"You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems." - James Clear, "Atomic Habits"
Goals are great. I love goals. They give us something to strive for and they motivate us. I would encourage everyone to have goals at work and in life. The problem with goals is that we ask too much of them. Goals alone can't keep you motivated when things get really hard or you get really busy. The thing that determines whether or not we see our goals come to fruition over the long-term is our systems and habits.
Let's say you have a goal to workout and lose weight. That goal will be good to motivate you for a little while but eventually you'll get busy and it will be hard to stay motivated. What will keep you going is a consistent habit of going to the gym every day at the same time. If you can develop a good habit of going to the gym, then it won't be motivation that fuels you and keeps your goal alive, it will be your system.
The same can be said for organizations. Big ideas and motivational speeches are great to get everyone pumped up, but it's the commitment to a good, consistent system over time that leads an organization or a team to success. Just like a chain breaks at the weakest link, a team will fall down to the level of their poorest systems.
If you want to lead a more successful team, or if you want to see your organization be more profitable, focus on improving your systems. Make more efficient workflows. Create better channels of communication with your team. Create systems that run in the background, creating operational efficiency.
I am a systems junkie and I try to apply a good system everywhere I can. I have seen huge fruit in my life and my business by focusing on better systems.
If this has piqued your interest, go ahead and order a copy of "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. It's a fantastic book and an all time classic in my opinion.