It’s time to take performance measurement and management seriously.

We’ve wasted too many years playing around at the edges of measuring performance in our organisations. Debating over what kind of scorecard framework to use. Investing in dashboard software because of the bells and whistles and flashing traffic lights. Measuring things just because we always have or just because we can or just because someone asked us to.

If we want better results from performance measurement, and there’s no doubt that most of the potential of performance measurement is yet to be tapped, we have to take it seriously. And that means treating it as a process that needs to be formalised, managed and improved.

This is the job of the Performance Measure Practitioner. It’s an emerging role in many organisations now, that have recognised that it will happen well when it’s lead and managed well. And one of the first things a Performance Measure Practitioner should have is a set of clear goals for where they will improve their organisation’s approach to performance measurement.

Given that most organisations are still struggling with the early stages of implementing performance measurement, the following 5 goals are a realistic place to start:

GOAL 1: Improve managers’ and employees’ perception of the value and importance of measuring performance.

GOAL 2: Lift the skill level of managers and employees in selecting meaningful measures and using measures to support their decisions.

GOAL 3: Increase the active involvement of employees in selecting and implementing performance measures.

GOAL 4: Reduce the cycle time of implementing new performance measures, from choosing them to using them.

GOAL 5: Increase the proportion of strategic and operational business objectives that have meaningful measures identified.

Certainly these are not the only worthwhile goals for a Performance Measure Practitioner, but they are a very worthwhile place to begin, if you don’t currently have any serious goals to focus how you’ll lead your organisation to improve how it will measure and master what matters.