The Cost of Measurement 📐

"What gets measured gets managed — even when it's pointless to measure and manage it, and even if it harms the purpose of the organization to do so".

- Simon Caulkin summarizes one VF Ridgway's argument in 1956 

The quote sums it up nicely. Can we measure what’s of ultimate concern?

Instead of measuring and managing, I try asking (of myself and my companies): Are we on purpose? Doing what we love? Are we moving towards more truth? More love? Are we coming from a place of wholeness? How many bad habits have we dropped? How have we loved today? Appreciated the countless miracles of being alive? The gifts of God / nature / friends / coworkers / family that we didn’t ask for or know we needed but keep coming to us anyway, the smiles and good nature and help with childcare and shoulder to cry on? How much feedback have we let in, and let change us? Have we gotten stronger? Less susceptible to temptation? What have we learned? Self-transcended? Reincluded? Been honest about, despite its supposed cost? Admitted our mistakes? Apologized?

Measuring dollars, new customers, MRR, throughput, token count, steps, calories, likes, followers, KPIs—maybe tracking these is supportive of the greater good for any given context or moment. I’ve seen it do great things for people. I had a lot of fun with the Apple Watch, especially during the pandemic. The invitation is not to stop, but to stay present to what really matters, and to stay aware of the entropy of measurement: How often does measuring distract me, become goodhearted? How often do I reassess if it’s truly the best way to aim at what’s ultimately important? And what is that anyway? Am I tracking how I stay in touch with that question? How I can keep asking it as life continues to transform and turn everything I know upside down?

I want to be putting my attention on love, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles, acceptance, awareness, generosity. Apparently the original Ridgway quote is “What gets measured gets managed, but what needs managing isn't always measurable".

With love, Jordan