Of Statistics and Objectives

I'm a big statistics guy when it comes to sports. It's just plain fun. As a function of helping to keep things in proper context stats - if interpreted properly - are useful if not important. However, stats should not be the only factor to rely upon. It does have its limits.

Stats do not consider many things outside the realm of numerics. It doesn't consider the character of an athlete. It doesn't remotely suggest how a player arrives to certain stats. What we see are the final stats but we never get a sense on how the numbers were within their own teams. In a sense, one can read history and never get a sense of it. History is about people who make the events. My point is that stats are just one step in a multiple step process in comprehending the totality of a club or athlete. 'The stats say" or "look at the stats" are just for those who want to get a single, self-serving point across.

In the business world stats are known as objectives. Every employee has them. "These are your targets" now go forth and multiply! So says the manager. The funny thing about objectives is that it's very similar to statistics.

The star of the office is always the best salesperson. Why? Well, they meet their objectives. Just like a 50-goals scorer, or a QB who throws for over 25 TD's or a .300 hitter in baseball, it's a measure to stand alone and top of your peers. Setting standards and goals are an important element in attaining excellence. Objectives are, well, good.

The problem comes when we turn a blind eye as to how a person reaches those stats and objectives. In sports, they cheat. In business they cheat. Both bring to mind the very essence of a person's character. In some way, the numbers disguise the process of achievement.

Many times the best person in the office is very far from it. Many are, well, jerks. In fact, many are downright despicable and ignorant. In the financial services industry, they are the chosen and protected ones. No matter how much trouble they get into (for example, not considering a client's interest first) management always shields them. The reason is straightforward - The big producer means more dollars.

In sports today the numbers are put into an athlete's contract. What this has done is make the stats paramount in negotiations. Character is secondary. How to measure integrity anyway? Sure, insiders keep a personal internal tab of this but we don't value it, as we should. The person of character is always the first to be thrown to the wolves. Not the big producer.

Objectives are fine. So are stats. We should, however, learn to scratch a little deeper. Sometimes we find truth.