KPIs Versus Keeping People Inspired: Colleague, have you achieved your target?

COMMENT | SHIRLEY BIRUNGI | The year has come to an end, but for our working people, the 2025 KPIs had them at chokeholds, and the hustle and bustle will spill over to 2026.

So, colleague, close that laptop and enjoy it all before Janu-worry ends so that you start off the first quarter of the new year on a clean slate.

Well, the concept of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) is not foreign in corporate circles or to any professional who has a Job Description (JD) which is, in most cases, complementary to the KPIs.

A key performance indicator is a type of performance measurement that evaluates the success of an organization or a particular activity, such as projects, programs, products, and other initiatives, in which it engages.  KPIs provide a focus for strategic and operational improvement, create an analytical basis for decision-making, and help focus attention on what matters most.

David Parmenter’s book titled Developing, Implementing, and Using Winning KPIs points out that performance measurement is failing organizations all around the world, whether they are multinationals, government departments, or small local charities. The measures that have been adopted were dreamed up one day without any linkage to the critical success factors of the organizations. These measures are frequently monthly or quarterly. Management reviews them and says, “That was a good quarter” or “That was a bad month.”

Of late, I am starting to believe in the notion that a leader is as good as their team. Point me to any leader, and I will show you who they lead.

Meticulous, yes, the team will pay attention to detail and try as much as possible not to err because at a certain time T, this will affect their appraisal when the stage is set, and now it’s their time to detail the whys, the yeses and what went wrong for the year in review; hence, KPIs are the bait to ensure one stays off the wrong course.

A JD will clearly spell out the task one is supposed to perform; however, KPIs, on the other hand, ensure that you are executing what the JD entails but in accordance with the organization’s policies, which are defined by the human resources team who work closely with the department to put together areas of performance that an individual or team will be appraised against.

When I was penning this article, I kept thinking of the public relations (PR) committee team I serve with at the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Governing Council. Brian Emorut and Lule Eriah are exceptional. These two gentlemen have made me appreciate leadership in its entirety.

Though little gestures are made once in a while in appreciation of their commendable work, they go over and above with a passion unmatched to serve; thus, this points back to the title of this article, keeping people inspired so that they go the extra mile while at it.

Oftentimes, we pass by “Kyadi” as it’s famously called, though for us muntu wa bulijo we call it  Kyadondo Rugby Grounds, a hangout spot. The best drink for Shirley will always be a latte or a Mirinda fruity and 2 sticks, while the gentlemen will grab the beer with XX sticks. This little yet warm gesture keeps the team going, while at the same time, we bounce ideas off each other on how best we can keep the publicity of the association on track.

With voluntary leadership, the best reward you can get is a platform to make meaningful contributions to society, but what will keep one inspired to carry on the mantle for a year or more? Well, it is the little things.

If the tools are not working in your favour, find a way out. Leaders are meant to be solution-orientated. This reminds me of a recent conversation I had with the committee on an activity that almost went amiss. We all agreed that the incident was beyond our control and we had done our best, leaving no room for the blame game, but we discussed how to work it out better the next time.

An inspired team can run from Kampala to Entebbe on foot with passion. If a team serving voluntarily can run such a marathon, what of those on payroll?

Hence, this reflection is with the hope that 2026 brings opportunities where leaders can celebrate their teams. A thank you; you have done a great job. A trip to Kyadi or any other place of reference to unwind is key in keeping the fire burning.

Team building should be non-negotiable in 2026.

Colleagues. Open the laptops; it’s 2026, and KPIs must be met.

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Shirley Birungi, Director PR at the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU)