There’s an old leadership adage – what gets measured gets done; in fact, I have long advocated an extended version – what gets measured and publicized gets acted on – which I blogged about back in November 2010. Recently, I, at a personal level, became a living breathing example of this leadership principle of performance measurement in action.
This is what I posted to my friends and family on my personal Facebook page on June 2 earlier this month:
Exactly one year ago today, June 2 2013, I weighed 33 lbs more than I do today! Many of you have asked me HOW I achieved this. Just plain ol’ simple math. Output greater than input every single day, that’s it! Plus tracking help from my Fitbit and the associated app.
Those of you who have ever tried to lose weight know that it can be a very challenging effort. In fact, I found this goal to be FAR FAR harder than any business goal I’ve ever tried to achieve. But it was because I measured – steps walked every day, flights of stairs climbed, calories burned, calories eaten, weekly weight checks – that I was motivated to keep going. Now granted, technology makes it a lot easier to keep track (that little Fitbit and its associated app are awesome!), but it was because I measured and publicized (within my Fitbit circle of friends) that I achieved this major milestone.
So what’s the message here for leaders? Set targets and track your progress towards them. Publicize the results to your team, regularly, and when it’s warranted, with fanfare and flourish. What is measured and publicized gets acted on!
Do you have performance metrics that you track and publicize? If not, why? And if you do, tell us what they are please.
P.S. I’ve posted an “after” photo of myself taken on June 2, 2014. Yes, there is a “before” photo, but that’s staying under wraps; I’m not posting that one on my blog!!! But … if you must, just imagine this photo, 33 lbs heavier!