Leaders: measure what you manage

measurement-cartoon

 

What gets measured gets managed. Drucker

A car’s dashboard offers a quick assessment of key systems: engine temperature, speedometer, odometer, fuel level, amps generated—important information that is constantly monitored and clearly stated.

Every organization should have a “dashboard”—a system that identifies and consistently measures key indicators of health and growth.

What does your organization’s dashboard include?

For-profit organizations are better at tracking key indicators than non-profit organizations. Non-profits often rationalize their lack of monitoring by thinking, “The mission of our organization is too ethereal to track; we deal with intangibles that can’t be expressed using numbers.” That’s a lame excuse. Every organization can identify key metrics that are quantifiable.

Metrics not only benefit  organizations; they are also advantageous for individuals. Track your finances using a budget (Quicken software is an easy system to use). Track how often you exercise. Weigh yourself every day and try to stay within five pounds (+ or -) of your ideal weight. Keep a record of how many books you read. Track how many social encounters you have each week.

It’s difficult to manage something unless you measure it.

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