METRICS: The application of statistics and mathematical analysis to a specified field of study.

Over the past twenty-five years, or so, I've had the privilege of working with some pretty top-flight companies and organizations ... not necessarily in terms of size or "bigness" ... but top-flight in the sense of well managed outfits that treat employees well, who then - in turn - share that attitude with customers and users.

An old boss of mine, for whom I have a great amount of personal respect, told me many years ago that if a company or organization could have a personality, it would be the composite personalities of its managers and leaders. I firmly believe that what Wendell Mayes, Jr. told me then ... is still true today. And I further believe that these entities do, in fact, have personalities ... or at least should have.

But whether by training, ignorance, fear, or "all-of-the-above", more and more companies we come into contact with are guided by "Management by Crutch ...err ...Computer Screen" - not by leadership and personality. "Metrics" is the latest buzz-word. Great. I'll buy into it ... so long as you can show me the "metrics" for customer smiles and employee loyalty. Show me those numbers, Einstein.

It's strange that I'm writing this, because deep down inside, I'm a "pollster" - a metrics kind-of-a-guy. I believe in the same sampling theory that forecasts national trends with a small number of interviews, just as I believe that a drop of baby formula can tell if the whole bottle is too hot.

Metrics. Wow, what a great buzz word. But I do yearn for the days when metrics were only meant for Jeep wrench sizes and Olympic swimming distances!