One of the most powerful ideas in the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) is the distinction between lead measures and lag measures. Understanding and using these two types of metrics correctly can completely change how you track and achieve your goals.
In this article, you’ll learn exactly what lead and lag measures are, why both are important, and how to define them clearly for your Wildly Important Goal (WIG).
What Are Lag Measures?
Lag measures are the results you’re trying to achieve. They are the outcome or end-point of your efforts.
Examples of lag measures:
- Revenue generated
- Weight lost
- New followers gained
- Test score achieved
- Projects completed
Characteristics of lag measures:
- Easy to measure after the fact
- Difficult (or impossible) to influence directly
- Usually measured weekly or monthly
They are called “lag” because they lag behind your actions. You only know the result after the action is done.
What Are Lead Measures?
Lead measures are the actions that drive the results. These are behaviors and activities you can control right now.
Examples of lead measures:
- Number of sales calls made
- Hours spent exercising
- Words written per day
- Blog posts published weekly
- Study sessions completed
Characteristics of lead measures:
- Predictive: They influence lag measures
- Influenceable: You can control them day-to-day
- Measurable: You can count or track them easily
Think of lead measures as the input and lag measures as the output.
Why Most People Focus Too Much on Lag Measures
Many people obsess over outcomes (“I need to lose 10 pounds” or “I want 1,000 more followers”), but they:
- Can’t control the outcome directly
- Feel discouraged when the result doesn’t show up quickly
- Don’t know what specific actions will move the needle
Focusing on lead measures gives you something you can act on today.
How to Define a Strong Lag Measure
Start with your WIG, and express it using the 4DX formula:
“From X to Y by [date]”
Examples:
- “Grow monthly revenue from $3,000 to $6,000 by October 1”
- “Increase Instagram followers from 2,000 to 5,000 by December 15”
- “Lose 5kg by August 31”
These become your lag measures—your goals.
How to Identify Effective Lead Measures
Ask:
- What actions can I take that would directly influence my lag measure?
- What can I do daily or weekly that’s 100% within my control?
- What small behaviors, done consistently, will make the biggest impact?
Example 1: Weight Loss
- Lag measure: “Lose 5kg by August 31”
- Lead measures: “Track food daily,” “Exercise 4x/week,” “Walk 8,000 steps/day”
Example 2: Sales Growth
- Lag measure: “Increase monthly sales from $2,000 to $5,000 by October 1”
- Lead measures: “Make 10 sales calls/day,” “Send 5 proposals/week”
Example 3: Social Media Growth
- Lag measure: “Grow YouTube subscribers from 1,000 to 5,000 by November”
- Lead measures: “Publish 2 videos/week,” “Reply to 100 comments/week”
Tips for Choosing Powerful Lead Measures
- Keep them simple and specific
- Make sure you can track them manually or with a tool
- Focus on consistency, not volume
- Choose actions that can become habits
Bad lead measure: “Be more productive”
Good lead measure: “Write for 45 minutes before 10 a.m. every weekday”
How to Track and Use Lead and Lag Measures Together
Create a scoreboard (digital or physical) where you track:
- Daily/weekly lead measures (checkmarks, bars, streaks)
- Weekly lag measures (updated progress on your WIG)
Example:
| Week | Lead: Emails Sent | Lead: Posts Published | Lag: Subscribers Gained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ✅✅✅✅✅ | ✅✅ | +150 |
| 2 | ✅✅✅❌❌ | ✅ | +60 |
Seeing both helps you connect behavior with outcomes.
Final Thought: Action Is What Moves the Needle
Results don’t come from goals alone—they come from action. And the most effective action is the kind you can repeat, measure, and improve.
Use 4DX to define your lag measure. Then find the lead measures that make it inevitable.