Day 7 | Series 6 of 9 | Performance Management - What I Would Choose to Measure (and Why)

If I were overseeing Global Cruise Sales, I would be very intentional about what I measure, and just as intentional about what I don’t. Performance Management - What I Would Choose to Measure

In complex sales environments like cruise sales, metrics don’t just report performance. They shape behavior. Measure the wrong KPIs and you don’t just get distorted results, you may create unintended consequences that affect guests, the global sales force, and long-term value.

That’s why I don’t believe in KPI-heavy dashboards designed to impress rather than inform. 

A performance management system (many cruise lines use Power BI), in my view, should create clarity, accountability, and trust, while protecting the guest experience and Brand sustainability. Performance Management - What I Would Choose to Measure

How I Think About Performance Measurement 

Rather than chasing dozens of metrics, I would anchor performance conversations around four balanced areas. Not as a rigid framework, but to ensure leadership focus stays aligned and we all move towards the same direction. 

• Revenue contribution KPI´s - Revenue matters but I look at it in context. Market / Channel mix, conversion quality, and yield discipline tell a far more accurate story than volume alone. 

• Operational Discipline - I pay attention to how predictably the organization performs. Productivity, pipeline visibility, and planning accuracy reveal whether results are repeatable or accidental. 

• Guest & Brand Impact - Sales should enhance the guest journey, not compromise it. Guest feedback and selling-related complaints are early indicators of whether commercial pressure is starting to erode trust. 

• People Sustainability - Engagement, retention, and internal mobility tell me whether the system is developing talent, or burning it out. Long-term performance is impossible without this lens. 

I don’t view these dimensions independently. I watch how they move together. When one improves at the expense of the others, it’s usually a signal that something in leadership, incentives, or training is misaligned. 

Performance management isn’t about control. It’s about alignement 

Tomorrow, I’ll explore how incentives and recognition must reinforce these behaviors.

Global Cruise Sales Architecture Intro to a 9 day series

Day 2 | Series 1 of 9 | Sales Architecture

Day 3 | Series 2 of 9 | Sales Structure Design

Day 4 | Series 3 of 9 | FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE: BUDGETING & FORECASTING

Day 5 | Series 4 of 9 | Talent Strategy - Recruitment & Retention 

Day 6 | Series 5 of 9 | Training & Development Ecosystem