This is the second in a series on management systems. In the first article, I introduced the concept of a management system and why it matters. In this piece, I want to get practical — starting with how to set objectives and establish the routines that turn good intentions into consistent execution.
Setting Objectives That Actually Work
Most businesses have goals. Fewer have objectives that are genuinely useful — the kind that focus effort, drive decisions, and create accountability. The difference matters.
Good objectives share a few characteristics:
- They're specific enough to act on. "Grow revenue" is a goal. "Increase recurring revenue from existing clients by 15% in the next 12 months" is an objective. The second version tells people what to focus on and how to measure success.
- They're limited in number. If everything is a priority, nothing is. Most teams can realistically focus on 3–5 key objectives at any one time. Beyond that, you get dilution and confusion.
- They connect to the day-to-day. An objective that sits in a strategy document but doesn't translate into weekly actions is just aspirational thinking. People need to see how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
The simplest framework I've found for setting objectives is to ask three questions:
- What are we trying to achieve? (The outcome)
- How will we know we're on track? (The measure)
- What do we need to do differently? (The actions)
If you can answer those clearly for each objective, you're in good shape.
Establishing Routines
Objectives without routines are just wishful thinking. The management system needs a rhythm — a set of regular activities that keep the organisation focused, aligned, and accountable.
Here are the core routines that make a management system work:
Daily Huddles
Short, focused team stand-ups (10–15 minutes) that cover: what's the priority today, what's blocking us, and does anyone need help? These aren't status meetings — they're alignment and problem-solving sessions. Done well, they prevent small issues from becoming big problems.
Weekly Reviews
A slightly longer session (30–60 minutes) to review progress against objectives, discuss key metrics, and address any emerging issues. This is where the team checks whether they're on track and adjusts their plans accordingly.
Monthly Performance Reviews
A deeper dive into how the business or team is performing against its objectives. This should include a review of leading and lagging indicators, root cause analysis on any areas that are off track, and decisions about where to focus improvement efforts.
Quarterly Strategic Reviews
A step back to look at the bigger picture. Are the objectives still right? Has the context changed? What needs to shift for the next quarter? This is where the management system connects back to strategy.
Making Priorities and Measures Work
One of the biggest pitfalls I see is businesses that set objectives and then measure the wrong things — or measure too many things. The key is to distinguish between:
- Leading indicators — measures that predict future performance (e.g., number of proposals sent, training hours completed, process adherence rates).
- Lagging indicators — measures that confirm past performance (e.g., revenue, profit, customer satisfaction scores).
Most businesses focus on lagging indicators because they're easy to measure. But by the time you see them, it's too late to change the outcome. The real power is in tracking leading indicators — the activities and behaviours that drive results.
Dashboards: Keep It Simple
A good dashboard tells you three things at a glance:
- Are we on track? (Performance against target)
- What's the trend? (Getting better, worse, or flat)
- What needs attention? (Exceptions and red flags)
The temptation is to cram every possible metric onto a dashboard. Resist that. A dashboard with 30 metrics is not a dashboard — it's a spreadsheet. Focus on the critical few measures that tell you whether your objectives are on track, and drill deeper only when something needs investigation.
The best management systems I've seen use a single page — physical or digital — that the whole team can see and understand. If it takes more than a few seconds to read the dashboard, it's too complicated.
What Comes Next
Setting objectives and establishing routines are the foundation of a management system. In the next article in this series, I'll look at how to build accountability, handle escalation, and create a culture where the system is maintained and improved over time.