A BRAVE View.
We think it’s safe to say most people agree that what gets measured, generally gets done.
Simon Sinek takes it a step further in a recent article, and proposes that what we measure also shapes how people behave.
When you look at this through a BRAVE lens, the connection is obvious.
If we want people to Think, Speak, Disagree, and Decide bravely, we have to measure the behaviours that make those things possible. Because let’s face it, when organisations only measure output, people quietly stop doing the things that create great work.
When We Only Measure Results, We Accidentally Silence Bravery
If the scoreboard only shows deadlines, numbers, and deliverables, people optimise for deadlines, numbers, and deliverables.
They stop thinking about their thinking. They stop speaking up. They stop disagreeing constructively. They stop deciding with integrity.
Not because they don’t care, but because the system tells them that how they do that stuff just doesn’t matter.
A results only culture teaches people to avoid difficult conversations and learn to hide problems. They might play it safe, rush decision making or choose silence over honesty.
And that’s simply the opposite of what we’re trying to achieve at We Are BRAVE.
This is how we see it.
💭 THINK BRAVE
You measure curiosity, not just completion.
If you want people to think bravely, leaders need to notice the good questions, reward early risk‑spotting and thoughtful reflection. Thinking becomes visible when leaders choose to look for it.
🗣️ SPEAK BRAVE
You measure contribution, not compliance. Speaking bravely shows up when leaders value people naming truths early and being brave enough to share clarity instead of staying quiet. When speaking is measured, people stop whispering in corridors and start contributing in meetings.
❌ DISAGREE BRAVE
You measure healthy challenge, not harmony. Disagreement isn’t conflict, it’s really quality control. If leaders begin to measure constructive challenge, and seeing multiple perspectives along with encouraging respectful debate then their people will stop avoiding tension and start strengthening ideas.
✅ DECIDE BRAVE
You measure integrity, not speed or savings. Brave decisions are made when leaders value how the decision was made and whether values guided it. When they look for whether risks were considered, or if the decision stuck. Decision making becomes meaningful when it’s measured beyond “how fast”.
Our Final Thought
Simon Sinek teaches us that behaviour almost always follows measurement. BRAVE teaches you that your behaviour almost always shapes a culture.
And that’s how a culture shifts. One measured behaviour at a time. If you’d like to discuss this with us, or anything else, we’d love to talk.
Reach out using the contact form below. 👇
Simon’s article is here: https://simonsinek.com/stories/you-get-the-behavior-you-measure
