What do you measure in your organization? When it comes to measurement, there are a few simple rules that will help make them more useful.
1. Measure the stuff that matters. You went through all the work of setting goals and priorities. You had a big production about announcing what the organization was going to accomplish this year. Show people you are serious. Track progress. This reinforces that which is most important. It also helps people know how they are doing.
2. Respond to the measures. There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing charts on a wall that show trend lines that nobody looks at or does anything about. If you’ve made the effort to do the measurement, there’s got to be a clear understanding about how you will use the data. If you have no intention of doing anything in response to the measures, then don’t waste your time collecting data and producing charts.
3. Don’t measure stuff that you don’t care about. This takes time and energy. It sends a confusing message about what is and isn’t important. It creates clutter that can cause a team or organization to lose its focus.
Measurements are an important part of any management system. Make sure yours are working for you and not against you.
