Many of you know by now that I grew up as a geographer/programmer. Like your career, I started by doing things instead of thinking of things. Code this feature. Make this map. You get it.
Let’s say I then morphed into a product guy which was the most fun I could ever imagine. I did well at that and still believe that my product development skills are the core of my superpowers.
But, at some point I again morphed and this time it was as the “business guy”. Now, some of you started this way, some of you are heading this way and some of you already are this guy.
One day, my boss’s boss asked me a simple question, “walk me through your P&L”. I responded, “let me go get the last report”. He responded, “no, do it off the top of your head”. Point taken.
Every great leader knows their numbers and can recite them with a moment’s notice.
Knowing your numbers is a fundamental skill that signals your employees, partners, vendors, and investors that you are on your game.