CLARITY THROUGH METRICS
Coach Dan discusses metrics in the business environment. He also describes how clarity can help you set solid metrics.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard the word metrics being tossed around I would be rich. Ok, I’m on my simplicity kick again but depending who you listen to, defining metrics can be akin to the scientific formula for the origins of the universe. Keep it simple my business friends. Metrics can be a number of things including goals; expectations and simply defining the difference between an average job, a good job and a great job. A metric helps us define accountability in what we do. And, once we know what accountability is, we can define consequence (good and bad) and reward or reprimand someone on the metrics that are the basis of performance.
Metrics are the pathway for us to find out what good looks like in our business. Let’s take this example of three types of people, the ones living in poverty, the others in the middle class and those who are very rich. Each one is defined by a certain set of metrics that can include what our government says they are. But each group also has their own set of metrics that clearly defines their own metrics for classification. One group may go to bed hungry every night, the other argues what kind of caviar they will have for dinner.
As an entrepreneur or a manager of a startup business, you can’t ask or expect people to excel unless they clearly understand how their success will be measured. Let me give you a story of an interaction I had with a client. For several years his sales staff was on a fixed salary. They did not have any performance goals except to show up for work and sell something. And, when they didn’t sell something he would yell at them! So we began to talk about the logical benefits of a commission program that was very specifically pegged to meeting and exceeding goals. This led to a period of hair pulling and gnashing of teeth. How dare the business owner to ask the sales staff to be held accountable to specific numbers. How dare him!
Ironically, one of the biggest curmudgeons of the group figured out the value of reward based on metrics and before long this guy was knocking down some considerable NEW income. Long story short, it wasn’t then long before everybody was on the band wagon and the following sales and business growth was nothing short of phenomenal.
A metric can be anything really. A metric can be a very specific number, or a very specific goal, or a very specific expectation! But it must be specific and it must be written.
Metrics are ultimately very important in both our business lives and also in our personal life. In my case, I have made it a discipline to establish my business/personal metrics for the next day every night before going to bet. Part of that “time management plan” is to focus on establishing 5 “prospect” meetings a week. When I can achieve my goal, I will have 20 meetings every month, making me one of the highest performing business coaches in my business. This is what I strive for and every night before I go to bed, I set up my metrics for the next day and the next week. And, I focus on what I set and I accomplish it.
One of the great and universal keys to success is disciplining yourself to always strive for clarity in specifically what it is that success looks like for each and every task. Clarifying the gray and fuzzy edges, establishing absolute purity in your vision of any task or goal is the secret! The different from the average and the great today is in the understanding of that one principle. Always look for clarity and eliminate any randomness from your personal or business life. If you don’t expect a lifetime of wasted time and frustration! Yes, it could be that bad!
So, happy tomorrow! Don’t be afraid of clarity through metrics. You can start today, it’s never to late! If you might need some help with this, write or call me, it’s what I do and I’m open for business.
Be Great!
Coach Dan.