Goals and Measures

A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for? —Robert Browning

GSM proceeds from an understanding that best-in-industry standards are the performance floor for the organization. This produces immediate competitive advantage and establishes a robustness, energy, and resources that will allow the organization to go higher.


Set High Goals (BHAGs)

Goals, in order to be meaningful to people and significant to the business must be BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals). Piddly improvements is not the job of management. Half measures create half hearted people. Excellence requires daring and big leaps. If that doesn't sit right with you or your team, you're licked before you start.

Basics of GSM goal setting include:


Establish Meaningful Measures

"You can't manage it if you can't measure it." This mantra is central to GSM thinking. Balanced scorecards must be established — one for the organization as a whole, and one for each department.


Drive Change

If a child had a fever of 104 degrees the parent would take action. When scorecard measures are poor, do the same.