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Evolved Management

A benchmark is just context

Published 22 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader.

I love me some KPIs and benchmarks, so maybe it's a little odd for me to minimize their usefulness.

I use KPIs and benchmarks every day in my work. They are incredibly valuable.

That said, they can be misunderstood and misapplied.

I often have chats with owners, managers, and even techs who read industry reports or talk to a friend in the industry. They hear or read some benchmark on what people are charging, how many tickets they close, what margins they make, etc.

They quickly compare their own numbers to the benchmarks they are introduced to and immediately start overreacting or soul-searching.

Benchmarks can't be used in isolation.
Benchmarks are a single snippet of context, and it takes a broader perspective to properly understand what they mean.

Instead of viewing benchmarks as absolute, view them as what's possible.

You may be far off the industry performance benchmark for any KPI. That's okay. It gives you an opportunity to move in that direction. Performance improvement happens in inches before it starts to move miles in a day.

Keep your eye on the goal. Make incremental improvement and don't beat yourself up if you're not where you want to be right now. Everything is possible.

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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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Evolved Management

Todd Kane : MSP Operation Nerd

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