Balanced Scorecard is a concept that everyone needs, but who needs these balancing things?

According to those who design and promote management tools, you can't live without the newest, best, fast, and most innovative tool to manage your enterprise. Ask a proponent of Balanced Scorecard and they will even tell you that it is a good idea for you to use this system even if you run a one-person show as your entire enterprise.Going that far seems a bit like shooting cockroaches. Although, after studying all the benefits of running a medium to large or even huge operation with the simple to define guidelines of Balanced Scorecard management, you might find personal uses for the system. It is a good thing to pay attention to orderly and at least frequent, if not continual self-assessment. It is also something that can get out of hand, in either direction, quite easily.Yes, you do need to know how well you are responding to your customers, even if they are only your family members and friends. No, you probably don't need to do metrics on every interaction you have, and on every task you set or accomplish. Still, many people who learn management skills take the lessons learned from the management system they learn and apply those skills and processes to their own personal situations. This form of self-development, through corporate training is quite common. We cross-pollinate a lot, in our lives, and much of it is good. If you are applying the methodology of Balanced Scorecard Management to your own personal life, you may find by using the system that it doesn't work in the format of the “personal edition” for you.If you have learned the Balanced Scorecard management system, and you find that it is not working for you on a personal level, interestingly, the system would suggest that you make changes clarify goals, reassess actions and retest results. Putting that into layman's terms: Try something else and see if that works for you.One of the best features of the Balanced Scorecard management system is that after learning how it works and how to work it, it seems quite rational in almost every aspect. To use an overused word some of it appears to be downright “intuitive.”In a corporate or enterprise setting involving more than one person, however, the subordinate(s) and/or non-innovator(s) may feel threatened by the changes proposed to meet Balanced Scorecard operation. Experience teaches that one successful methodology for introducing big changes is what I call “top-down, bottom-up innovation.” While the uppermost management may be the level of management that makes the decision to implement Balanced Scorecard, it behooves upper management [in many instances] to deputize very low level persons to study the idea of rejuvenating the management system, and suggesting that they investigate Balanced Scoreboard, as one possibility. Whether any other possibility is suggested, may or may not be required, depending on your own enterprise structure. Making the decision to move to a structured management system such as Balanced Scorecard management works well as a “grass-roots” movement. Just like quitting smoking, though, commitment and persistence are highly recommended once you decide to do it.