TY - JOUR AB - Purpose This viewpoint aims to alert managers to the necessity of measuring productivity, gauging their performance and determining efficiency levels, as a coherent leadership strategy for organizational effectiveness.Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint is prepared by an independent writer who aims to add to the ongoing debate on the necessity for productivity measurement to ensure organizational effectiveness.Findings There is an old adage: “What you cannot measure, you cannot manage”. This viewpoint reports on the relationship between productivity measurement, skills development and competitiveness as a coherent strategy for effectiveness.Practical implications This viewpoint provides strategic insights and practical thinking to encourage managers to utilize resources to the optimal and to ensure the effectiveness of their organizations.Originality/value The viewpoint saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format. VL - 36 IS - 4 SN - 0258-0543 DO - 10.1108/SD-09-2019-0172 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/SD-09-2019-0172 AU - Sookdeo Barnes PY - 2020 Y1 - 2020/01/01 TI - From defining to measuring productivity: a coherent leadership strategy for effectiveness T2 - Strategic Direction PB - Emerald Publishing Limited SP - 4 EP - 6 Y2 - 2024/04/20 ER -