Driven by technology and economic volatility, the focus on data collection and interpretation is immense – and oppressive.
Capable leaders are being forced to spend time generating reports on the implications of historical data.
They are being turned into internal analysts and managers at best.
Leaders of public listed companies are being shanghaied into spending valuable leadership time answering demands from financial analysts and fund managers, allegedly for shareholder interests, but really for their quarterly bonuses.
I have been dismayed by seeing a lack leadership presence during important training and development. When I asked where they were I was told by a seasoned employee that they were stuck in front of computers.
Leaders need to be more with their people than in front of computers.
Without leadership engagement there is diminished employee engagement.
Focus on historical data causes data collection fatigue and is like driving via the rear view mirror.
There needs to be a push back on this obsession with data.
The data needs to be relevant, timely and useful, not just nice to have.
Productivity and performance improvement will not come from measuring history – it never has.
We aren’t good at learning from history.
Instead we thrive from forging ahead, making mistakes and correcting our path.
It doesn’t mean that we ignore data.
Instead we measure what matters most in generating results – not just measuring the results themselves.
It means we need to measure what we can do now, and then do it, which requires better leadership.
We need a better balance between data focus and action for results.
We need leaders on the ground, not stuck in front of computers.
What do you think?
