Great Leaders Don’t Just Ask — They Check

Happy Friday,

This week was a week filled with celebration.

Three birthdays of three people who mean the world to me. My sister-in-law, one of my closest friends who celebrated a milestone 50th, and my second “mother,” Keke, who celebrated her incredible 70th birthday. Keke’s party had the most wonderful theme — Day of the Dead — full of colour, laughter, music and beautiful moments shared with people who love her deeply. I’ve included a little picture from the celebration because it was truly a special evening and a reminder of how important it is to pause and celebrate the people who shape our lives.

But alongside the celebrations, there was also a very interesting business lesson that unfolded this week during our KPI reviews. As many of you know, we measure a number of behaviours through our KPIs, and one of those is something simple but powerful posting the Daily Revenue Planner every single day.

During the review, the therapist was asked if she had been posting her planner daily. She answered very confidently, “Yes I am.” The manager responded, “Great, score yourself a 3,” and she did so very enthusiastically.

But something inside me said… let’s just check. So we opened the spa group and went back through the posts.

And guess what?

The planner had been posted most days, yes, but not every day.

Now I want to be very clear here: I do not believe for one second that the therapist was being dishonest or intentionally misleading anyone. What I believe happened is something far more common in business, we sometimes think we are doing something consistently, when in reality we are doing it most of the time.

And in business, most of the time and every time are two very different things.

What actually triggered me to check was not the answer she gave, it was the figures. The numbers simply didn’t match what daily planning would normally produce, and that is what made me dig a little deeper.

This brings me to the lesson I want to share with you today.

KPI tracking is powerful - but only if the information is accurate.

As owners and managers, we cannot simply accept answers at face value. Not because we distrust our teams, but because good leadership requires curiosity and verification. If we rely on assumptions, we cannot truly guide, correct or improve.

Here are three simple business pointers that can help strengthen your KPI process:

1. Verify the behaviour, not just the answer.

When someone says they are doing something consistently, take a moment to look at the actual evidence whether that’s reports, posts, sales records or booking patterns.

2. Let the numbers guide the conversation.

Your figures are often the first signal that something is not quite aligned. If the numbers feel off, it’s usually worth asking one or two more questions.

3. Create a culture of accuracy, not blame.

When you check something, it should never feel like you are “catching someone out.” Instead, position it as a way to help the team improve and understand where small gaps might exist.

When we checked the planner posts together, it immediately created a learning moment. We could see exactly where the inconsistency had crept in, and more importantly, we could correct it.

And that is the real value of KPIs.

Not scoring people.

Helping them improve.

Before I close, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who participated in the 5-Week Masterclass. What an incredible journey it has been. The ideas, the sharing, the connections and the commitment from the group have been truly inspiring.

The programme officially wrapped up this week, and I’ll be sharing feedback and insights from the business owners who took part in next week’s letter. I cannot wait for you to hear what they have to say.

Until then, remember this:

The deeper you look, the more you learn.

And often, the smallest discoveries are the ones that lead to the biggest improvements in your business.

Have a wonderful week ahead. Hugs and kisses from me...

Marisa