When Is It Best To Lead With Mindset Over Measurement?
As we near the end of the calendar year, it is often a time to look back and summarize the major accomplishments or achievements over the last year. Then looking forward into the New Year we take a fresh perspective, adopt new attitudes and behaviors, and frame goals that set our dreams into motion. So does mindset always lead and measurement follow? Not always, as it depends on the intended outcome. Both mindset and measurement are critical, and often influence each other in a continuous feedback loop.
Mindset matters more when the outcome is related to culture or values, is focused on creativity and innovation, or during times of change and transformation. Mindset is the driver in entrepreneurial situations or environments, and when the emphasis is on pushing the boundaries and taking risks, as a positive mindset can fuel creativity and open-up new possibilities. Mindset is important when internal motivation and passion are needed, and with an emphasis on learning, exploration and growth. In these cases, measurement becomes complimentary to reinforce and validate. Mindset is like architectural vision and blueprints and shapes the structure of our thoughts and actions to turn it into reality.
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’” — Audrey Hepburn
Measurement matters more when precision and accuracy is critical for accountability and making data-based decisions, risks need to be managed, quality control is a priority, productivity is important, meeting regulations is required, program execution or process repeatability is a priority, and planning predictability is needed to hit sales and revenue targets for financial accountability. Measurement provides focus with tangible feedback on how things are progressing to the expected result. It is like the odometer and speedometer that tracks how far and how fast you have gone toward the intended destination.
“In business, the idea of measuring what you are doing, picking the measurements that count like customer satisfaction and performance … you thrive on that,”— Bill Gates
As described above, and in the Mindset & Measurement Model below, measurement often drives when the outcome is to provide stability or to create predictable improvement. When seeking a culture and outcome of creativity and innovation, then mindset becomes the driver and even more critical when the emphasis to realize change is stronger in creating disruption.

What Influences Are Most Impactful In Shaping Mindset?
From my background as a Chemical Engineer, I tend to look at systems as a combination of what goes in, combined with what gets generated, to yield what comes out. Applying this approach to Mindset, the inputs are things like culture, beliefs, emotions, and attitude. Generation in this context implies what might act on these inputs, such as environment, experiences and relationships. Then what is generated out of this process are the behaviors, thoughts, goals and ways in which we are transformed through mindset.

Our beliefs and attitudes about what we can make happen or become, combined with experiences and influences of our environment, enables us to make the impossible become reality.
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” — Steve Jobs
Deciding What To Measure Depends On The Outcome Desired
Considering the same systems framework for measurement, inputs are the actions or tasks or components of value, then generation can be thought of as process or workflow, and finally output is analogous to results or achievements. Even in outcome scenarios where mindset is the driver, measurement is always required. Yet what is valuable to measure will depend on the intended outcome, whether it be improvement, or innovation and creativity, or disruption.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions.” — Grace Hopper
When driving for Improvement and Productivity, focus on measuring the Outputs and Process. Consider metrics like revenue or units produced per employee or raw materials, process efficiency metrics, utilization rates of equipment or resources, cycle times, quality metrics, and error rates or yield loss.

In building Innovation and Creativity, measurements that emphasize the inputs and process are likely to be most valuable. Consider paying attention to inputs like ideas generated, R&D investments, and time spent ideating and iterating. Also important are process related metrics such as rate and traction in prototyping or MVPs, learning from failures, and TTM or new value created.
When the outcome is focused on creating disruption either in markets, industries, or companies, then measuring both the inputs and outputs are important. In the case of Disruption desired outcomes, the measurements might be more strategic or directional and less concrete, yet are as important to establish a way to measure and watch changes. For example, looking for market or industry level shifts in the distribution of market share, how value chain players are changing, instruction of new business models or distribution models that might have industry wide impact, or response from regulators or governments in aiding or slowing changes.
As we close the current year and set our dreams in motion to the future, it is important to hone and aptly apply this dynamic duo of Mindset and Measurement!
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