The Right Stuff
He is one of the most brilliant and trusted executives of a large global organization. When "the wheels are coming off", he is the one who is called in to identify and fix the problem. This leader has years of experience that has led to his reputation of being the go-to guy within his division. When I asked him what the most common problem he has encountered through the years was, he replied, "People don't know how to measure the right stuff". He continued, "When you measure metrics that don't matter, you get irrelevant data. This means that you can't predict outcomes or produce consistency within your organization".
Many times we measure things just to say that we measured it. My executive friend explains, "You can measure how many times a quarterback touches the football in the game but that may not have any relevance to winning the game." While metrics are essential for success in any organization, learning what to measure is just as important.
Take a minute to think about your personal life. Identifying what is important to those we care about allows us to focus on their needs and understand their desires. When we assume that we are investing in a relationship without taking the time to learn about that person, we are fooling ourselves. Self-centered thinking will ultimately lead to broken relationships.
In our personal or professional lives, knowing what to measure gives us the ability to adjust and target the things that really matter. Choose to measure the right stuff and you will make a difference!
