Okay, Actually is a podcast for people who are working hard, still falling behind, and are starting to wonder if the problem is them. It's not.

Each episode — always under 25 minutes — we dig into what's truly broken and figure out how to build a solution that can actually work.

In this episode: vanity metrics aren't just a marketing problem — they're everywhere, and they're undermining your ability to diagnose anything accurately. We've spent the last few episodes on wrong diagnoses, ground truth, and friction. This one is about the data that feeds all of it. My husband Jeff says reporting without targets is just counting. After this episode, you'll know exactly what he means.

00:00 Hallmark Movie Obsession

03:18 Episode Setup Measurement

05:56 Failure Mode 1: Counting Without Targets

08:27 Failure Mode 2: The Vanity Number Trap

10:01 Failure Mode 3: Data Collected, Action Not Taken

14:55 Three Questions Filter

18:30 Fix Your Reports

The three-question filter — apply it before you send the next report:

1. Do you have a target? Not just a number — a number with a should be attached.
2. Do you have a benchmark? What does good look like relative to something whether it's last period, best in class, or your own stated goal?
3. Are you tracking a delta? Is anything changing, and do you know why (and do you know what you're going to do about it?)

If the answer is no to all three, you have a vanity metric. You're counting.

Find me here:

OkayDoak.com

[email protected]

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