Don't set a goal without establishing a means to measure it. That's a basic axiom; however, what and how you measure are equally important. A tavern owner told his accountant that he could tell how the previous night fared simply by looking in the recycling bin. He used empty bottles as his measurement. While it may have worked, it was, by no means, foolproof. His bartender may have given away too many "on the house."

When developing your metrics, be certain they're specifically focused. The tavern owner had a great system to measure empty bottles, not revenue. Your metrics must also generate enough useful and relevant data and provide clear results that indicate the necessary course of action. Like any survey, your sample has to be large enough to warrant the conclusion. And your metrics must generate data on a timely basis. Last month's sales figures or last week's output report might be too outdated for you to make a sound decision. Make certain your metric of choice provides the information when you need it, and that just might mean getting it in real time.

Here are a few common pitfalls to avoid when developing your metric:

·         Inability to collect enough or truly accurate data.

·         Creating accurate measurements that result in altered behavior to reach the goal. (For

      instance, cranking up the speed is useless if it means the waste bin is now

      overflowing.)

·         Having too many metrics. (Time and resources are wasted actually measuring and

      tracking.)

·         Developing complex metrics that can't be easily understood.