Are you measuring what matters?
It is amazing to me how much interaction I get on Instagram when I post my Orangetheory (OTF) workout results. It’s just a simple screenshot of my metrics after I’m done, and I’m really not one to brag about how often I work out. I can’t go more than a week in real life though, without someone asking me what I think of the workouts or telling me that I’ve inspired them to get off their butt and do something themselves. OTF doesn’t owe me a commission yet, but it’s getting close…
Inevitably, those curious about OTF ask me this question:
How much weight have you lost?
And I have to tell them that I haven’t lost any. Absolutely none. Zero. Zilch. Nada…
I’m as surprised as you are. You’d figure six months of regular high-intensity exercise without a corresponding increase in caloric consumption would result in that number on the scale coming down a bit, right? I look and feel better. My clothes fit differently. It would be a safe assumption that I would weigh less by now, but it’s just not the case. I do, however, think it begs the question. Does it matter? Weight is just one indicator of health. It’s not the only one, and it's certainly not the most insightful.
Similarly, there are indicators of business health that aren't revenue related. You'll notice them long before the dollars are posted if you're looking. Sales calls made, sales calls received, brand recognition, appointments and meetings secured, pipeline value, just to name a few.
It’s easy to get hung up on that dollar amount though. It’s the most visible, and at the end of the day, and it’s the one that counts the most. It can't be the only thing you look at though. It can throw you off the scent of other really valuable measures of the health of your business.
I have a client that’s been breaking into a new market for a couple of years. They’re behind the pace they had set for themselves at the outset, and it's wearing on them. After sitting with them in some strategy sessions this week, I noticed something that few, if any, of the others in the room recognized. They’re getting the attention of their dream clients now, and having conversations they couldn’t even sniff a year ago. They're making tremendous progress without even realizing it. The revenues may not be what they had in mind, but the activities that will lead to revenue are pointing in a very positive direction.
I know what you're thinking. We can discuss at length how important dollars are, and I won't argue with you. However, too many times, the focus on revenue alone blinds the processes that create it, as well as the necessary milestones that need to be hit along the way.
If your revenue is not meeting expectations, then you have to dig into why it isn't. You need to look at the other indicators. You need to measure different things. You need to remember what you're trying to accomplish.
You have to determine whether or not you're on the right path, not just whether or not you've arrived.
I didn’t start my fitness routine to lose weight, but I did want to get healthier. My resting heart rate is down, and my heart rate variability numbers look really good. I also know that my heart recovers very quickly between intervals. While this makes their workout objectives more difficult to attain, it's a very good indicator of cardiovascular health, which is what I set out to accomplish in the first place. I can tell you that my clothes fit better, I have more energy, I feel really good, and I actually think I look younger in my fortieth year than I did at thirty.
No, my weight is not down, and I don't really care because all of the other data shows that either it will be soon, or that it doesn't need to be at all. If weight loss were my sole focus, I would have given up by now. Instead, I'm paying attention to factors that ultimately have a more profound impact on my overall goal, and I have a new perspective.
Good results rarely yield a good process. Yet a good process will consistently yield good results. What are your process and your metrics telling you about what your results should be? Or are you looking at it the wrong way?
Here's my challenge to you as you go back and look at last quarter’s results. Were they what you expected them to be? If you dig a little deeper, are the indicators there to show you that you're on the right track? Could there be indicators that show that you may not have the right objectives at all?
Growing a business requires a pragmatic approach. Ask the right questions, even if they're the tough ones.
Jeff Bajorek
Real. Authentic. Experience.
There’s a big difference between knowing how to sell and being able to. Jeff Bajorek spent over a decade in the field as a top performer. He’s been in your shoes. He knows what it will take. He can help you succeed.
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