Metrics_ How to Improve Key Business Results - Martin Klubeck [58]
Do your goals include improving processes over time?
Do you have a strong project management process in place?
Is the process followed willingly by the organization?
If you can’t answer these questions in the affirmative, you may not be ready. Normally there is an inner conflict around this area for an organization. The leadership, which is the main driver of metrics, wants to improve the organization in all aspects, all at one time. This drives the organization to develop strategic plans. It seems to be a requirement for every high-level leader to have a strategic plan with a mission statement and goals.
I won’t take you through all the problems this creates for an organization incapable of organizational-wide change. Rather, I offer these questions to help you determine if you are ready. Of course, you could measure this area and determine that your artifacts (strategic plans, goals, and prioritized lists) are not working as intended. That could be useful information by itself, but as I am very fond of saying, most times you don’t need metrics to tell you what you already know.
Most times, you don’t need a metric to tell you what you already know.
I believe most organizations put together strategic plans and prioritized lists. Most even develop processes for their larger-scale efforts. Mostly because these are “the right things to do.” But unfortunately, most of these organizations aren’t actually ready for these efforts, so their earnest attempts result in few to no benefits; compounding this lost investment by creating metrics would be wasteful.
Future Health metrics require a readiness most organizations lack.
Organizational Health
The Organizational Health quadrant (Figure 6-3) is from the viewpoint of the worker.
Figure 6-3. The Answer Key, Quadrant 3
Again, we can ask some basic questions to get a feel for the readiness of this endeavor.
Do you have a rewards and recognition program?
Do you have a suggestion program for the workforce to provide inputs?
Would you describe your culture as one of mutual trust?
Does each of your workers have a professional development program?
Unlike the Future Health quadrant, Organizational Health doesn’t tend to be an early area of interest for leadership. In many organizations suffering from immaturity, leaders fear metrics based on this area. Leadership should know if the workforce is treated well and feel valued. They shouldn’t “need” metrics to inform them about this. When the “answers” aren’t known, it creates doubt and that doubt rightly worries leadership. Until there is trust within the organization, this area could be troublesome for leadership.
In most cases, leadership isn’t ready for Organizational Health metrics.
Both Organizational Health and Future Health quadrants speak directly to the “State of the Union” of the organization. In both cases, the metrics should wait until the organization is doing the right things and pleasing the customer on a steady basis. If the organization is in turmoil or suffering from immaturity, a metrics program won’t resolve the issues—to the contrary, it will probably make things worse. Starting with either of these two quadrants would be like measuring the average airspeed, altitude, and lift coefficients of a paper airplane. It is much more important to obtain better transportation before you start measuring how well a paper airplane works.
Return vs. Investment
Figure 6-4. The Answer Key, Quadrants 1 and 2
The top two quadrants (Figure 6-4) are where most organizations naturally gravitate when they embark on a metrics effort. Most leaders start with wanting to see customer satisfaction survey results. It’s the easiest measure to start with. Without fail, every time I bring up finding out how the customer feels about services or products, the first thought is always “survey.” I don’t mean this is a negative—in fact, I’m happy when this happens because it’s a very safe and logical place to start.