EVEN IF IT CAN'T BE MEASURED, IT STILL MATTERS

When did we become so measurement centric, that we have forgotten that there are so many things that aren't explainable, yet we accept their magnificence and so many inventions, novels, symphonies etc. that came from dreams.  

So why do we spend most of our efforts trying to metric, measure and KPI the world, and spend very little time on developing creativity, visioning and expanding our thoughts, that could change the corporation and on a grander scheme, potentially the world!

You are probably thinking, that someone with a science and business background with a speciality in Logistics and Supply Chain, where everything is prone to measurement, now espousing the esoteric is a heretic in the field. Personally, I like to believe that this approach would take us to the next level of conscious thought and creativity from whence amazing things can be realized.

I did not discover relativity by rational thinking alone

&

Imagination is more important than knowledge

...Albert Einstein

Even one of the most prolific scientific thinkers in our history, accepted that there are things that are not explainable, and yet we keep on the "if it can't be measured, it doesn't matter" continuum.

Rene Descartes, one of the original rational thinkers from the 1500's said "I think, therefore I am."

But what about how we feel? Isn't it equally true that because we have emotions and "feel" is what defines us? Have you ever tried to measure your feelings? Have you tried to put loving someone of a scale, benchmark it against others who are in love and then put an improvement plan in place? I certainly hope not!!

Feelings aren't measurable, and sometimes they are rational and sometimes not so much. I come from the school of gut feel and I feel therefore I am philosophy.

What about the joy and wonderment of watching your children grow? Watching their wonderment of the world around them? Their questioning of everything and their amazement at the movements of an ant, to the sky being blue is something we lose when we try to put it into a box of measurements.

Can you truly measure a corporate culture? Oh, yes, I know, you are thinking well there are awards for the best corporate culture, so, yeh, there must be a measure. Personally, I think it is a randomly made up metric, because some of the companies that end up in those lists, well I have had experience with them and I wouldn't put them anywhere near the top, yet, they know how to manipulate the statistics and lo and behold, they come out on top.

But if you do have a wonderful corporate culture, that inspires the inhabitants of the corporation to reach, then inevitably you can measure it -- on the bottom-line. Just take Southwest Airlines as an example.

As we've become more metric driven and report all the time on performance measures, we have lost the ability, nay, the opportunity to create. We are so mired down with the report, report, report mentality, that we miss the opportunity to risk, to attempt, to develop something which may result in our leap-frogging the competition and perhaps of the very survival of our business, and dare I say our planet?

Companies like to benchmark against best practices and then play follow-the-leader. But how about considering what's "best-for-you" not what others have done. Is it because you feel then you cannot measure against anyone? Well, the most successful organizations didn't benchmark, they dreamed, created and put their plans into reality. Imagine Henry Ford saying, well where is the best practice in this arena. Or Steve Jobs? Or Bill Gates?

I have also seen where measurements can drive the wrong behaviour and that is particularly apparent in the Procurement arena. The ongoing push for cost savings, without consideration of the resultant impact is unconscionable. Note that none of the teams I have led have ever not made their targets, but they did it in creative ways, not just focusing on price, but on quality, delivery and developing some innovative programs. (Read one of my blog entries on this by clicking here)

Think about your own organization. How much time do you spend on the numbers? First creating them   on multiple Excel spreadsheet...things like monthly, quarterly reports; then presenting them; and finally defending/explaining them. And then think about how much time you spend brainstorming about the possibilities, the next wave, the next grand idea? 

Don't get me wrong. I haven't gone totally to the other side. I think metrics and  benchmarking are very important, but equally important are free-wheeling thought and creativity.