Lead Measures
Predictive and influenceable metrics
Lead measures are metrics that are both predictive of achieving a goal and influenceable by the team. They are used to drive progress towards a wildly important goal (WIG) and are typically tracked and reported on a regular basis. The concept of lead measures is a key part of the 4 Disciplines of Execution framework.
- Lead measures must be predictive of achieving the goal
- Lead measures must be influenceable by the team
- Lead measures should be tracked and reported on a regular basis
- Identify the WIGDetermine the wildly important goal that the team is trying to achieve. This goal should be specific, measurable, and achievable.Pro tipMake sure the WIG is aligned with the organization's overall strategy and goalsWarningAvoid setting too many WIGs, as this can lead to confusion and dilute focus
- Determine the lead measuresIdentify the metrics that are both predictive of achieving the WIG and influenceable by the team. These metrics should be specific, measurable, and achievable.Pro tipUse data and analysis to determine the lead measures, rather than relying on intuition or guessworkWarningAvoid using lag measures, which are metrics that are only measurable after the fact
- Track and report lead measuresEstablish a system for tracking and reporting the lead measures on a regular basis. This could be daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the goal and the team.Pro tipUse a scoreboard or dashboard to display the lead measures and track progressWarningAvoid relying on manual reporting or spreadsheets, as these can be time-consuming and prone to error
The Oakland A's used lead measures to drive their goal of winning more games. They focused on metrics such as on-base percentage and slugging percentage, which were predictive of winning and influenceable by the team.
Younger Brothers Construction used lead measures to drive their goal of reducing safety incidents. They focused on metrics such as compliance with safety standards, which was predictive of reducing safety incidents and influenceable by the team.
The concept of lead measures was developed by the authors of the 4 Disciplines of Execution as a way to help teams and organizations achieve their goals in a whirlwind environment. The idea is to identify metrics that are both predictive of success and influenceable by the team, and to focus on driving progress on those metrics.