It’s been almost 45 years since a management consultant created the SMART goal framework. Since then, it’s been universally accepted that “what can’t be measured can’t be managed.”
But does exceptional team performance really depend on specific, measurable targets? In my work with leaders across industries and project types—from software implementations to capital asset builds—I often see the opposite.
When measurability is all that matters, execution gets heavier, slower, and frankly, a lot less fun. There’s a better way to think about goals—and it doesn’t start with metrics.
I’ve Been Writing SMART Goals Since 1996
I know this because I still have a copy of my 5th-grade planner.
In 1996, the SMART goal concept was 15 years old. The business world was already hooked. Now, elementary school teachers were taking up the mantle.
And I was a convert.
I loved those specific, measurable, time-bound goals. Setting them, achieving them, crossing them off my list. It was a rush.
But as the years went on, it was harder and harder to get excited about all these KPIs. It was starting to feel suffocating. And boring. So, so boring.
My relentless focus on measurable, tactical achievements had me so focused on my destination that I never stopped to explore (or enjoy) the terrain.
I got off the KPI train moments before it dropped me off at a career I hated.
And for the past twenty years, I’ve given SMART goals permanent side-eye.
Breaking Up with SMART Goals
The problem with specific, measurable, achievable goals is that they are too often disconnected from what really helps people do their best work.
That’s probably why these researchers found that SMART goals are no more effective than “do-your-best” goals or non-specific, exploratory “open goals.”
For teams to execute strategy fast and smart, they need to care about what they’re doing—not just comply with how it’s measured.
When goals are reduced to metrics alone—stripped of the pride, ownership, and meaning people attach to their work—here’s what I see disappear:
- Wisdom. Teams optimize for the date and number—even when hitting them requires making damaging trade-offs that hurt the organization’s broader objectives.
- Purpose and Meaning. Progress slows to a crawl because the team’s work feels small and transactional. Teams care more about what it takes to show “green” on next week’s status report than what it takes to improve the system of work over time.
- Motivation. Motivation becomes fragile, spiking after a goal is hit and collapsing in the face of obstacles or mistakes.
When leaders are under pressure and reach for what’s visible and fast—rather than what actually helps people do good work—team performance suffers.
In mid-market organizations, where there’s less tolerance for heavyweight governance, this tension shows up faster—and with fewer places to hide.
How to Execute Smarter and Faster
So if overreliance on measurable KPIs strips away wisdom, purpose, meaning, and motivation… what’s the alternative?
Not every goal has to be measurable. But they should all be valuable and observable.
We stop starting with numbers.
Instead, we begin by getting clear about what you would actually see if a strategy or project were succeeding:
- How would people behave?
- What would they experience?
- What decisions would be easier?
Not all of this will be measurable, but all of it should be observable—and emotionally resonant. If the vision isn’t compelling on an emotional level, it won’t influence behavior and decision-making. Full stop.
From there, measurement becomes a tool—not the point.
To Make the Shift, Follow These Two Steps:
Step 1: Name What is Valuable and Observable
First, explicitly name the observable shifts you would see as a result of the work you’re doing. Ask questions like:
- What would people be doing differently?
- What would feel easier or less effortful?
- What frustrations would disappear?
For example:
If you are updating your accounting system, ask: what will it feel like to be an accountant after go-live?
If you are building a first-of-its-kind facility, ask: what will the organization look like (or be able to do) after it’s operational?
If you’re rescuing a troubled PMO, ask: what will it feel like for stakeholders to engage and work with you in six months?
The idea is to zoom out from what is measurable to what is valuable and observable.
Here’s the difference:
| Measurable | Valuable and Observable |
|---|---|
| Implement the new accounting system by Q3. | After go-live, accountants trust the system enough to stop keeping shadow spreadsheets. |
| Increase online self-service usage by 25%. | Customers resolve common issues on their own without calling for help—and don’t complain about it. |
| Deliver the facility on time and on budget. | The organization has an executable blueprint for how to build facilities like this quickly, safely, and without compromising maintainability. |
| Close 90% of projects on time. | Stakeholders experience the PMO as a partner who makes work easier, clearer, and faster than if they did it themselves. |
| Hit the adoption target within 60 days. | People choose the new system over the old one—even when no one is watching. |
Not all goals need to be measurable, but they should all be valuable and observable. This table shows the difference.
Step 2: Then, Decide What to Measure
This is where many leaders get tripped up. We treat metrics as final verdicts of success (with no partial credit awarded.) But metrics are more like hints. They give us a window into whether value is emerging.
And that distinction matters.
At their core, metrics are just proxies. For example, a Net Promoter Score (NPS) is one way to look at customer loyalty—but if we’re clear-eyed, we know that it’s measuring the shadow, not the object. It’s an imperfect way to quantify something fundamentally irrational and unpredictable—human behavior.
Likewise, the percent of on-time projects is one way to look at PMO value. But with so many X factors at play—including purposeful decisions to delay—it approaches rather than declares what it’s trying to measure.
Here’s Where to Start
Measure what your stakeholders say is important.
It’s no good touting the number of projects delivered on budget if your stakeholders have expressed concern that teams are sacrificing long-term operability for short-term savings. Understand what matters to the people who will use what you’re building—then find out how they would measure success. Build those measures into your big picture.
Measure what helps you learn.
Good measures illuminate what is happening and why. It isn’t enough to know “customers are having a bad experience” (say, through poor survey results). You want to understand where and why that experience is occurring, and the degree to it can (or can’t) be traced to your project/portfolio/strategy.
Measure proven correlations.
If you can prove that a metric corresponds with a desired outcome—say, more revenue or less customer churn—it’s worth keeping track of. But build curiosity into the framework. Challenge your teams to understand why, how, and where the correlation exists, and what aspects of their work could strengthen it.
Measure with and without outliers.
Risk and randomness are unavoidable—so understand the impact that outliers are having on results, and what led to them in the first place. Don’t separate numbers from the story and context.
Accept that some things shouldn’t be measured.
Not everything that matters can—or should—be measured.
If measuring something would distort behavior, encourage gaming, or undermine trust, that’s a signal to rely on observation and conversation instead.
If You Only Do One Thing
Pick one active strategy, project, or portfolio you’re responsible for.
Before you look at the dashboard, ask this question instead:
“If this were going as well as it possibly could, what would I expect to see—day to day?”
Write down three things you’d notice that wouldn’t show up cleanly in a metric.
Then look at your current goals and KPIs and ask:
- Which of these helps us learn whether those things are happening?
- And which ones might be getting in the way?
You don’t have to change anything yet.
Just noticing the gap is often enough to change how leaders show up—and how teams experience the work.