TL;DR:
The Say-Do Ratio (SDR) measures how often teams deliver on their commitments, making it a simple but powerful way to boost execution discipline. A strong ratio improves cross-functional collaboration, drives on-time project delivery, and strengthens accountability culture. The goal is ensuring projects get done on time while still pushing for growth.
Why is execution discipline more important than ever?
Every leader has been in that situation. Plans are made, goals are set, and project timelines look great on paper. But deadlines slip, priorities change, and people stop being responsible. Execution discipline isn’t just a “nice to have” in today’s fast-paced world. It’s the difference between companies that always give value and those that have trouble with gaps in their credibility.
The Say-Do Ratio is what you need to know. This metric is easy to understand but very useful. It only tracks one thing:
Do you really do what you say you will?
Leaders can see accountability and reliability clearly when they compare commitments to follow-through. These are important traits that affect project delivery, team morale, and customer trust.
What Is the Say-Do Ratio, Exactly?
The Say-Do Ratio (SDR) is the percentage of promises that were kept compared to promises that were made. If a project manager says they will deliver 10 things this quarter and only delivers 8, their Say-Do Ratio is 80%.
It seems simple, but the real insight is that keeping an eye on Say-Do Ratio consistently puts a spotlight on execution discipline. When commitments are kept (or not kept), patterns start to show up, like over-promising, not having enough resources, or not putting things in order of importance.
The formula is
Say-Do Ratio = (Commitments Delivered ÷ Commitments Made) × 100
A high ratio means that things will go as planned, while a low ratio means that there is a chance of something going wrong. Over time, it it stops being a measure of output and starts to be a sign of project success.
Why does the Say-Do Ratio matter for project delivery?
Here are four main reasons:
Makes people trust you and believe in you
Leaders who always keep their promises earn the trust of their teams and stakeholders. It’s not just about hitting numbers; it’s also about your reputation.
Makes Planning More Realistic
Say-Do Ratio doesn’t work for people who make too many promises. People are more likely to follow through when they know their actions are being watched. This makes plans more reliable and deadlines less likely to be missed.
Shows Problems Early
If the ratio goes down, it starts a conversation: Are we short on resources? Is the scope too big? By pointing out problems early, companies can fix them before they cause whole projects to fail.
Strengthens the culture of accountability
When teams use Say-Do Ratio, everyone is responsible for their actions. Not only do leaders keep an eye on performance, but peers do too.
How can leaders use the say-do ratio in real life?
Make sure your commitments are clear
Be clear about “what’s being promised.” It’s hard to measure vague promises like “we’ll try to finish.” Instead, set specific deadlines for commitments and make them clear.
Keep track of progress in an open way
You can use dashboards, OKR software or even spreadsheets to keep track of commitments and results. Transparency makes things clear and gives everyone a sense of ownership.
Look at patterns, not just numbers
If one person on the team has a low Say-Do Ratio all the time; don’t blame them right away. Find out what the main problems are: not enough resources, an unclear scope, or conflicting priorities. Don’t use the data as a hammer; use it as a coaching tool.
Celebrate High Ratios
Recognition is important. If teams or people consistently get a high Say-Do Ratio, let them know. This shows that dependability is important and encourages good behavior.
Is there a “good” Say-Do Ratio?
There isn’t a single standard; it depends on how complicated the projects are and what is normal in the industry. But a lot of high-performing teams aim for 80–90%.
Why not 100%? This is due to the inherent risks associated with new ideas. If teams always hit 100%, it could mean they’re not pushing themselves or aiming high enough. The sweet spot is where reliability and ambition meet: you make big promises and keep them.
A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is group of people thet trust each other.
What mistakes do people often make?
- Over-promising: Saying “yes” to everything makes your commitments bigger, lowers your ratio, and wears out your team.
- Under-promising: Being too careful just to keep a perfect Say-Do Ratio makes people less ambitious.
- Using Say-Do Ratio as a stick: Only using it as a performance weapon lowers morale. The Say-Do Ratio is a better way to learn than just a scorecard.
How can Say-Do Ratio make projects that involve people from different departments better?
Cross-functional projects often fail not because the ideas are bad, but because the execution is off. People who own projects are frustrated because departments promise to help but don’t follow through. Leaders can quickly see the following by using SDR across functions:
- Which commitments are falling behind by department
- Where dependencies are falling apart
- How being out of alignment affects the delivery of the whole project
This changes vague pointing fingers into helpful problem-solving. Teams can say, “Marketing had a 60% SDR this quarter, what help do they need to get better?” instead of “Marketing didn’t deliver.”
Where does technology fit into the Say-Do Ratio?
Keeping track of SDR by hand can be hard, especially when there are many teams. Modern OKR and project management tools make this easier by
- Writing down promises in clear, measurable terms
- Automatically keeping track of completion rates
- Seeing SDR trends at the level of individuals, teams, and the whole organization
- Integrating with daily tasks like Slack, Jira, Asana, and others so that updates happen automatically
Do you want to make your project delivery more accountable?
How do you balance Say-Do Ratio with your goals?
If you go after a perfect Say-Do Ratio, do you risk losing your drive? The answer is to frame commitments in a smart way.
Set a mix of:
- Baseline commitments are things you have to do, no matter what.
- Stretch commitments are big goals that push you to grow.
Leaders can get a better picture by keeping track of Say-Do Ratio across both: are we meeting the basics and pushing the limits?
What is the bigger cultural benefit?
When Say-Do Ratio becomes a part of the culture, something big happens:
- Teams stop making too many promises just to look good in meetings.
- Leaders show how to be reliable, which sets the tone for others to do the same.
- Peer accountability takes the place of micromanagement.
- Customers see a brand that keeps its promises, which builds trust over time.
- Execution discipline, which used to be a buzzword in management, becomes a real value for everyone in the company
Final Thoughts: Every Team Should Keep an Eye on Their Say-Do Ratio
Projects don’t usually fail because they don’t have any ideas; they fail because people don’t keep their promises, miss deadlines, and don’t hold themselves accountable. The Say-Do Ratio is a simple but powerful way to cut through the noise: Do you do what you said you would do?
By keeping an eye on this metric, companies can improve their credibility, speed up project delivery, and create cultures of execution discipline. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about making things more reliable while still daring to aim high.