Think about it: a guest, who has never been to your home, is coming to visit. They call you, and they ask, “How do I get there?”
What is the first question you ask?
“Where are you?”
Directions are always relative to current location. It’s vital to have a strong destination in mind—vision, goals, dreams and ambitions. But if you’re truly swinging for the fences, you’ll never make it if you don’t have a sober feel for where you are on your journey.
Only those who are satisfied with their current level of success, influence and ability are content to believe the myth that they’ve reached the apex of their abilities. The best among us simultaneously acknowledge their strengths while striving to push to the next level. The only way to do that is to constantly measure and assess performance and progress.
What should you measure? Well, anything you want to improve at.
How do you measure it? A mixture of outside feedback from peers and personal sponsors. A watchful eye on key metrics associated with your job. A quick 3-5 minute assessment of performance after any meaningful engagement—a meeting, a presentation, a one-on-one with an employee. Whatever you’re trying to improve at, there’s a way to take stock of your progress along the way.
Everything can be measured, but you should limit your assessments to a few key areas at a time. Anyone trying to improve across many different skill sets or habits at the same time is bound to become overwhelmed and fail. But if you focus your efforts and strive for distinct benchmarks, taking time every month or quarter to re-examine yourself and chart the next period’s objectives for improvement, you’ll have a methodical plan in place that’s more likely to yield results.
The other great thing about this approach is that it makes incremental improvement more believable for those who have not yet developed their inner “conqueror” with a blood-lust for peak performance. Everyone can find one thing to focus on; as we start making progress toward our goal, the progress itself becomes rewarding and begets other, greater goals. So whether or not you’re a novice or an expert at the game, take stock of where you are, identify your key areas of improvement, and create a way to measure your progress on a regular basis!
Question: How do you add structure and purpose to your efforts at improvement?