6 Reasons Professionals Measure Performance

Monday, January 19, 2009

If you spend any time watching sports on a professional level, you’re keenly aware that the biggest difference between pro and recreational teams (outside of talent) is that they measure everything. And I do mean everything!   Why?  Professionals know that without measurement there is no way for them to assess and predict performance of a team or an individual.

Without exception, measuring systems exists in every sport. But let’s take baseball as an example.  Here are some of the things baseball professionals measure:

Bbstat
 
On-Base Percentage (OBS):  the number of times a player reaches base divided by total plate appearances.

Batting Average (BA):  the number of hits a player gets divided by “at bats.”

Slugging Percentage (SLG):  the number of total bases divided by “at bats.”   This is a little more difficult to explain—there is a formula for this if you care to research it more.

Earned Run Average (ERA):  approximately the number of runs allowed per nine innings.

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (K/9i),  Strikeouts per Walk (K/BB), Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched (WHIP), Opponent On-Base plus Slugging  Percentage (OOPS), etc.

Here is my favorite:  SLOB (Slugging % x On-Base %).   Or course this has a double meaning—it is said to also describe those who sit around and think about baseball statistics!

There are at least 90 commonly used statistics (and yes, they all have acronyms) in baseball.  This may all sound a bit ridiculous, but exceptionally talented and deeply competitive baseball professionals enjoy this level of scrutiny. It compels them to practice, find patterns, find weaknesses and improve. 

Here are the top 6 reasons that professionals depend upon measurement:

  1. They can’t set goals without it.
  2. They can’t measure progress without it.
  3. They can’t forecast results without it.
  4. They can’t compare performance without it.
  5. They can’t assess changes and fix problems without it.
  6. They certainly can’t beat the competition without it.

Let me ask you a question, and I encourage to answer honestly:  Do you approach your work as a professional or as an amateur?  

Professionals measure, and amateurs typically “fly by the seat of their pants.”