Most organizations are drowning in dashboards—engagement scores, turnover reports, productivity trackers, badge swipes, time in office. But how much of that data actually tells you anything real about your culture?

In this episode of Collaborative Culture, Monica Smith and Dr. Kristine Gentry kick off Part 2 of their “Metrics That Matter” mini-series by breaking down the difference between numbers that look impressive and metrics that actually help you lead. They explore three levels of data—counting, trending, and driving—and show how each can either stay superficial or become a powerful signal about the health of your culture.

Monica and Kristine walk through four culture-focused metrics leaders should be watching: purpose alignment, leadership listening/feedback loops, values-driven decision-making, and a cultural diversity index that goes beyond headcount. Along the way, they unpack why culture metrics are not about policing activity (hello, badge tracking) but about gaining clarity, so you can spot issues early, support your people, and improve performance.

If you’re tired of chasing vanity metrics and ready to design measures that actually reflect how your culture is working, this one’s for you.

In this episode, Monica and Kristine cover:

• 🎧 From “metrics mirage” to metrics that matter
• 📊 Three types of data: counting, trending, and driving
• 🚨 Signal vs. noise in culture measurement
• 🧭 Metric #1: Purpose alignment score
• 👂 Metric #2: Leadership listening & feedback loops
• 🧱 Metric #3: Values-driven decision-making
• 🌍 Metric #4: Cultural diversity index (beyond headcount)
• 📉 Leading vs. lagging indicators in culture
• 🧪 Quant + qual: Numbers and narratives
• 🎯 The real purpose of culture metrics

If you enjoyed this episode, follow Collaborative Culture and share it with a leader or team who’s ready to move beyond vanity metrics and start measuring what truly matters.

For more information on the MBL baseball cap fiasco: https://frontofficesports.com/mlb-angels-astros-rangers-tetas-hats/

Thanks for Listening!

We’d love to hear from you.

Kristine Gentry, PhD

kgentry@culturegrove.com

🌐 www.culturegrove.com

🔗 LinkedIn: Kristine McKenzie Gentry

Monica M. Smith

tradewindscareerconsulting@gmai.com

🌐 www.tradewindscareerconsulting.com

🔗 LinkedIn: Monica Mary Smith

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