Episode 53 – The Real Reason KPIs Don’t Drive Performance — And What Works Best

Episode 3 in the series Execution That Scales (KeyneLink Advantage)

Most founders think their company runs on goals — but most of those goals are just numbers on a page. KPIs measure results, not actions and progress. They’re snapshots of outcomes, not signals of the right actions and attitudes. And when you only measure what’s already happened, you miss the opportunity to learn from what’s happening right now… and why.

In this episode, James Mayhew explains why KPIs are lagging indicators — useful for reporting but insufficient for real-time leadership — and how KeyneLink’s Calibrated Goals and Progress Meetings transform measurement into Proactive Accountability™. When leaders focus on leading indicators and conversation, goals stop being numbers and start becoming ownership.

You’ll Learn:

• Why KPIs measure results, not actions and progress
• The difference between lagging and leading indicators
• How Calibrated Goals tie strategy to daily behavior
• Why Proactive Accountability™ creates ownership and alignment
• How to make measurement personal through 1:1 Progress Meetings

Reflection Questions:

1. Which of your company’s goals would make more sense if they were connected to a person instead of a spreadsheet?
2. What might happen if your team started measuring what causes success — not just what confirms it?

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