You know what your KPIs are but what is your Leading Indicator?... lessons from a restaurateur

Key Performance Indicators [KPIs] evaluate the success of an organization or of a particular activity in which it engages. It tells you how your business is doing now compared to last year and/or versus goals.

Leading Performance Indicators are measurable economic factors that change before the economy starts to follow a particular pattern or trend. LPIs tell you how your business will do in the future. It's a tool to help anticipate issues and opportunities and make adjustments before the prognostication becomes history.

A restaurant owner told me his best [and only] Leading Indicator was his reservation book... the further out it was booked the better his business was going to be... that simple... everything fell into place from there... He knew his bookings were going to be solid so he could focus on execution and satisfaction. 

Here's a list of a few KPIs from different industries and from around the world. 

• Accounts Receivable Total
• Accounts Receivable Time
• Backlog
• Cash Flow
• Dollars per Rep
• Operating Expenses
• New Orders
• Inventory
• Labor Costs to Sales
• Payables
• Sales v. Prior Year
• Month end Inventory
• Number of Active Customers
• Return on Assets
• Close Rate
• Quarterly Profit

What are your most important KPIs? 
What are your Key LPIs?