LEARN
Something Worth SharingBeware of Misleading Metrics Standing on the scales and glancing down at the panel gives a number - a number that most people would prefer to be different in some way. But what is this number telling us? As someone that has kept a watchful eye on the number over the years, I’ve been mentally challenged more recently by that number increasing a little as I develop muscle through weight training three times a week. Society conditions us to believe the higher the number, the ‘fatter’ we are and more ashamed we should feel - especially as a woman. Of course, the number on a set of scales doesn’t really tell you the important stuff - such as the extent of your health and happiness. Misleading metrics are actually all around us, such as the number of LIKES on social media. You can buy followers, likes etc - so what do they really mean? They don’t tell you the important things like how you’re feeling, how popular you truly are or if you’re a kind person. In a business, turnover and the number of employees don’t tell us how profitable it is, or the level of liquidity that exists (or doesn’t!). It’s amazing how often people pick and choose metrics that are misleading - detracting from the vital information. You can even look at the years of service someone has provided and while it may seem impressive, it doesn’t tell you how valuable they’ve been or what they’ve contributed. It just shows how long they’ve been there. While metrics are important, they aren’t everything and they can certainly mislead - especially without context or a deeper understanding.
|
