The measurement or the measured.

I've thought a a lot recently about metrics.  I've heard the phrase, if it can't be measured it isn't worth doing. While I don't disagree what I have found is, when you focus only on the measurement the important thing we are measuring is lost.

The activity matters more than the measurement. The measurement should reflect the activity and provide meaningful insight.  Rather too often we just focus on the measurement because it is easier. There are so many things to measure.  Technology allows us to measure more and more each day.  We have so much data that we don't even know where to begin or what we are actually measuring. Meanwhile managers get smarter on manipulating the measurement, so that the measurement becomes meaningless. We are measuring how well managers can manipulate the measurement process not how well the manage the process.

As leaders we should focus instead on what measurements are important and ensuring we communicate this to our management teams. The value of the measurement is in assessing the efficacy of the process. We have to allow our managers the ability to report bad metrics free of fear, confident that leadership will help address the underlying process issues. Otherwise we are lying to ourselves and worse creating am environment where we encourage our managers to become dishonest.

When we focus on putting the right people in the right place with the right process and the ability to react the measurement takes care of itself.