Your Metrics Suck.

If I asked you right now to show me your metrics for career growth, what would they be?

If I had to guess, probably 95%+ of people would tell me that their income is the way they measure their career.

There is one challenge with that.

Sure, your income can drive some behavior in a few ways.

#1. If rent is due and you don't have enough in your bank account, you are going to find a way to make more money. There have been many moments in my life where this was the case.

#2. If there is something you really, really want that is expensive... you are going to find a way to make more money. Ex: car, boat, house, private school for kids, Disney vacation (probably the most expensive thing on this list haha), and more.

Seems pretty straight forward right?

Then WHY do most people not grow their career?

If this is such an important metric... wouldn't everyone be out there soaking up every bit of knowledge to be the best in their field?

Unfortunately that is not the case.

The number one thing leaders tell me when it comes to career growth...

"I can't get my employees engaged in training" - Most Leaders

So income is important. It is a metric we should track. As we grow our career and rise to the top of our field, there are definitely monetary benefits. And sometimes if their is shiny carrot at the end of the career growth journey, we will chase it.

But is your income the only Metric that Matters? Are there other metrics that would increase our engagement in career growth?

Great question. And ESPECIALLY important this time of year when everyone is making new years resolutions.

Lets get into today's lesson.

IDENTIFY and TRACK metrics that ACTUALLY MATTER to you.

Do you know what most leaders have for their business? A dashboard with important metrics that they check weekly, daily, and sometimes even hourly.

Why is this?

I'm pretty sure it was Peter Drucker who coined the phrase "What can be measured can be improved".

Metrics give us a very clear picture of where we are at this moment today... and also give us great framework to set goals for our future self.

Here are some great metrics in addition to "income" when it comes to Career Growth:

• Job Security: With rapid changes in technology and markets, this is a great metric to track when it comes to career growth. Employers value top performers and are more likely to retain them even during challenging times. The metric would be a self-assessment of how stable you feel at your career.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Maybe you noticed that work-life balance is more of a thing, especially after Covid? Highly skilled professionals often have more flexibility in their work arrangements such as remote work options or flexible schedules.
• Confidence/Self-Worth: If you've been following this newsletter, you know that I am a HUGE believer that increased Self-worth is the biggest ROI for training. Achieving excellence in your field can lead to a strong sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction, boosting overall happiness and well-being. How many of us actually track our confidence levels though? This can be a great metric to inspire us to grow.
• Community/Social/Industry Impact: As you rise to the top of your career, you can leverage your skills and abilities to impact the greater good. From speaking, writing, podcasts, publications, volunteering, and more. I can tell you first hand, it is very motivating when someone that I've never met before sends me a message and tells me how I've positively impacted them... which in turn has inspired me to get even better at writing/speaking/presenting. This is a Fantastic metric to track.

Hopefully these spark your creativity as these are just a taste of what metrics could ACTUALLY matter to you (and the people on your team) to grow their career. I'll get even deeper into some additional metrics and strategies in my upcoming book and online community- stay tuned!

For now, lets get into action!

ACTION TIME:

1. Answer the first question in this article. How do you currently measure and track your career growth?
2. Take some time to think about what metrics ACTUALLY matter to you. If you have any fun ones, feel free to share in the comments below!
3. If you have a team, how could you help them identify the metrics that matter to them in order to get them more engaged in training?

As always, thank you for the moments today as you read through this article. I look forward to providing Fresh, actionable content week after week in order to inspire growth and learning in the workplace. Most people look at the new year as a fresh start, which is a great time to set up your baseline metrics for 2024. Feel free to leave a comment, share this article, or subscribe if you haven't already! Much Appreciation!

Your Friend,

Dan