Are you measuring what matters or are you just measuring?

During the month of October, I had the opportunity to attend two industry conferences (I know many of you all may have done the same). As was typical, the conferences were filled with great sessions and the opportunity to network. I am always intrigued by the topics that are presented and the results that are showcased by those that present. It's on this topic that I was left a little perplexed and it got me pondering.

Here is what I saw: great presentations by health systems of processes implemented (at times even co-presented by their partners that assisted in the implementation) and the need for other organizations to do the same. However, there were consistent and glaring gaps in the presentations that were being shown...no results or even measurements that were being targeted.

This of course got me thinking...why? If they are presenting on the topic, it has to be an important focus to the system, right? If it's an important focus of the health system, it should be attached to a goal, right? If it is a key goal, it has to have a measurement to understand if it's being met, right? I would sure hope so but it sure left me wondering and brings me to this.

1. Measure what Matters...even when the results are not what you are hoping for them to be. Leadership and transparency isn't just when goals and outcomes are being met. I would actually argue that leadership and transparency are most important when goals are not being met. Your team who wants to achieve results and is completing the day to day work, wants to know how they are doing, how they are making an impact and the delta they have to close.
2. Measure the few...measures that are in alignment with your goals. I work with organizations and typically see two things...a dashboard that is lacking or not present or a dashboard that has tons of measures and the team is fatigued from looking at it. Sit down with your team, share the goals you all are striving to achieve together and choose the measures with them so they understand the why behind them and how their work is directly impacting the outcomes.
3. Define the measures...and the source from which the results will come. This is often overlooked by many and then data dis-trust creeps in and you have lost the team. Be detailed in this exercise and let it be available to everyone. Ensure these questions are answered at a minimum: 1) what is being measured?, 2)how is it being calculated?, 3)From where is the data coming?, 4)how frequently is it being updated?
4. Review key measures regularly...your goals change and so should your teams measures. Don't adjust these in a management silo. Include your team as they are the ones that bring success.

Data is everywhere and we are often buried in it. Be different. Choose wisely and share your results whether good or bad. If you don't want to share your results then was it important anyway?