When it comes to tracking performance, leaders often put great measures in place but then leave them to fade. I can’t tell you how many abandoned charts and dashboards I’ve seen gathering dust in dozens of manufacturing sites—they start as great management tools but end up more like wallpaper. The reason? Often, we don’t think carefully enough about the type of things we’re measuring and the rhythm at which they need to be updated. In my experience, the best metrics fit into two distinct “buckets”—each with its own timeline and purpose.
First, there’s what I’d call a Vision Dashboard. This isn’t a daily or weekly checklist—it’s a high-level dashboard for things that define your organization or team’s long-term view: your purpose, BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), values, core strategies, and maybe even team engagement. These don’t change often, but they’re the backbone of why we’re here, what we stand for, and where we’re going. Despite their importance, few of us actually track metrics on these elements. We talk about them all the time, yet rarely ask, “How are we doing? Are we winning or losing in these areas?” I’d argue that if these elements really matter, we should be able to track them, even if the measures only update quarterly or annually.
Then, we’ve got the Tactical Dashboard, which is far more immediate. Think of this like the speedometer on your car when a cop’s parked around the corner—these are metrics you need to watch frequently. While each leader might have a slightly different set, I find that the most valuable tactical metrics fall into five categories:
1. Effectiveness: How well are you meeting customer expectations? Are you delivering on what you promised?
2. Efficiency: How resourceful is your team in achieving its goals? Efficiency metrics help you see if you’re being as thoughtful as possible with scarce resources.
3. Team Competency: Is your team’s skill set aligned with what’s needed for top performance? This speaks to readiness and capability.
4. Financial Health: No matter your role, some budget or financial metric gives you a pulse on fiscal responsibility.
5. Culture & Engagement: What’s the level of teamwork, commitment, and shared purpose in your team? This isn’t about surface-level happiness but real, mutual commitment to the team’s goals.
Once you’ve identified these core metrics, ask yourself, how few can I get away with? Less is more. Keeping metrics simple, meaningful, timely, and accurate is key—otherwise, you’re back to “wallpaper syndrome.” The right dashboard isn’t just about numbers; it’s a tool to focus your team on what really matters and drive real, sustained outcomes.