Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building and Goala giving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fello Aledo. Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode two sixteen, and today we're talking about the metrics mindset. Have you ever heard the
phrase what gets measured gets managed? Metrics are everywhere in leadership, but do we really understand the mindset needed to harness their true power? And let's face it, metrics can feel overwhelming, especially for leaders balancing people and performance. We're told to track key performance indicators, return on investment, customers satisfaction, employee engagement in The list goes on and on. But let me ask you this, are you using metrics to guide
and inspire or are you letting them control you? The wrong mindset turns metrics into a burden. You might obsess over numbers, lose sight of the human element, or get trapped in analysis paralysis. But with the metrics mindset, you flip the script. Metrics become a tool, not a task master. So there are three pillars of the metrics mindset. Number one is purposeful metrics not all numbers matter. The metrics mindset starts by asking what is the goal I'm trying
to achieve in which metrics truly reflect that. If you're focused on employee retention, measuring customer complaints might be interesting, but it won't tell you how engaged your team is. Instead, focus on employee satisfaction scores or turnover rates. Keep your metrics aligned with your mission. Number two is actionable insights. Metrics should lead to action. The metrics mind set is about identifying what you can do today to influence tomorrow's numbers.
If your teams on time performance is slipping, use the data to spot patterns our delays happening at a specific time with a specific team member. These insights guide your next move. Each metric you track should answer the question, what's my next step? And the third pillar of the metrics mindset is a people first focus. This is the cornerstone metrics matter, but people matter more. Behind every number is a story your team, your customers, your stakeholders. If
sales numbers drop, don't just push harder for sales. Ask what challenges your team is facing. Is it a burnout issue or resources lacking? Use metrics to open conversations not end them. And here's a quick story. At my company, we run nine to one to one dispatched ambulance calls and non emergency transports dispatched by a hospital. We keep track of all those numbers. There was this one year we did more non emergency transports than nine one one calls.
Our crews were frustrated, burned out, and miserable because nobody goes to EMT or paramedic school to do non emergency transports. They want to run the nine to one one calls. So I pulled my leadership team together about eight years ago and we looked at the numbers and came up with a plan to decrease the non emergency calls in favor of the nine to one one calls. It worked, and for the past eight years, I've been able to show my crews the steady decline in the transports. The
misery ended. The conversations are different around the ambulance base, and in general it's a more positive atmosphere. So the metrics mindset is a balance. It's about knowing what to measure, using it to inspire action, and never losing sight of the people behind the numbers. As a leader metrics should be your compass, not your cage. So here's your challenge for the week. Pick one metric you're tracking now and ask yourself, does this align with my goals? Does it
lead to action? Does it support my team? And if not, it might be time to rethink it. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and I thank you for listening. For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com