Several of my clients recently asked for help in putting together company or departmental scorecards. For many organizations and leaders, finding the right set of 5 to 15 leading indicators that provide an absolute pulse on the business (or the department) is a difficult challenge. Often it takes several months or longer to truly fall in love with your scorecard.

Like most worthwhile journeys, strengthening the Data Component™ starts with a single step. 

It’s not unusual for an entrepreneur to consider “everyone” a potential customer. While the optimism can be exciting and contagious, the harsh reality is that most of “everyone” isn’t the RIGHT potential customer. Many won’t ever buy from you, and some who do become customers won’t be a great fit. They may be unhappy, and they may even hurt your business by damaging your reputation or mistreating your employees.

That’s the bad news. The good news? While it may sound counterintuitive, concentrating on a smaller number of potential customers can actually help you grow faster, make more money, and have more fun. Time and time again, I’ve seen that clients who focus 100% of their proactive sales and marketing efforts on their ideal prospect or customer get a bigger bang for every buck they spend on sales and marketing.

Most entrepreneurs know well the feeling of “flying blind.” It can feel like you’re running your business and making big decisions on vague sensations, feelings and emotions rather than using data that helps you make a quick, but fully informed, unbiased decision.

All companies running on EOS^® follow the practice of having a weekly Level 10 Meeting™. I’ve seen many companies do these meetings, and one huge mistake keeps rearing its ugly head when clients get to the Customer and Employee Headlines, and again when they get to the Issues List. They launch right in and wind up missing the real stuff.

Two epidemics kill cultures: end runs and unresolved complaining. Both waste time and energy, and are ultimately toxic to the health and productivity of your company. Luckily, these epidemics can be cured by asking a simple, powerful question.