Measure What Matters: A Simple New Year's

Happy New Year!! I hope you are having a great start into 2025.

I was thinking about something I wrote a while back, and it feels super relevant for the start of a new year. It's about how, as a leader, you get what you measure.

It's easy to get caught up in tracking things like keystrokes or hours spent at work. But what do you really get from that? More typing? Longer hours? Probably. But is that what you actually want?

I've learned that it's much better to focus on outcomes. Define what you want to achieve, and then trust your team to get there. It's about setting the direction and then simply getting out of the way.

Here are a few examples of what I mean:

◘ Product Development: Instead of micromanaging every feature, focus on the big goal: a product that excites clients. Let your team use their creativity to get there.

◘ Marketing Campaigns: Don't get bogged down in every detail. Set an ambitious outcome like "top of mind for our target group." Let your marketing team use their strategic skills to reach that.

◘ Software Development: You don't need to prescribe every line of code. Set a clear outcome like "fewer than 20 bug reports per month." Let your developers use their technical skills to achieve it.

◘ Customer Support: Move away from rigid scripts. Set the bar high with "build 5 strong human connections per day." Let your team connect with clients in a genuine way.

I love this concept because it ties in so well with coach-like Leadership. It's about communicating clear outcomes and then trusting your team to figure out how to get there. It's about empowering them, not controlling all details.

So, as you think about your goals for 2025, ask yourself: what am I really trying to achieve? And am I measuring the right things to get there?

Let's try to measure what we really want to achieve this year.

Have a great week 01 of 2025 ahead!