Defining the metric People get very excited about metrics; they spend hours debating exceptions and accuracy. The definition becomes everything. Imagine the conversation: My Boss: You take too long to get to work in the morning; we must measure performance. What should the target be? Me: I’m not sure; there are several things we should […]
Which Is Most Important, Perception or Performance?
Perceived performance Perception is reality. If you are perceived to be something, you might as well be it because that’s the truth in people’s minds. Steve Young For those who believe that perception is reality, performance isn’t important, but perceived performance is everything. There are three ways to improve perceived performance: 1. Distort the data […]
Everybody Cheats
Who can you trust? When I was a small boy, the most exciting thing in the world was a day trip to London with my father. I was brought up in a field in deepest Yorkshire. The big smoke was amazing. It had museums, skyscrapers, underground trains, toy shops, galleries and ice cream. Best of […]
The Proxy for Performance
Did you hit your numbers? It is a common challenge. You must make your numbers. You must smash your sales target You must slash your budget You must decimate your waiting times If you’ve hit your numbers then you’ve met your performance goals. Numbers and performance are synonymous. But the numbers are only a proxy […]
Snakes, Rats and Your H.R. Policies
Have you heard of the Cobra Effect? In Victorian times, at the height of the British Empire, the governors of Colonial India were very worried about the number of cobras in Delhi — no self-respecting bureaucrat has a liking of venomous snakes. The governors came up with a plan. They offered a reward for every […]