In this episode, Ross interviews Gary Meyer, a partner at Attention, discussing the challenges new managers face around KPIs and OKRs. Gary shares insights from his own management journey, emphasizing the importance of aligning KPIs with business objectives and the potential pitfalls of poorly defined metrics. The conversation explores how new managers can implement effective goal-setting strategies, even in environments lacking clear direction, and highlights the significance of collaboration in achieving team objectives.

Takeaways

• Management often lacks formal training, leading to self-taught experiences.
• KPIs can feel arbitrary and disconnected from actual business goals.
• A significant portion of employees may disregard KPIs altogether.
• OKRs provide a framework for aligning team efforts with business objectives.
• Effective management requires clear communication of goals from the top down.
• Binary objectives are essential for measuring success accurately.
• Many companies fail to communicate their objectives effectively to all levels.
• Tools for managing OKRs and KPIs are readily available and affordable.
• New managers should actively engage in defining their KPIs with their teams.
• Documenting processes helps managers protect their interests and clarify objectives.

About Gary

Having started in the marketing industry 20 years ago, Gary Meyer has a reputation for pushing the envelope through creative and digital strategy. He displays leadership through a unique lens - making an impact based on the unexpected. Never taking the easy route means Gary has been successful during key strategic moments throughout his career, including building a 30+ strong agency from the humble starting grounds of his dining room table. His ability to make objective key decisions for his business and clients alike, led to his recognition at the African Independents Awards 40 under 40 list, and has supported the revenue growth for clients across the globe such as Nespresso, Panasonic , TATA Motors, Virgin Atlantic, and Heineken. During his appointment as Senior Vice President and Head of Digital at Proof Strategies in Toronto Canada, Gary drove the digital marketing strategy for Canadian Red Cross, Webber Naturals, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Loblaw (PC Health).

https://attentionstrategy.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymeyerza/

About your host, Ross:

Ross started his management career by being promoted from technical specialist to manager of a global team. This was not an easy transition at first but it blossomed into an exciting management career spanning over a decade in corporate and enterprise software environments. Ross has managed development teams, technical teams, call centres, and entire software divisions across several countries.

https://linktr.ee/rossgsaunders

Intro music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/vacation-beat

License code: WM2CBDQ0C2W0JGBW

Outro music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/vacation-beat

License code: WM2CBDQ0C2W0JGBW

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