| Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. | | | | | | | | | | | | | JANUARY 15, 2010 | | Look Beyond Your RBI | | | Theo Epstein, General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, doesn't bother with traditional baseball statistics like runs batted in because many such statistics have proven to have little effect on real performance. When it comes to measuring and tracking innovation, business managers should follow Epstein's lead and look beyond obvious statistics like revenue generated in the first year and instead focus on the true drivers of innovation success, such as minimizing first year losses. Before relying too heavily on a metric, think about what the metric is truly measuring and whether it might be misleading. Even if innovation managers have been using the statistic for years, it may not be giving you the information you need. | | | | | | Read the full post and join the discussion » | | | | | | RELATED PRODUCT |  | | | The Silver Lining | | | Harvard Business Press Book — A Business Week "Best Innovation & Design Books 2009" Selection | | | Experts agree: The turbulence triggered by the economic shock of 2008 constitutes the "new normal." Unfortunately, too many managers have become paralyzed by it, capable only of slashing costs indiscriminately. Though examining spending during recessions makes sense, the smartest executives do much more. | | | | | | | | | | ADVERTISEMENT | | | |  | | | | | | | Follow the Tip: |  |  | | | | | ALSO OF INTEREST | | | | | | PREVIOUS TIPS | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Copyright © 2010 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved.
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