It quickly became clear that KPI's stir up mixed feelings: exciting for some, confusing or even intimidating for others. Some departments track them obsessively, while others barely mention them. And yet, whether in higher ed, nonprofits, or corporate spaces, KPIs are always there in the background—tied to growth, efficiency, donations, or retention.
The conversation turned to how L&D can play a role. Instead of talking about “alignment” in vague terms, we unpacked what it looks like in practice. Training that speeds up the sales funnel, leadership programs that reduce turnover, onboarding that improves retention—all are ways to show impact in terms the business already values. Along the way, we explored the difference between lagging indicators (like employees leaving) and leading ones (like manager behaviors that influence retention).
We also shared the challenge of shifting the dialogue. Too often, L&D is expected to deliver courses without asking how they tie to business outcomes. But when we reframe objectives as performance outcomes—“reduce manual processing time by 20%” instead of “complete data entry tasks”—we position ourselves as partners who impact KPIs, not just order takers.
KPIs may not always be easy to find, but they’re out there in budgets, reports, and conversations with stakeholders. The more we connect our work to those measures, the stronger our seat at the table becomes.
So what KPI in your organization could you start asking about today?
Stay curious! -Shannon
Video
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Transcript Summary
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Resources
From Urbie Delgado on KPI:
Technique Is it a KPI? Why it is Why it isn’t Before/After Snapshots KPI-ish Shows change over time More narrative than numeric
Behavior Change in the Wild KPI-lite Tracks real-world actions Qualitative, not quantified
Small Wins, Big Echoes KPI by anecdote Ties learning to outcomes Not tracked systematically
Peer Recognition/Adoption Shadow KPI Indicates influence and trust Too soft for traditional metrics
Performance Drift Reversal Covert KPI Links to process improvement Used case-by-case
Stakeholder Testimonials Relational KPI Shows business partner buy-in Subjective and anecdotal
Learning Changemakers Tool 7: Improving Impact pdf
Kevin Yates Detective Kit
Substack on Execution, by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan by Evan Samek
Learning Rebels Blog: Connecting The Dots: From Skills Gaps To Business Outcomes
Books
Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy by David Vance and Peggy Parskey
Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring by Alaina Szlachta
A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge by Liba
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy
Data Analytics and KPIs for Project Success by Moira Alexander
Developing Meaningful Key Performance Indicators by Clive Keyte
Be part of the Community. Gain more valuable resources to build your skills! Learn more here. Join the conversation Be part of the live chat! Sign up here. Hire Learning Rebels When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more Host: Shannon Tipton Podcast produced by: Obs
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