I wrote a post in August, 2012 about how you might determine what key metrics should be included on your team scorecard. Today, I want to address a much more personal question. What’s on your personal scorecard?
It is well established that most people love to keep score. I believe you find this tendency even more in leaders than in the general population. The merits of having a scorecard for your team are numerous. A scorecard enables a team to:
- Maintain focus
- Monitor the effectiveness of their activities
- Create energy and urgency around things that matter
- Check status and progress toward key goals
- Celebrate key milestones and successes
- Have more fun on the journey
- Determine the overall health and vitality of whatever they are leading
And, this is only a partial list of the benefits!
I’ve never met a successful team that said, “We don’t keep score.” So, here’s my question again, if scorekeeping is so valuable, “What’s on your personal scorecard?” What are the 3 – 5 key metrics you monitor constantly for the same reasons a team monitors their scorecard?
My annual scorecard is always a derivative of my annual plan. However, I heard a new idea this week. I was talking to Vince; I wrote about him on Monday. His son Gabriel is at West Point. Gabriel’s scorecard at the Academy has three elements: Leadership, Academics and Physical Fitness.
Vince explained to me that each of these elements is given equal weight in Gabriel’s overall evaluation. I found this fascinating. What if my scorecard and yours had the following three metrics: Leadership, Results and Physical Fitness? If I focused on these three with the intentionality they maintain at the Academy, I’m guessing my leadership would improve drastically.
My temptation is to focus too much on Results. I've met other leaders who do the same. Our bias can be easily explained away - certainly, we must have results. But just like the Academy must have discovered, I’ve found focusing exclusively on results is not the best strategy to achieve them. When I also focus on sharpening my leadership and strengthening my body, my results improve.
The value of a team scorecard is indisputable. Perhaps a focused, personal scorecard would have a similar positive impact on our leadership. If you don’t have one, you can begin thinking about it now by grading yourself as the Academy would...
Leadership, Fitness and Results
If you need help getting an honest assessment, your family and your team can be a great resource. If you ask, don’t shoot the messenger![GLS_Shield]
What’s on your personal scorecard?
