--- title: Are your KPIs REALLY your KPIs? description: Too often, KPIs or metrics get dreamed up. Key performance indicators need to be tied to business objectives. image: https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/hubfs/blog/pain-point-people-and-processes.jpg --- [![provide interfaces to top corporate and site management](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-peopleandprocesses.png?width=276&height=147&name=logo-peopleandprocesses.png "provide interfaces to top corporate and site management")](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com) - [About Us](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/about-us) - Solutions - [Assessment](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-reliability-assessment-benchmarking-implementation) - [CBM, PM and PdM](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/preventive-pm-predictive-pdm-condition-based-maintenance-cbm-for-reliability) - [CMMS/EAM](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-management-systems-cmms-enterprise-asset-eam) - [Executive Engagement](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-and-reliability-best-practices-support) - [Maintenance Reliability Engineering](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/reliability-engineering) - [Maintenance Leadership and Supervision](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-leadership-and-supervision) - [Maintenance Planning and Scheduling](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-planning-scheduling-training-coaching-consulting) - [Metrics](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-metrics-and-key-performance-indicators) - [MRO Storerooms](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/mro-purchasing-maintenance-storeroom-materials-management) - [Operational Excellence](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/operations-excellence) - [Workforce Development](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-training-skills-development) - [Coaching](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/coaching-and-mentoring-for-maintenance-and-reliability) - Institute - [Virtual Training Courses](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/virtual-instructor-led-courses) - [On-site Courses](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/onsite-training-course-schedule) - [Public Courses](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/public-training-course-schedule) - [Proven Solutions in Maintenance and Reliability Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/best-practices-course) - [PM Optimization Training Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/pm-optimization-course) - [Maintenance and Reliability for Managers - 4 Part Series](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/mrm-course-info) - [Maintenance and Reliability Best Practices](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/best-practices-course) - [Maintenance Planning and Scheduling](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/mps-course) - [Maintenance Storeroom and Materials Management](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/msmm-course) - [Maintenance and Reliability Technician Core Concepts](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/maintenance-tech-course) - [STO - Shutdowns, Turnarounds & Outages 3-day](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/sto-course) - [Maintenance Leadership and Supervision](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/mls-course) - [RCM3 Introductory Training Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm3-course) - [RCM3 Facilitator Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm3-facilitator-course) - [RCM3 Executive Overview](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm3-executive-overview) - [RCM2 Introductory Training Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm2-course-info) - [RCM2 Facilitator Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm2-facilitator-course) - [RCM2 Executive Overview](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcm2-executive-overview) - [RCFA Introductory Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcfa-intro-course) - [RCD Introductory Course](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rcd-intro-course) - [RBI3 Training](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/rbi3-training) - [UTK-RMC Partnership](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/utk-rmc) - [Shipping & Returns](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/shipping-returns) - [Cancellation Policy](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/cancellation-policy) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/privacy-policy) - Certification - [Reliability & Maintainability Implementation Certification (RMIC®)](https://info.peopleandprocesses.com/reliability-and-maintainability-implementation-certification-rmic) - [RMIC® Planning and Scheduling Practitioner Certification](https://info.peopleandprocesses.com/rmic-planning-and-scheduling-practitioner-certification) - [RMIC® MRO Storeroom and Materials Management Certification](https://info.peopleandprocesses.com/rmic-mro-storeroom-and-materials-management-practitioner-certification) - Software - [Availability Workbench](https://www.peopleandprocesses.com/isographs-availability-workbench) - [Blog](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability) Search Google # Focus on Reliability ## Are your KPIs REALLY your KPIs? by [Cliff Williams](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/author/cliff-williams), on August ![pain-point-people-and-processes.jpg](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/pain-point-people-and-processes.jpg?width=320&name=pain-point-people-and-processes.jpg)Over the years I’ve had many conversations with organizations around KPIs – what they are, and equally as important, why they are. When I’ve asked why people measure what they do, I have received several different answers, ranging from: So that I can manage – many feel that if they measure, then by osmosis, they are managing I have to hand in my reports – with no idea at to what happens with the reports My annual raise depends on it – what gets recognized gets done! Our company is heavily into KPIs – and when asked where do they get the KPIs – the internet! Not sure- it was started before I got here – so obviously the person who started them is no longer with the company.  I’d like to offer a different view of why we should measure, “The purpose of measuring is to gather relevant information to enable managers to make more informed decisions and drive continuous improvement in support of corporate goals” If we accept that definition, then it surely follows that we need to understand the strategic objectives of the organization and then the part that our plant plays in achieving those goals which lead to deciding what the maintenance and reliability department needs to accomplish to help the plant succeed. Once we have that information, we can go about identifying those things that are KEY to us succeeding and develop PERFORMANCE measures that INDICATE if we are heading in the right direction. The measures should clearly cascade from one level to the next, with obvious connectivity. The consequence of measuring should be change. A change in procedure, a change in knowledge, a change in expectations and most importantly a change in behavior.   The consequence of managing should be that the change is in the right direction. Sometimes we find that we have to reconfigure data to get the information we need but as these are KEY measures they need to be easily and readily accessible to all – and, due to the cascading nature of the measures, the impact of the PERFORMANCE should be obvious to everyone in the organization. As long as we stick to the principle of determining the measures in this fashion, we will move away from,  ‘Emotional’ measures where someone’s pet peeve becomes a KPI Generic KPIs that are published on the internet and have no relevance in our operating context Static measures – in the global economy our organizations are faced with changes and challenges – a very dynamic environment – why wouldn’t our measures be equally dynamic. The last point I’d like to make is that KPIs are a great way of creating the culture you want – why do I say that? – because to me, culture is nothing more than an agglomeration of behaviors and the one truism about KPIs is that they WILL drive behaviors. Topics: [Maintenance Management](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/maintenance-management) [Key Performance Indicators or Metrics](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/key-performance-indicators-or-metrics) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Maintenance Management (9)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/maintenance-management) - [Maintenance Planning Scheduling (6)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/maintenance-planning-scheduling) - [Planning and Scheduling (5)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/planning-and-scheduling) - [Maintenance and Reliability (3)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/maintenance-and-reliability) - [Maintenance training (3)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/maintenance-training) - [Training (3)](https://blog.peopleandprocesses.com/focus-on-reliability/topic/training) - 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