Know Your Numbers

How many elections did you win? What was the vote count? How many new members were brought in? What was the percentage of representation cards signed? These are the numbers that will tell you how things are going. Financial leaders on television are always rattling-off numbers. They know exactly what’s going on because they make a study of it. Business measures success by profit. Companies don’t wait until the end of the year to take measurement and neither should unions. Shareholders demand information quarterly. Three months is usually enough time to know if you’re headed toward success or into the weeds. Adopt the mentality that business shares. Change course when needed. Be prepared to report the numbers to members and your supervisor when asked.