermined solution. This approach ensured that every action taken was purposefully connected to the desired outcome. To implement this approach, start by identifying the specific business measures that need improvement. These are typically found in operational reports, key performance indicators, or through conversations with stakeholders who care about results. Ask yourself what would happen if you did nothing—this often reveals the true magnitude of problems worth solving. Convert these problems to monetary terms when possible, as this helps prioritize efforts and demonstrates the potential return on investment. Remember that the right solution is rarely obvious at first glance. Take time to analyze what performance needs to change, what people need to learn to make that change happen, and how to position your solution so stakeholders will embrace it rather than resist it.
Set Clear Objectives and Collect Data
Success without clear objectives is like navigation without a destination—you might be moving, but you're unlikely to arrive where you need to be. Objectives provide the architectural blueprint for your project, telling everyone involved what success looks like at each stage of the journey. The most powerful approach involves setting objectives across five levels of success, each building toward greater value. Martin Burt, founder of Fundación Paraguaya, exemplifies this systematic approach through his Poverty Stoplight program. Recognizing that poverty encompasses far more than just income levels, Martin developed 50 specific indicators across categories like health, education, housing, and organization. Each indicator has three phases—red for worst-case scenarios, yellow for making progress, and green for success—with precise definitions for each stage. The program's power lies in its specificity. Rather than vague goals about "helping families," participants know exactly what green looks like for each indicator. For example, regarding health access, families understand precisely what constitutes adequate access to drinking water, nearby health posts, and nutritious food. This clarity enables both families and facilitators to track progress systematically and celebrate meaningful milestones along the way. When setting objectives for your own work, begin with impact objectives that define minimum acceptable performance in the measures that matter most. Then work backward to establish what actions people need to take, what they need to learn, and how they should perceive the project for success to occur. Make these objectives specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Data collection doesn't need to be overwhelming if you let your objectives guide the process. Collect reaction data to ensure people see value in what you're doing. Gather learning data to confirm people understand their roles. Monitor application data to verify people are taking the right actions. Track impact data to measure progress toward your ultimate goals. The key is collecting only what you need and using technology to minimize disruption while maximizing accuracy.
Analyze Data and Calculate ROI
Converting your project's impact into monetary terms transforms abstract benefits into concrete value that stakeholders can understand and appreciate. This process requires isolating your project's effects from other influences, then applying proven techniques to assign dollar values to improvements. The goal isn't perfect precision, but credible estimates that demonstrate whether benefits exceed costs. The Kansas City SWAT team story continues to illustrate this principle powerfully. When Chip Huth implemented the Outward Mindset approach, citizen complaints dropped from three per month to zero. To isolate the program's effects, the team examined what else might have caused this improvement—mission types hadn't changed, policies remained the same, and no high-profile cases influenced public perception. The conclusion was clear: the behavioral changes from the Outward Mindset training caused the dramatic improvement. Converting this impact to money was straightforward since the police department already calculated complaint investigation costs at $70,000 each. By preventing approximately 36 complaints annually, the program generated $2,520,000 in monetary benefits. Compared to the program cost of $44,000, this yielded an astounding 5,724 percent return on investment. While this ROI might seem unbelievable, the systematic process and conservative estimates make it credible. When analyzing your own data, start by examining what caused the improvements you've measured. Use the most credible technique available—experimental versus control groups when possible, trend line analysis when historical data exists, or expert estimates when other methods aren't feasible. Be conservative in your claims and always account for error in estimates. Many measures already have standard monetary values within organizations. Employee time is worth hourly compensation plus benefits. Quality improvements save money through reduced waste and rework. Look for values that executives already accept rather than creating new calculations. When standard values don't exist, consult internal experts, external databases, or credible studies. Remember that not every benefit needs monetary conversion. Intangible benefits like improved collaboration, enhanced reputation, or better work-life balance often provide compelling value even without dollar amounts attached.
Communicate and Leverage Results for Success
The final step in demonstrating value involves communicating results strategically and using them to drive lasting change. Evaluation without action represents wasted effort, while thoughtful communication of results can transform perceptions, secure future funding, and position you as someone who delivers measurable value rather than just completing activities. Jessica Kriegel faced this challenge while working at Oracle on intergenerational workplace issues. When a product development team requested training to fix "millennial problems," Jessica could have simply delivered the requested program. Instead, she investigated thoroughly, discovering that the real issues involved mutual understanding and communication rather than generational defects. Her solution addressed needs of both managers and newer employees, focusing on collaboration rather than correction. The results spoke volumes—695 percent return on investment through improved retention and productivity. But Jessica didn't stop with successful implementation. She leveraged these results by documenting the methodology, sharing findings through presentations and publications, and eventually writing a bestselling book that reached audiences far beyond Oracle. Her systematic approach to demonstrating value transformed her from someone who delivered training to a recognized expert on workplace dynamics. When communicating your results, tailor the message to your audience. Executives want to see return on investment and strategic impact. Participants want to understand how their efforts contributed to success. Team members need insights for improvement. Use the appropriate mix of detailed reports, executive summaries, presentations, and informal conversations to reach each audience effectively. The ultimate goal is leveraging results for maximum benefit. Use successful projects to secure funding for future initiatives. Apply lessons learned to improve subsequent efforts. Share your methodology with others who face similar challenges. Position yourself as someone who doesn't just do work, but creates measurable value through systematic approaches.
Summary
True professional success comes not from working harder, but from working smarter by systematically demonstrating the value of your contributions. As the research consistently shows, projects without clear objectives and measurement systems deliver questionable results, while those following systematic approaches achieve significantly greater impact. The six-step process outlined here—starting with impact, selecting the right solution, setting clear objectives, collecting relevant data, analyzing results credibly, and leveraging outcomes strategically—provides a proven framework for transforming how others perceive your work and how you approach challenges. Begin today by identifying one project where you can apply these principles, set specific objectives for the impact you want to achieve, and commit to measuring progress systematically. Remember that hope is not a strategy, luck is not a factor, and doing nothing is not an option—your success depends on taking deliberate action to show the value of what you do.
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