BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English) Li Hongyi: Defining Real Performance, Avoiding Burnout & Building Accountable Teams – E638
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Oct 26, 2025 Li Hongyi, Director of Open Government Products, shares insights on real performance in organizations. He emphasizes that defining 'high-performing' is crucial before chasing achievements. The discussion highlights the importance of clarity over profit, smartly designed metrics, and explicit communication to build trust. Li warns against the dangers of over-promotion and advocates for sustainable growth, promoting skill development over long hours. His approach blends lessons from public service and startups, focusing on accountability, empathy, and structured team dynamics.
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Define What Performance Means
- Performance only matters relative to a clearly defined objective, not vague notions like "high performing."
- Without an anchor, teams chase noise and conflicting priorities instead of outcomes.
Use A Short Objective, Then 3–5 Metrics
- Write a one-paragraph semantic objective that any outsider can understand before choosing metrics.
- Track three to five complementary metrics so good scores make poor outcomes unlikely.
Anchor Outcomes With Overlapping Visibility
- Treat top metrics as a contract for stakeholders while teams track deeper operational signals.
- Create overlapping visibility so lower and higher levels understand goals and reduce fragile handoffs.