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Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential
Issue 5.20 - May 19, 2008 - ISSN: 1551-6571

In Kevin's Own Words

Chose Your Yardstick Carefully
Make Sure You Measure What is Most Important

I used to frequently facilitate a five day workshop. As a part of the process for this workshop, we had a Thursday night dinner where all of the participants got together and celebrated the week - even though there were a few more hours of workshop remaining.

When the workshop took place near our home, my wife often attended this dinner. Participants wanted to meet her, and I had been so busy with the workshop all week that it was nice, even if there were 20 other people in the room, to have dinner with her.

One night after this event, Lori asked me what seemed to be a very strange question, "Have you spent your week with the same people I met tonight?" Not knowing why she was asking such a cryptic question, I answered, "Yes, of course, why do you ask?"

She explained. "All week you have been telling me how many things haven't gone well during this workshop; what you want to fix next time, and that you are disappointed in your performance. And then I spend an evening with a group that is laughing and telling me, almost to a person, how this is the best workshop they've ever attended. These people are excited about the prospects of going back to work and putting these ideas to work. So something doesn't seem to match up between your description, and theirs."

I looked at her, not really knowing what to say.

Then she went on, saying, "This isn't the first time I've experienced this at this dinner. You tell me all week what you want to change, but then the group is always excited, and thoroughly delighted with their experience. I think you need to recognize that there are two yardsticks that you can use to measure your performance - yours and your Customers."

She was right, of course.

I loved the work I was doing in those workshops. Yet, I was always hard on myself, recognizing the things I wanted to tweak, fix, and change to make it even better. Even though I knew people were benefiting from the workshop, and even enjoying it, that wasn’t my focus. My focus was on making the experience better in the future.

It wasn't until Lori pointed it out so insightfully that I really realized that I was measuring my performance on a yardstick of a continually expanding length.

As I thought about her advice and the metaphor of the two yardsticks in the weeks, months, and even years that followed, I realized that her advice applied to many more people than just me, and that it was actually a profound truth: 

When assessing your performance, consider both yardsticks - yours and your Customer’s.

In the story I shared, I wasn't recognizing my success. Having a high benchmark to define success helped me continue improving, but it also kept me from realizing a balanced view of the situation. I already had delighted Customers. Perhaps this is your situation, or perhaps the situation is reversed - by your yardstick things are fine, while your Customers are less than thrilled.

So where are you - and where is your organization - on the two yardsticks with your work at this moment?

The concept of the multiple yardsticks is valuable no matter what you do or who your Customer’s are. Both yardsticks are valuable, and both are necessary. Make sure to think about and recognize your results from both perspectives, and, most importantly, use both perspectives as you plan future events and your ongoing improvement.

Potential Pointer: When considering your performance, consider more than your personal perspective - you must consider the yardsticks of others as well - especially your Customers.

Your Comments: Please visit Kevin's Blog to leave your comments on this article.

Kevin

Kevin's Recommends

Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin
by Ronald M. Shapiro and Gregory Jordan

Preparation.

Most everyone I know talks about the importance of preparation. And most everyone I know also can think of times they wish they had been better prepared.

I fit into both categories. As a consultant, speaker and trainer, I talk about the importance of preparation and planning in a variety of situations. In my own experience I can recount situations where my preparation made a difference, and times when I know my results would have been better with more preparation.

It is from this perspective that I bought and read this book.

What I found was an interesting book written by a talented and very experienced guy. Shapiro has been a top lawyer and negotiator for a long time, which leads to one of the strengths of this book - captivating stories and profiles of interesting people. The profiles are designed to expand on the organizing principles of the book.

There is no rocket science here, but the authors do provide a valuable framework for thinking about preparation. I believe this framework will apply to most any situation - making the book valuable to a broad range of people.

If you are looking for an earth-shattering answer to being more prepared, you may not find it here. But you will find many reminders, a rationale and a roadmap to help you become more prepared in any situation - as an individual and as a leader.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

Your Comments: Please visit Kevin's Blog to leave your comments on this article.

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