The Best Way to Track Your Company's PerformanceHow to pick the key performance indicators that'll be best for your business.

You need to pick your key performance indicators, or KPIs. They're data used to chart a business on its way to success and profits, and are often used when revenue-starved startups need to identify ways to measure progress in the absence of cash flow. But there's a big risk: If you choose the wrong KPIs, you may drive your company to financial ruin.

So, how to pick? Identify your business goals and the activities that lead directly to achieving them. Keep in mind that more often than not, bad KPIs are the result of upper management and the board deciding what to track. In my experience, you're better off listening to line managers and frontline employees; they'll give you more granular KPIs, to truly show how your company is doing. (See chart below for some starter ideas.)