Why Leaders Should Personally Set Priorities and Write KPIs
Setting clear priorities is the bedrock of effective leadership. But here’s a key insight: It’s not enough to simply know what needs to be done. You, as the leader, need to be the one writing your priorities and key performance indicators (KPIs). Don’t hand this off to anyone else—there’s power in the act itself.
Taking the time to create and physically write down your priorities isn’t just a task to check off. It’s a strategic move that can sharpen your focus, foster accountability, and ultimately drive your company forward. Here’s why that small but significant action is your responsibility—and not something to delegate.
1. Clarifying Your Vision
When you sit down to write out your priorities, it forces you to think deeply about your goals. What’s going to drive growth? What challenges are you trying to solve? Writing is a reflection of thought. If you’re handing that off to someone else, you’re distancing yourself from the critical decisions that define the direction of your company.
John Doerr, author of Measure What Matters, emphasizes that setting the right objectives is key to staying focused on long-term growth. By writing out your KPIs, you’re taking the time to clarify your vision, making sure it’s your strategy that guides your team, not just a collection of tasks filtered through an assistant.
2. Boosting Commitment and Accountability
When you physically write down your priorities, you’re making a personal commitment to them. Psychologically, the act of writing creates a deeper connection with your goals. Research has shown that people are more likely to follow through on actions when they’ve written them down themselves.
As a leader, your accountability to your team and to the future of your business is key. By writing your priorities in your own words, you’re embedding that accountability directly into your workflow. Your executive assistant can support you, but your goals are your responsibility.
3. Developing Strategic Discipline
Creating priorities and KPIs isn’t just about writing what needs to be done—it’s about strategic thinking. Verne Harnish, in Scaling Up, explains that leaders of successful companies focus on the critical few priorities, rather than getting lost in the noise of the day-to-day. When you take ownership of this process, you’re practicing the discipline of narrowing your focus.
Allowing someone else to craft your KPIs, even if they’re just transcribing what you say, puts distance between you and the act of prioritization. Instead, seize the opportunity to think critically about what’s truly important. This keeps your mind engaged with the bigger picture, not just operations.
4. Encouraging Reflection and Adaptability
The simple act of writing forces you to pause and reflect. What worked last quarter? What didn’t? Where should the business go from here? That reflection process is essential for adaptation. When you actively engage in setting your priorities, you’re giving yourself the chance to adjust and iterate based on real data and experiences.
Jim Collins, in Good to Great, talks about the importance of confronting the brutal facts. When you’re the one doing the writing, you’re more likely to confront these truths and use them to shape your next steps.
5. Improving Alignment and Communication
When you personally write down your priorities and KPIs, it reinforces alignment across the team. If your priorities are filtered through an assistant, even the best of them may miss nuances that you wouldn’t. Your team looks to you for direction—not a second-hand message.
Clear, written priorities directly from you help your team see the direction with clarity and intention. It also leaves no room for miscommunication, because your voice and thought process are clear.
6. Strengthening Leadership Presence
Finally, the act of setting priorities is a leadership signal. It shows your team that you are actively involved in steering the company. An executive assistant might be a lifesaver for managing your calendar or handling emails, but setting priorities is your job. It’s what your team expects from you as their leader.
When you set your priorities, you not only strengthen your own focus but also demonstrate the kind of engagement you expect from your team. You show that you’re in the trenches with them, crafting the future of the business together.
The Takeaway
Delegating is a necessary part of leadership, but setting your priorities and writing your KPIs isn’t one of those things to pass off. It’s not about perfection—it’s about clarity, focus, and engagement. The act of physically writing out your goals gives you a chance to reflect, commit, and lead with intention. Don’t miss out on the benefits of this hands-on approach.
At the end of the day, no one else can craft your vision for you. So grab a pen—or keyboard—and take charge of your business priorities. After all, your team looks to you for direction. Make sure it’s your voice guiding them.
