Coming off ServiceTitan’s Pantheon, one theme kept ringing: measure what actually moves people. In the trades, the best leadership metrics aren’t buried in a P&L—they show up in how your team shows up.
Four KPIs. Simple. Practical. Actionable.
1) 1:1s
– Cadence: Are they happening—on time, every time?
– Presence: Phones down. Eyes up. No pencil‑whipping.
– Follow‑through: Did we close the loop on what we promised?
– Track: Coverage rate, presence score (you + employee, 1–5), action close rate.
2) Team Health
– Ask quarterly: “How likely are you to recommend your manager to a friend?” Watch the trend, not one-offs. You can do this with an employee survey that employees complete anonymously.
– Run a brief “5 Dysfunctions” check-in. Expect morale spikes after addition through subtraction—you’ll see it in the data.
– Use the insights to coach, not to punish.
3) Energy/Vibe
– Are they safe to speak up? Or do we have “meetings after the meeting” in the parking lot or warehouse?
– Track a one-question weekly pulse (1–5): “How energized do you feel by our team’s direction?”
– Add a MAM count (how many ‘meetings after the meeting’ this week?). Aim for zero. If it’s felt, it’s real—so measure it.
4) Retention Quality
– Voluntary turnover: monthly/quarterly by team and by manager.
– Average tenure: overall and first-12-months. Early attrition is a red flag for onboarding, fit, or manager effectiveness.
– Pair these with 1:1 quality to spot patterns fast.
Try this for 30 days:
– Pick two metrics.
– Review them weekly with your leads or managers.
– Ask: What will we Start, Stop, Keep? What did I model? Where did I miss?
Ready to make better 1:1s the habit that lifts all the others? Download my 1:1 Agenda Template to make it easy and consistent.
