---
title: "Why Values are the Strongest KPI | Soumya Goel"
url: https://soumyagoel.com/journal/values_kpi
author: Soumya Goel
published: 2025-06-04
updated: 2026-07-30
language: en
---

# Why Values are the Strongest KPI

Leadership. June 4, 2025. 4 min read.

![Why Values are the Strongest KPI](https://soumyagoel.com/images/values_kpi.jpeg)

At Eye-Q, values have never been a poster on the wall, they've always been the foundation.

Growing up around this business, I've seen that from the very beginning my father and his business partner built Eye-Q not just with a vision for accessible eyecare, but with an unwavering commitment to doing things the *right* way: with compassion, with ethics, and with purpose. All while being fully transparent.

Now, as I take on more responsibility in this journey, I'm beginning to understand the *weight* of that legacy.

The last six months have been a whirlwind of learning. Every day stretches me, teaches me. But more than anything, it's tested and reaffirmed one core truth:

**Values are easy to talk about when things are going well. Their real test is when things go wrong.**

Recently, we faced a situation where a few team members breached the trust that holds any organization together. It was deeply disappointing. But it also became a moment of reflection.

Instead of reacting emotionally, we chose to respond with clarity and calm. An internal team handled the matter with fairness and focus - not to punish, but to protect the culture we are all responsible for. Because at Eye-Q, value alignment is not just encouraged, it's non-negotiable.

Interestingly, I was reminded of something a professor said during a lecture I attended at Kellogg earlier this year:

**"Hire slow. Fire fast."**

At the time, I thought of it as a sharp business insight. Today, I understand it as a values safeguard.

What I learnt in class was that every person you bring in either strengthens or weakens the culture, which is why hiring must be deliberate. And when someone crosses a non-negotiable, a decisive step isn't harsh, it's necessary to protect what the organization stands for.

In business, especially as the second generation, you're not just chasing growth. You're also *guarding a legacy*. And if we want to build something that truly lasts, **integrity must lead the way.**

> Because in the end, it's not just about what we build, but also about how we build it.

Thanks for reading.

From the journal of Soumya Goel: https://soumyagoel.com/#journal