Running a World-Class Monthly Operating Review: Where Strategy Meets Reality
I’ve sat in hundreds of Monthly Operating Reviews.
Most of them follow the same pattern:
Too many slides
Too much history
Too little decision-making
People report.
Leaders listen.
Nothing changes.
A world-class MOR is different.
It’s not a presentation.
It’s a management tool.
The Purpose of the MOR
The MOR exists for one reason:
To make better decisions faster—based on facts.
Not to admire numbers.
Not to explain excuses.
Not to defend the past.
A great MOR answers three questions:
Are we winning or losing?
Why?
What decisions must be made now?
What a World-Class MOR Looks Like
1. Strategy Comes First
The MOR starts with the strategic plan—not department updates.
What are this quarter’s Rocks?
Are we on track or off track?
What’s at risk?
If strategy isn’t discussed, alignment erodes.
2. KPIs Tell the Story
Use a small set of KPIs tied directly to strategy.
Trends, not snapshots
Exceptions, not averages
Red gets discussed—green moves on
This keeps the meeting focused on what matters.
3. Root Cause Over Storytelling
When a KPI is red:
What’s the root cause?
What countermeasure is in place?
Who owns it?
No long explanations.
No defending the past.
Just problem-solving.
4. Decisions Get Made
A great MOR produces:
Clear decisions
Resource reallocations
Priority changes
Ownership assignments
If nothing is decided, the MOR failed.
Consumer Products Example: Turning the MOR Into a Control Room
At a consumer products company I worked with, the MOR used to take four hours and accomplish very little.
We redesigned it.
We:
Reduced KPIs to the critical few
Linked every metric to a strategic objective
Forced decisions instead of updates
Within two months:
Meetings dropped to 90 minutes
Decisions increased
Cross-functional issues surfaced early
Quarterly Rocks stayed on track
The MOR became the control room of the business, not a reporting ritual.
The Real Power of the MOR
When run well:
Leaders stop reacting
Teams stop sandbagging
Problems surface earlier
Strategy stays alive
The MOR becomes the bridge between:
Daily execution
Weekly accountability
Quarterly strategy
Annual results
About Don Vanpool
Don Vanpool is a seasoned business-transformation leader, private-equity operating partner, and certified coach. He helps manufacturing and mid-market companies align strategy, execution, and accountability to drive sustainable results.
