“What gets measured gets managed” is the fundamental law of organizational focus: data transforms abstract goals into actionable targets. By quantifying performance, you strip away ambiguity and force a team to confront the reality of their progress—or lack thereof. However, this principle is a double-edged sword, as it incentivizes people to prioritize the specific metrics you track over everything else. To lead effectively, you must ensure you are measuring the drivers of long-term value, because whatever you put on the dashboard will inevitably become the center of your culture’s gravity.