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Organizational Results: Measure Things That Matter

Nov 22, 2009
Organizational Results

Kendall L. Stewart, M.D.

Everyone wants to achieve great results—so long as the process for producing those results is easy, simple, quick and fun. Predictably, achieving goals that mean something involves more than that. And meaningful performance and outcome indicators are not that easy to find. Most successful leaders invest considerable energy over a period of time in finding and deploying the best indicators.

1. Get a small group of committed and knowledgeable leaders together. At this early stage, there is no point in talking with colleagues who believe measuring performance is a waste of time. Select people who care and who are knowledgeable about the processes involved for this critical first step.

2. Brainstorm a list of possible indicators. Invite your group of diehards to suggest every possible measurement they can. This is not the time to be critical. Just get the ideas flowing.

3. Winnow the list by subjecting each proposed indicator to some hard questions. Will the stakeholders agree that this metric matters? Does the measure involved data you are already collecting or can retrieve reliably without a huge additional investment of time and energy? Are comparative data available? Can the process owners make a difference in this indicator? Will people feel proud when they have achieved the goal?

How do you go about measuring things that matter?

4 Comments
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4 Comments

  1. Kendall L. Stewart  •  Nov 22, 2009 @4:59 pm

    I have been impressed with how hard it is to identify good, solid indicators.
    My experience is that one must select an indicator and follow it for a time to figure out what might a better one.
    This process evolves a bit quicker when some regulatory body demands public reporting of certain indicators.

  2. Vicki Noel  •  Nov 22, 2009 @6:42 pm

    I think another strategy that can be used (especially for those indicators that are not required by regulatory bodies) is to study the best performing organizations in the area of measure. For example, for employee relationship measures…who are the best performing organizations according to different “evidence-based” measurement sources (i.e. Baldrige National Quality Award, Magnet Designation, FORTUNE’s 100 Best Places to Work, MODERN HEALTHCARE’s 100 Best Hospitals, etc.), what are they measuring, and how are they performing compared to our performance. Of course one glove doesn’t fit each hand. Potential indicators have to measure something of value to your organiztaion and indicate whether or not you are improving on a measure that matters.

  3. Kendall L. Stewart  •  Nov 22, 2009 @10:07 pm

    I agree that choosing indicators that are being following by other high-performing organizations gives the measure instant credibility.

  4. Leeann Sammons  •  Nov 23, 2009 @11:46 pm

    Examining key organization processes is another jumping point to identify measures that matter.

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