One of the biggest reasons strategies fail is simple. We set the goal. We know the outcome we want. But we don’t connect the big picture to what happens day to day. That’s where lag measures and lead measures come in.
Lag Measures = The Destination
Lag measures are the results we’re trying to achieve. Revenue. Retention. Market share. Customer satisfaction. They show whether the strategy worked, but only after the fact.
A lag measure tells us if we achieved our goal. However, by the time we see it, it’s too late to change.
Lead Measures = The Levers
Lead measures are the controllable activities that drive the result. The things we can influence every day.
Want to grow revenue? A lead measure might be the number of qualified calls per week.
Want to improve employee retention? A lead measure could be weekly manager check-ins.
Want to write a book? A lead measure could be words written per day.
Lead measures predict success. They’re the levers you pull that move the lag.
Strategy Needs Both
Strategy should be anchored in the lag (the goal).
Execution should be focused on the lead. The daily actions that make the strategy real.
Without lag measures, we don’t know where we’re headed.
Without lead actions, we won’t get there.
It’s the connection between the two that turns our vision into progress.
Today’s Challenge
The digital age has given us dashboards full of lag metrics. But too often, the lead measures are missing. Or they are de-prioritized in a sea of meetings and email.
What’s one lag measure your strategy is focused on right now?
Which lead measures can you commit to tracking this week?
How will you create accountability, so the whirlwind of life doesn’t drown them out?