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05 / 06 — PERFORMANCE

Do we know what's working, what isn't and why?

Most businesses have data. Fewer have useful information. The difference is whether it helps you make a decision.

More dashboards aren't the goal.

A KPI isn't valuable because you can measure it. It is valuable because it tells you something worth knowing.

Revenue can rise while margin falls. Profit can look healthy while cash disappears. Sales can increase while delivery capacity collapses. Customer numbers can grow while the best customers quietly leave.

Context matters. Measure what helps you decide.

Start with the questions.

Instead of asking What can we measure?, ask What are we trying to understand?

  • Can we afford to hire?
  • Which customers are actually profitable?
  • Are we running out of capacity?
  • Why did margin fall?
  • Is the sales pipeline strong enough?
  • Are we getting better?

Then identify the information required.

Leading and lagging signals

Revenue tells you what has already happened. Pipeline might tell you what is coming. Customer churn tells you what has already been lost. Support complaints may give you an earlier warning. Cash tells you where you are. Committed work and future obligations help tell you where you could be heading.

You usually need both the rear-view mirror and the windscreen.

Financial performance matters. But it isn't the whole business.

Financial cash, revenue, margin, profit, working capital, forecast. Customer retention, concentration, pipeline, conversion, service. Operations capacity, productivity, rework, delivery time, quality. People turnover, absence, capability, engagement where meaningfully measurable. Strategy progress against the small number of things you've actually decided matter.

Use this in your business

You don't need to turn performance into a workshop.

Start by answering the practical questions, then use ConsultiQ to work out whether this area deserves attention now.

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