We count numbers. We count on people. What really counts is when we actually use our numbers to take into account our people. – Chip Conley

I watched a TED talk recently that Chip Conley summed up in that one statement. He had talked about data, information, numbers, & why they’re important to business. But his last statement drove it home. At the end of the day counting is meaningless unless we’re counting the right things.

It’s easy in business…or any type of organization for that matter…to get so wrapped up in the numbers that we forget people. Profit. Revenue. Sales. Loss. Etc. The reality is, numbers are necessary for survival.

But I think Conley has the secret to not letting them control our organizational culture – use the numbers to take into account our people. See numbers as representative of individuals whether they be clients, customers, or someone in between. And use the numbers to measure what matters in the end more than just the steps along the way.

For what it’s worth, I would agree with Conley’s proposition that what you count has a lot to do with whether or not you will succeed in business.

How do you measure what counts in your business?

If you want to see Conley’s entire talk, check it out here.