Beyond Performance: Track Your Impact

One of the outcomes I desire for those who use my new career planning and management resource The New You @Work is to see their career as having contributed great value. To do so, one must see what's done at work beyond performance.

We all have a narrative associated with our work. The narrative is the story we tell ourselves about what we're doing. What is the story you are telling yourself? Is it just work or is it much more? I suggest it is much more!

Think of the work you do from these points of view:

• influencing (which includes untitled formal leadership)
• impact
• ripple effect - both short and long term.

Now, I recommend you start a log of some kind. For those who know me and my work, I am a big fan of writing by hand because of the neuroscience behind it.

Tracking and documenting - in these specific ways - what you do is not only of value for your resume, but better positioning for increased pay, and for your work and self-esteem. We all need to see what we do beyond performance. Seeing it only in this way I believe diminishes its value.

Everyday you choose to contribute your personal "human resources" to your role. That's a big deal! Don't let anyone undervalue that!

I spoke about career power in a previous e-coach... tracking what you do from these 3 points of view is a practical way of cultivating your sense of career power - your unique value - first in your mind, but also when you describe what you do to others.

Remember, what narrative you tell yourself is how you'll share it with others.

The Story of 3 Bricklayers

The story of three bricklayers is a parable with many different variations but is rooted in an authentic story. After the Great Fire of 1666 that leveled London, the world’s most famous architect, Christopher Wren, was commissioned to rebuild St. Paul’s Cathedral.

One day in 1671, Christopher Wren observed three bricklayers on a scaffold, one crouched, one half-standing, and one standing tall, working very hard and fast.

To the first bricklayer, Christopher Wren asked the question, “What are you doing?” to which the bricklayer replied, “I’m a bricklayer. I’m working hard laying bricks to feed my family.”

The second bricklayer, responded, “I’m a builder. I’m building a wall.” But the third bricklayer, the most productive of the three and the future leader of the group, when asked the question, “What are you doing?” replied with a gleam in his eye:

“I’m a cathedral builder. I’m building a great cathedral to The Almighty.”

What's your work story? How do you describe it to yourself? How do you describe it to others? The resources listed below can help you cultivate your story.

The Performance Tracker is a weekly layout of all the activity needed to track your impact and performance. The Real You @Work has a section on tracking your impact and ripple effect across an entire enterprise starting with one single behavior. It's amazing! Get The Performance Tracker on Amazon.

The Real You @Work: Get The Real You @Work on Amazon. It's also free for a limited time to subscribers, which you can access here.