Metrics_ How to Improve Key Business Results - Martin Klubeck [140]
This causes problems because this expectation—that you can use other organizations' metrics—makes finding your organization's root questions much more difficult. It makes sense. If there were actually one-size-fits-all metrics, or at least existing metrics that you could just “borrow,” then
You could use someone else's root questions and You wouldn't need to elicit requirements or gather inputs No focus groups
No interviews
No questionnaires
You wouldn't need to break the root question down into its components to ensure understanding and that you've reached a true root need No “five whys”
No facilitation
No consulting
You could use existing metric development plans. Actually, you wouldn't need a development plan because you wouldn't have to develop any metrics. You would just use ones already created and documented by someone else.
You wouldn't need to bother leadership, management, or the workforce to develop your metrics program.
Of course, you will need to have the same collection, analysis, and reporting tools. You will also have to have the same (exact) processes and procedures. You will also have to provide/deliver the same services and products. You will have to have the same environmental factors affecting your organization. This would be, of course, virtually impossible.
Your organization is unique. You are unique. You have to embrace your uniqueness to be successful.
You have to embrace your uniqueness to be successful.
I don't mean that you can't benefit from the work of others. But when leadership tasks you to find “benchmarks” and to research what your peers/ competitors are doing—it's not to become wiser. It's to save time and money. It's to avoid the hard work required to develop a metrics program.
There are no shortcuts—that work.
There are tons of ways to get things done much faster. You can find many shortcuts. You can skip many of the steps I've offered. You can (and likely will) fall off that narrow ledge you've been crawling on because of the shortcut.
In the center (socially, if not geographically) of the university where I work, there is a student center with four different eateries. It would be ludicrous for the managers of these to ignore what makes each unique. The reason four different food providers can thrive in the same building (go to your nearest mall) is mostly because of their differences, not the things they have in common.
Your organization has the chance to be exceptional because of the things that make it unique, not the things that it has in common with others. These unique factors are critical to your success. They can be strengths or weaknesses. The first step is to embrace these unique factors. They will not only affect your success, but they will also be a major player in your metrics program.
Questions Simplified
When looking at a metrics program (besides using the tools I offered in the development plan), you must answer five simple questions: Why, What, When, Who, and How.
Why
Why are you doing metrics? Why are you doing a specific metric?
“Why” leads us to the root question. Your whys might be, and should be, unique. Others won't have the same needs you do. Unless another organization is in the same business, in the same market, and battling the same challenges, chances are, while your whys may be similar, they won't be the same.
What
What are you doing? What are your goals? What are you measuring?
If you are lucky enough to actually find another organization that has the same “whys,” you may still decide to handle them differently. If you and a peer have the same problems, how will you decide to solve those issues? Will you wait and do whatever your peer does? Or will you want to create your own solutions? Even looking at two businesses that