The higher you go in leadership

The higher up you go in leadership the more you are accountable for outcomes not activities.

The most common way we measure progress is activities.

Occasionally we measure progress by outputs.

When you are an individual contributor or newer manager this is the default.

It’s what you put on your performance reviews and resumes. It’s often the primary way you are held accountable. How many hours billed, how many story points delivered, how many commits, how many presentations, etc.

But the higher up you go in leadership, the more the focus shifts to outcomes. It has to.

The VP, CIO or Executive Director can’t measure performance based activities or outputs.

So, if you want to be promoted to VP, CxO or Director

Or if you want your budget to be approved by a VP, CxO or Director

Or if you want to sell a service or product to a VP, CxO or Director.

Then you better start thinking and talking in outcomes.

Speak the language that will help them hit their goals.

I’m here,

Sawyer

from ​The Data Shop​