Hey Champs!

Our streak was almost lost. 😅 I’m not gonna lie—travel can make you completely lose track of what day it is. But in an act of absolute desperation, I woke up this morning, and it hit me: “Oh my goodness, I didn’t send out a newsletter!” So here you are, getting a Saturday morning tip. ☀️

And today’s tip? I’m pulling this one straight from my Thinking Out Loud archives—which, long story short, is a bank of voice notes I create and never publish. 📲 I probably have like 50 of those just sitting there at any given time. Today’s topic dives back into data and goal setting, which feels timely because, let’s be real, it’s goal-setting season for a lot of us right now. Listen here or click the audio note below to play.

Here’s the thing: For most of us, the reason we’re not hitting our goals is because we haven’t focused on our inputs. If we try to make the outcome the goal without understanding the steps that lead us there, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.

Even in my own business, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. Growth (the outcome) is a direct result of the inputs—what I do, how consistently I do it, and the quality I bring to it (another reason why today’s newsletter was a must). But here’s the kicker: Consistency comes first.

Consistency > Quality (at least to start!)

When we focus too much on quality right out the gate, it leads to overthinking. We might pour all our energy into creating one thing of extreme quality, but if it only gets OK results, we feel frustrated. When we aren’t consistent, we’re constantly restarting the wheel, and every sporadic attempt leaves us stuck at the same level of engagement. Consistency is what gives us the permission to make mistakes—and learn from them. 🌀

Your Goal: Define the Inputs & Lock in Consistency

So, as you head into planning season, keep this in mind: The results you’re looking for are in the inputs you haven’t defined yet. 📊 That’s why I’m urging you to:

1️⃣ Clarify the inputs for each role. What exactly are the day-to-day or month-to-month actions expected from your team members?

2️⃣ Quantify the input goals. For example, for Communications Leads the input goal I recommend is posting 12 times per month. 

Interestingly enough (a bit of an off-script tangent) I talk to a lot of PMs that approach this SO backwards. they’ll basically “I define the outcome goal and the leads can figure out the how or input goal.” This is a lazy approach in my opinion. A sports team coach doesn’t just tell the team to “win the game” and leave it to them on the how. Each player has a role in each “play.” In my experience ERG Leaders often want more guidance anyway.

Push for Quality Once Quantity Is Nailed

Once you’ve locked in consistency, then it’s time to raise the bar on quality. That’s where you come in as a leader—providing feedback and sharing what you’ve noticed:

🔍 What types of (insert input) are performing best?

🔍 Where are the gaps or opportunities to improve?

🔍 How can we tweak the delivery to better resonate with our members?

Bonus Tip: If you’re an ERG Lead reading this, take a moment to go back and inventory your efforts. What have you done so far? Where have you hit your stride? Where do you need to adjust? Use Q4 to reset, refocus, and refine your inputs.

✌🏾 Until next time,

The ERG Homegirl

That’s it for this week! 🙌🏿

Weeks of consistent newsletters: 21 🎊