Most organizations have mission and vision statements—but struggle to turn them into day-to-day behavior. In this episode of The Future of Engagement, David Synder and Dr. Brian Peters (Doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology; dissertation on employee engagement) breaks down how to design KPIs that matter, avoid common traps, and get every team rowing in the same direction.

You’ll learn:

• What a real strategy looks like—and why “we have a spreadsheet” isn’t it

• How to turn “intangible” roles (HR, customer support) into measurable outcomes

• Leading vs. lagging indicators and why alignment beats activity

• The unintended consequences of bad KPIs (overselling, margin erosion) and how to fix them

• Simple survey metrics to capture “how you made customers feel” without the fluff

• A first-month leadership exercise to cascade clarity across teams

• Weekly meeting systems that keep KPIs alive (not wallpaper)

Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:19 Why KPIs are essential for strategy 05:13 Measuring “intangible” work 10:48 Avoiding unintended consequences 15:20 Making feelings measurable (CSAT, post-call surveys) 18:34 Explaining the “why” behind every KPI 22:20 Leadership exercise to build KPI clarity 30:30 Meeting cadence that sustains alignment 33:55 Wrap-up

Takeaway: Clear, well-chosen KPIs turn vision into action—and engaged teams into consistent performance.

Connect: Questions or topic ideas? Send them our way and subscribe for more practical episodes on leadership, engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Can difficult people truly change—or are some just born to wreck workplace culture? Dr. Brian Peters, expert in employee engagement, explores whether change is possible in even the most stubborn leaders. From Marine Corps lessons to CEO roundtables, this episode unpacks real-world stories, science-backed insights, and last-ditch strategies to turn "bad apples" into thriving contributors.

Perfect for HR leaders, managers, and anyone serious about culture, accountability, and the psychology of transformation.

What’s really killing collaboration in your workplace? In this episode, we uncover the hidden behaviors that derail teamwork — and the leadership habits that foster real engagement. Dr. Brian Peters shares practical strategies, tools, and the one question every leader should be asking: “How do you know that?”