Do You Measure Up?

We have all heard the phrase, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”. But how many of us actually take it to heart? How important is measurement in your business? If you are a business owner, it ought to be paramount. How else will you be able to determine where and when you make changes, or what strategy to take? Gut feel? I hope not. It is true, that some people have a great feel for business. But let’s be honest, it probably is not you! We all get that good feeling when the big check comes in, or the big order, or we close a deal that makes us do our happy dance. But feelings come and go, and the happy dance feeling is sometimes replaced with that other “gut feeling” when our quarterly review with the accountant comes around. Emotions are fickle, facts are not. If you are interested in and dedicated to being successful, you need to find out what activities actually lead to success. What did you say that made the prospect buy? Why did your customer place a big order, but never come back? What changed to make your reject rate skyrocket? Why are you busier in the summer than the fall? Why do some employees stay, and others go? These are all questions that have real answers to them. Do you know what they are? What if you did? What difference would that make? Measurement is not hard, it is just difficult. It takes discipline to document, mark a tick sheet, ask questions, send out surveys, do time studies, etc. But discipline is the core of any successful business – at least any long-term success. Did you hear that? Discipline is the core of long-term success. As a business owner, as a sales rep, as a parent, as a student…. The list goes on and on. Discipline is needed to measure your activities and results, otherwise, you are just rolling the dice and hoping it comes up favorably. You wouldn’t treat your stock portfolio that way (I hope). Or your retirement account. Do you give your money to the broker and walk away and just wait until your 62 and ask “How much do I have?” Is that what you are doing with your business? With your life? Prove to me your success! Prove it to an impartial, non-interested party. If you can’t, you had better figure out what’s important, and start measuring it.