A Best of Barry: Why a little measuring is good. A lot, maybe not so...

Some of us are data-junkies--the more the better. Numbers, numbers, numbers, etc. Others play it by feel--this feels good, that doesn't, etc.

Even a feel "player" can benefit from data once in a while. Our world is so busy that it's impossible to see where you stand accurately with customers or general business performance. A couple of valid, real numbers you can track and learn from can make all the difference. For instance, if a manufacturer can use its customer satisfaction scores to determine if it's making progress in quality construction, that's a lot better than "feeling" things are going the right direction.

Is there one or two metrics that can help you? That's the key word--"help"--because often we reject data because it doesn't "feel" like fun. Look for the measurements that you can affect, that will help you know you're on track (or maybe need some help).

A couple of metrics may just anchor you in the sea of daily craziness, too many of them will sink the boat.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
Originally posted 11/10/10