Losing sight of your promise, while chasing your measures is a trap.
The challenge is to create measures that guide you towards fulfilling the promise you make. Once you have defined exactly, specifically and precisely, what your purpose is.
British Cycling has this mission:
“Our mission in life is to deliver international sporting success, grow and effectively govern cyclesport and inspire and support people to cycle regularly.”
Engagement through participation is not the purpose of a sporting national governing body. Neither is winning gold medals. Or even for that matter governance of their sport. The purpose of a national governing body is to encourage us all to enjoy their sport, and then if you are good enough to win a gold medal, while transparently governing the sport.
Does anyone else see the issue?
In the hustle to make a profit, companies often conflate their intent with their measure, profit. But even when confused, their job is simple enough. Find a way to give customers what they want at a price that makes a profit for the company. And if the hustle to make a profit is hard, try running a company with purpose in a competitive world.
This brings me to my point. Who knows of a CEO who runs a company on purpose from Monday to Thursday while switching to profit on the weekends?
We got here by accident, not design. National governing bodies are not fit for purpose. That is clear.
The question is. What are we going to do about it?