This article is part three of a multi-part excerpt from our latest downloadable guide, From Chaos to Clockwork: A Peachtree VA Implementation Guide.
Running a business well is not about doing everything yourself. It’s about building systems, trusting your team, and making smart decisions about where your time actually goes. That is the central thesis of Like Clockwork by Sam Goodner, a serial entrepreneur and former Swiss Army officer who spent decades learning how precision, structure, and delegation can transform an organization.
Our resource, created in partnership with Sam Goodner, distills nine of the book’s most actionable chapters and pairs each with a practical breakdown of how to implement these principles in your own business, specifically showing how a virtual assistant can help you get there faster.
Download the full guide for all nine strategies! →
Whether you are a founder still wearing every hat or a growing company trying to scale without chaos, Sam’s book meets you where you are. You do not have to implement every chapter at once. Start with the principle that would make the biggest immediate impact on your business and build from there.
Want to go deeper? Pick up the full book:
Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision by Sam Goodner →
Strategy 3: Measurable Objectives
“The value here isn’t just theoretical. I’ve found that setting measurable objectives is the number one way to improve performance across your company.” – Sam Goodner, Like Clockwork Chapter 9
The Swiss Army measures everything, from running times to marksmanship scores, because clarity on expectations is what produces performance. Sam applies the same logic to business: every role should have defined objectives, tracked consistently, and reviewed regularly. Managers gain a framework for real accountability conversations, and employees gain a clear picture of what success actually looks like in their role.
Stop Operating Blindly, Start Achieving Your Goals:
- Objectives should follow the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Involve employees in setting their own goals. Buy-in increases dramatically when people have a voice.
- Regular check-ins, weekly, monthly, and quarterly, are what turn objectives into actual results.
- Objectives do not need to be public company-wide, but they do need to be clearly shared between each manager and their direct report.
Leverage Your Virtual Assistant in KPI Tracking
These tips may seem simple, but implementing a framework around Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracking is time-consuming. You can leverage a virtual executive assistant (VA) from Peachtree VA to own this function.
Your VA can:
- Track individual and team objectives and generate progress reports for leadership once they define the objectives to track
- Schedule routine performance reviews and set recurring check-in meetings on behalf of leadership
- Send customer satisfaction surveys (NPS), track responses, and build a report for leadership
From Idea to Implementation
Your VA can bridge the gap between strategy and implementation. Once you establish what success looks like and the metrics to track, your virtual executive assistant can handle the rest and keep you informed, giving you a clear picture of how your business and teams are performing.
If you’re ready to achieve your business goals, the right support can help you get there. Schedule a no-obligation consultation with Peachtree VA to learn more about how a virtual assistant can help!
If you want to dive deeper into the other strategies from Sam’s book, stay tuned for part 4, or download our joint resource:
From Chaos to Clockwork: A Peachtree VA Implementation Guide →
