1. Define and share outcomes
Set a small number of clear outcomes and make sure everyone understands them.
Why this matters
Clear, shared outcomes keep teams focused. People make better decisions and spend time on work that moves you towards agreed goals.
Without clear outcomes, teams pull in different directions and waste effort.
How we measure success
We use a red, amber, green (RAG) rating.
Green Clear, documented outcomes aligned to strategy
You have clear and understandable outcomes that are clearly explained and aligned with departmental strategy.
You must be able to show:
- 3 to 5 specific outcomes that align with the priorities on the group's strategic roadmap
- regular updates that share outcomes with colleagues and senior leaders
- a named owner for each outcome and how you'll track progress
Amber Outcomes exist but are not well understood or shared
You have outcomes, but they are vague, not consistently understood, or not shared regularly. Alignment to roadmap or departmental priorities is not clear.
Common problems can include:
- outcomes are high-level or aspirational, without specifics
- weak or missing links to strategic priorities
- infrequent or inconsistent communication
To move to green, you should:
- rewrite outcomes so they are specific and measurable
- check understanding across the team (for example, short survey or stand-up playback)
- show explicit alignment to strategy in your documentation
- add owners and a review cadence (for example, monthly)
Red Unclear or missing outcomes
Outcomes are vague, undocumented or inconsistent. People are not sure what success looks like or how work links to strategy.
Common problems can include:
- no documented outcomes (only broad aspirations)
- team members cannot say what they are trying to achieve
- no clear link to departmental strategy
- focus is on activities and outputs, not outcomes