The New York Yankees took the field yesterday ready to win. Their energy and enthusiasm was on display from the first moments as they ran out and took the field, hosting the Baltimore Orioles in what turned out to be an electrifying game. Derek Jeter was at his best, turning plays, connecting for convincing run-producing base hits and leading his team. He and the rest of the team were motivated to win, self-starters from beginning to end.
Yeah, but what’s the score? Did the Yankees win or lose? By how much?
We live in a world where we own our numbers, and people want to know them. Whether you are discussing your job performance with your boss, selling your company’s products and services to potential clients, or selling yourself to a potential employer in a job interview, the numbers count. No numbers means lots of uncertainty and frustration, just like the sports report above.
Know your numbers. Keep tracking them, understanding how they define your performance and how you can make them better. Specific performance described with metrics is more believable and useful to buyers (bosses, customer and interviewers) than a truckload of self-anointed adjectives like can-do, self motivated, go-getter and other happy talk that everyone uses to describe themselves. Stand out from the crowd with performance. Back it up with the score sheet.
Work: Getting It & Keeping It 