By The Numbers - Measuring Success

"When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates."
-Thomas S. Monson

The first thing that came to mind when I read this quote was my job at the corn factory years ago as a young college student. During the hot summer months I, along with many others, stood there six days a week, 12 hours a day shoving corn through the cutter!

As monotonous as it sounds, I had about the best job in the place. Know why? They tracked to MOTIVATE! They had a system in place that paid me on performance. Sure, I could make my minimum wage just ambling my way through the night, but I also knew that if I didn't perform I would find myself working in another part of the factory that didn't offer performance pay. In other words, the more cobs of corn I shoved through, the more money I made. The more money I made, the easier my school year would be!

Every hour my co-workers and I went to check our numbers (as well as everyone else's), and we'd come back in with either a big smile and the enthusiasm to continue or a pinched lip of determination to pass up the next guy during the next hour. It goes without saying that their little system of tracking most certainly sped up the bottom line for the company.

Performance was constantly measured, and it was instantly available to us. We lived for those numbers. I'm not sure how motivated we would've been to keep plugging away if we would have only known our numbers at the end of the two-week pay period. Those nights on our feet, sweating away would've become even longer!

This particular canning company that I speak of is worldwide and very successful. The big goals of the company start with the individual goals of the workers at the very bottom level. That's how it needs to be in business: if you take care of the little goals, the big ones will take care of themselves!

How do you give your employees feedback? Is it a big stack of meaningless papers? Is it condensed to one simple chart or graph? How often? Is it hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? You need to figure out the feedback your workers need in order to attain their goals so that you can attain yours!

Winners Know Their Numbers!

Until next week, I wish you continued success!

Susan