It felt like I was making progress!!

Invisible effort leads to invisible results!

Apr 02, 2025

A friend of mine - a software developer at a major big-box retailer - invited me to go flower bulb shopping. Spring was just around the corner, and she was excited to start her very first garden.

We ended up at the very store where she works behind the scenes, building digital tools that power the shopping experience. As we browsed tulip varieties and chatted about soil types, I noticed a quiet pride in her voice.

Seeing her work come to life on the shelves meant something to her.

As we walked the aisles, she admitted that this was the first time she’d actually seen the impact of a product feature she helped build - “Spring Flower Bulb Sale” - But here’s the bummer: she didn’t know it was live in stores - until she saw it herself while shopping.

It struck me: we often miss the connection between the work we do and the lives we touch.

That moment stuck with me.

Here she was, a developer working on features that directly impact customers/ shoppers and seasonal revenue, but the loop wasn’t closed. The impact of her work was real. But the connection to the company’s broader goal? That had never quite reached her.

And that’s not unusual - disconnect we often feel between what we do and why we do it.

🧭 That’s the story of OKR’s

Most of us have heard of OKRs - Objectives and Key Results - a framework designed to align personal effort with organizational strategy. At their best, OKRs are meant to clarify purpose, sharpen focus, and drive results.

But too often, they live on static dashboards. They’re reviewed once a quarter. They become more of a compliance exercise than a motivational tool.

That’s not a technology problem. That’s a human one.

And it shows up in subtle ways:

In employees who work hard but aren’t sure if their work matters.
In managers who spend more time collecting updates than coaching performance.
In teams that hit their metrics but still feel disconnected from the mission.

The Quiet Cost of Strategic Disconnect

According to research:

Only 7% of employees fully understand their company’s business strategy.
Only 21% of organizations consistently check in on their objectives.
70% of companies struggle to translate strategy into day-to-day action.

In many companies, strategic plans live in slide decks. Meanwhile, work happens in calendars, emails, code commits, and meeting notes.

The two rarely talk.

The Role AI Can Play (It’s Not What You Think)

Let’s be clear: AI isn’t going to write your company vision. It won’t define what matters most.

But what it can do is make those goals and that connection to the bigger picture feel alive.

Imagine OKRs that aren’t buried in spreadsheets - but integrated into the flow of work.

Where employees don’t have to guess if they’re on track—they know, in real time.

Where managers spend less time pulling reports, and more time coaching for performance.

It’s not about micromanagement. It’s about meaningful momentum.

🌱 The Human Side of Growth

Back in the gardening aisle, my friend picked out a box of tulip bulbs and grinned like a kid. There was excitement, pride, and just a touch of wonder at what might bloom in a few months.

That’s what a great OKR should feel like.

💬 Let’s Reflect

What role could AI play - not in replacing strategy, but in helping us feel connected to it?

AI can help:

Close the loop between work and impact.
Offer guidance when things stall.
And remind us - gently- why our work matters.

I want to help you visualize how AI can make this happen.

Last week, I met with Jeremy Antoniuk, Founder and CEO of Scalafai, and I was thrilled to watch what he and his team have built!

Where AI Connects the Dots

Scalafai is an AI-powered OKR management platform that helps organizations move from intention to impact. Here’s what makes it different:

1. Work Meets Strategy—Automatically

🧠 Imagine if my friend’s code deployment automatically connected with the company’s sales objective - “Seasonal Sales Growth – Spring 2025.” That’s what Scalafai enables.

2. AI Coaching and Weekly Check-in

Instead of preparing a 48 page report for your manager, you walk into the check-in already aligned, because your progress is tracked and visualized in real time.

3. A Shared Workspace with Purpose

It really cuts through the noise, keeping the focus on outcomes and not just activities.

Less time updating documents. More time achieving goals.

You can simply chat with the tool and it will answer your questions - Where do we need to be, by when? Where are we now?

🧭 Why This Matters (For All of Us)

Whether you’re in HR, Engineering, Retail ops, or Finance- the desire is the same: to know that your work matters. It moves the company forward. That someone sees the link between your effort and the bigger picture.

AI can’t give us purpose. But it can clear the noise and help us see how our work contributes to something larger. And that small shift—from disconnection to clarity- can make all the difference.

This is the future of work! One that feels more connected and personalized!

Hello, Spring. 🌸🌷