Key Performance Indicators

By Amanda Steinberg Tuesday June 02, 2009
You're at the nexus of a sophisticated operation. The universe is expanding, and so is your workload. Constantly. Noticing that you're a little overwhelmed, a colleague suggests that you "prioritize." How quaint, you think. Where to begin?

Priorities are rudderless without measurable goals. Got it? Mea-sure-able. Introducing Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs. These are made-up management rules designed to allow decision-making and day-planning to be easier. KPIs should reflect an organization's long-term mission and should be quantifiable within a certain timeframe. They do not have to be financial -- they just have to be measurable.

Sales KPIs might include:

- Number of prospects per month
- Number of meetings set per week
- Total dollar value of estimates sent per quarter

Marketing KPIs might include:

- Number of blog posts published per week
- Number of tweets per day
- Number of link-backs on the Web by month

Personal KPIs might include:

- Number of hours slept
- Number of gossip mags read
- Quantity of Cabernet consumed

Impress your colleagues, and propose KPIs. Here's a library of possible KPIs to help you get started.