Message from Doug Magee, President, Government Services:
As we navigate a world of increasing complexity and rising expectations in the Government sector, it’s clear that how we set our goals, track progress, and align as an organization will determine our ability to grow and lead. To that end, I’m excited to share a key resource that will help shape the future of Government Services: Measure What Matters by John Doerr.
This book is more than just a guide to goal setting—it is a proven blueprint for organizational focus, discipline, and performance. It introduces a system called OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), which has been used by innovative and high-performing organizations like Google, Amazon and Intuit. Government Services used this framework during our Strategy Offsite at the end of June. We are implementing the OKR practice in order to establish a means for how Government Services will scale responsibly, lead with purpose, and achieve impact with precision.
In this message, I will highlight how Measure What Matters directly supports our mission, outline how we will begin to implement its teachings, and provide a concise summary of the key principles in the book to empower everyone with a shared understanding.
Why Measure What Matters ‘Matters’ for Government Services
Within Government Services we are not strangers to high-stakes environments. Our teams support mission-critical operations, often in demanding and complex geopolitical settings. Our growth strategy is ambitious—centered around strengthening our partnerships, expanding into new sectors, and delivering services that are reliable, agile, and results-driven.
To scale without compromising quality or culture, we need:
- Alignment across teams and functions
- Clarity of purpose and priorities
- Accountability for results, not just effort
- Agility to adapt and iterate on strategy
This is exactly what OKRs are designed to provide.
Measure What Matters is filled with compelling real-world examples—from Intel to Google, Bono’s ONE campaign to the Gates Foundation—demonstrating how companies can transform themselves with this approach. OKRs allow organizations to focus on what’s most important, communicate clearly at all levels, and track whether efforts are actually moving the needle.
In a time where we are seeking rapid growth and new contracts, strengthening our agility and efficiencies, and streamlining our operations, we must ensure we’re all rowing in the same direction. OKRs give us that shared compass.
Summary of Measure What Matters
John Doerr, a legendary venture capitalist and early investor in Google, introduced OKRs to Google’s founders when the company had fewer than 40 employees. The concept is deceptively simple, but enormously powerful. The system is built on two components:
1. Objectives
These are clearly defined goals that answer the question: What do we want to achieve?
They are qualitative, inspirational, and designed to be memorable.
Examples:
- Improve client operational readiness across mission sites.
- Launch next-generation training program for overseas operatives.
- Reduce incident response time in the field by 30%.
2. Key Results
These are measurable milestones that indicate how we know we’re making progress toward the Objective. They are quantitative and time-bound. Each objective should be accompanied by 2-5 Key Results.
How This Will Help Us Grow
OKRs are not a silver bullet. They won’t replace strong leadership, communications, creativity, integrity, or operational excellence. But when implemented with intention, they will amplify what we already do well and surface areas where we can improve.
By aligning OKRs across our organization:
- We ensure strategic coherence as we maintain/expand our services and enter new government partnerships.
- We create a data-driven culture, where outcomes—not just effort—guide decisions.
- We empower teams and individuals to take ownership of results and work on developing ‘agency’.
- We’ll foster a culture of learning and feedback, which is critical in our line of work.
As the President of Government Services, my objective is simple: Build an organization that performs with purpose, adapts with agility, and delivers with integrity. The key results I care about most include our ability to scale with discipline, retain top talent, and deliver exceptional outcomes for the communities and agencies we serve.
I encourage every one of you—whether you're supporting operations overseas or leading a support function stateside—to read and practice, Measure What Matters.
This is not just a standard business book, it is the scaffolding for growth and success. It is a practical guide to clarity, accountability, and ambition. And most importantly, it is a tool we can use—together—to shape our future.
Let’s measure what matters. Let’s aim high. And let’s achieve it—together.
With deep appreciation for all you do…
Doug Magee
President, Government Services
Day & Zimmermann