THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Attitude

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. ” - Maya Angelou

TOPIC OF THE DAY

Measurement Traps

Measuring performance can cut both ways. It can play a valuable role in improving organizations - or it can stand in the way of necessary change. Used effectively, measurement can provide vital feedback that shows whether approaches being used are moving the organization toward its goals. It can assess whether staff training, teamwork, empowerment, process improvement, re-engineering or other trendy ideas are producing real results. But it can also cut into organization morale, slash team effectiveness and wound quality improvement efforts. Here are four of the most common measurement traps I see in organizations: Managing results. The bottom line is history. It shows today's consequences of yesterday's management decisions, but is an unreliable predictor of how today's decisions will affect tomorrow's results. Results can't be managed any more than you can turn back time. Like a score, they form a historical record of how you did. In competitive sports you improve your score by improving your play in key strategic areas. Improvement starts by identifying and measuring the critical few service or product production processes and support systems that have the biggest impact on your results. But if you're driving through the rear-view mirror of bottom-line results, you won't see the swamp until you are sinking in it.
Inside-out measurement. Too many measures are designed to meet internal needs. They may satisfy management's command-and-control paranoia by tracking every activity and minute of the day. Or they're designed to serve accounting, information technology, human resources or other support departments.

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LATEST ARRIVALS

Introduction to Management Science(9th Edition) by Bernard W. Taylor