measurement Archives

The Grief You Can’t Name – How Change and Transformation Influence You

The Grief You Can’t Name How Change and Transformation Influence You Issue 237, November 6, 2025 “This process, these checks, they’re not just procedures. They’re who we are. Without them, what are we?” A quality control inspector at an organization said this during the implementation of AI-powered quality systems. His voice wasn’t defensive. It was vulnerable. He wasn’t arguing against efficiency. He was mourning an identity. This is what most change and transformation leaders miss. When organizations ask people to…

Kevin Novak

November 5, 2025

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions: The Psychology of Bias in Leadership

Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions: The Psychology of Bias in Leadership Issue 235, October 23, 2025 We have been documenting why smart people make bad decisions for several years. We thought we’d see random failure patterns across different types of leaders. But what emerged was much more systematic. The same cognitive traps keep appearing regardless of industry, education level, or experience. It’s almost like intelligent leaders create their own blind spots. Note: Related to this article, we have launched…

Kevin Novak

October 22, 2025

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Measuring What Matters: Navigating the KPI Labyrinth in an Era of Information Overload

Measuring What Matters: Navigating the KPI Labyrinth in an Era of Information Overload Issue 215, June 5, 2025 Let’s get to the bottom line up front: In a business environment drowning in data, the organizations that will thrive are those that master the art of strategic data curation instead of collection, asking “why” before “what,” and building KPI ecosystems that connect rather than isolate. Last week we offered advice and some philosophical thought about leading and managing in today’s whiplash…

Kevin Novak

June 5, 2025

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Are You Sure You Matter?

Are You Sure You Matter? Issue 133, November 2, 2023 Holding onto next-gen workers and customers (born between 1997 and 2012) requires more than a trick up your sleeve. They are actively changing up the rules of engagement in, and for, organizations of all sizes — whether they are employees or customers. Call them naïve or a brutal force of nature with critical mass, they are redefining the workplace culture and the brand/customer value proposition. Here’s the key thought: You…

Kevin Novak

November 2, 2023

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

The Motivation of Manipulating Data and Information to a Desired Outcome

The Motivation of Manipulating Data and Information to a Desired Outcome Issue 129, October 5, 2023 Some recent headlines have reported disturbing news about respected and respectable scholars falsifying or just ignoring data conclusions in scholarly papers. This is another example of the skepticism many of us have with the shifts in misinformation flooding our inboxes and newsfeeds, compelling each of us to exercise our critical thinking skills. And the examples we’re referring to aren’t even results of AI. It…

Kevin Novak

October 5, 2023

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Good Data Vital Currency and Bad Data a Disaster – Ideas + Innovations from 2040

Why Is Good Data Vital Currency and Bad Data a Disaster? Issue 49: March 31, 2022 We often talk about the common problem of collecting massive amounts of data without a strategy to transform it into intelligent action-oriented insights. We are all drowning in data as technology and digital interactions have allowed us to collect and store more data and offer access to it. Given the large amounts of data now at our fingertips, we need data scientists and analytical…

Kevin Novak

March 31, 2022

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

2040’s Ideas and Innovations: Do You Measure by Outputs or Outcomes?

Do You Measure by Outputs or Outcomes? Issue 48: March 24, 2022 How do you and your organization measure accomplishments and achievements? In an Industrial Age mindset, output was believed to be the only measure as maximizing production efficiency became something close to a religious mantra. In today’s Knowledge Age era, outcome, actually accomplishing a strategy or goal is the real measure that determines outcome not output. In a marketplace that values what an organization stands for and its effect…

Kevin Novak

March 23, 2022

Ideas and Innovations Newsletter

Ideas + Innovations from 2040: Measuring What Matters

Measuring What Matters With the drama and disruption of the pandemic, you might think it’s time to re-evaluate your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Just look at the megatrends. Externally, customers have been affected by financial and supply chain disruption, along with revelations of new digital ways of managing day-to-day life. Many of the adaptations and changed behaviors are likely here to stay. Internally, organizations have pivoted but many remain dedicated to returning to a normal that no longer exists or…

Kevin Novak

September 2, 2021

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The Impact of Digital

Audience Engagement Tactics

In my last post I wrote about Audience Development (AD) and Audience Engagement (AE). In that post I offered Audience engagement and measurement strategies and described how to create engagement and build relationships with your customers, your members, your subscribers and your constituencies. If you missed the post check it out here. Your customers (subscribers, members and constituencies) are fragmenting the marketplace as they have changed their preferences for engagement and service from companies and brands. They seek out companies and…

Kevin Novak

November 18, 2015

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The Impact of Digital

The Opportunity to Inspire

Time flies faster than one realizes. I had the opportunity back in 2011 to be a speaker at the Smithsonian’s Ignite Conference. I had recently held the role as one of a handful of expert reviewers for the Smithsonian’s next generation digital strategy encompassing technology, education and the digitization of content. A true privilege and I was so honored to be asked. The subject matter is near and dear to my heart and a passion stemming from my days as…

Kevin Novak

October 26, 2015

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