Across industries, the art of developing people has become just as critical as refining products, which is reshaping how leaders invest in their workforce. Skill-building is no longer optional—it is strategic.

As organizations strive to remain adaptive and competitive, the demand for knowledgeable trainers and facilitators continues to grow. Strong talent development and modern training delivery are now central to organizational success.

Course overview

The KPI Institute’s Certified Training Professional course, presented by Maentae, is designed to strengthen participants’ capabilities in talent development and training delivery. This new program equips learners with practical skills in needs analysis, assessment, and the customization of training solutions for specific audiences.

Participants will also build strong competencies in training design, facilitation, and evaluation, using established instructional design models and measurement frameworks. By the end of the course, they will be able to:

• Conduct a focused Training Needs Analysis (TNA) aligned with organizational goals
• Apply proven instructional design models and learning theories to create effective learning experiences
• Develop structured training programs that integrate diverse methods and activities
• Facilitate engaging and high-impact training sessions
• Use evaluation tools to measure training effectiveness and identify areas for improvement

Benefits and importance

This course strengthens core training capabilities and equips participants with practical tools they can immediately apply in their organizations. In addition, learners gain several key benefits, including:

• Apply instructional design models such as ADDIE and SAM
• Design courses with SMART objectives and engaging training materials
• Evaluate training impact using methods like Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels and ROI
• Six-month access to smartKPIs.com with 500 documented KPIs and 20,000+ listed KPIs, and one Top 25 KPIs research report

Course structure and methodology

The course follows a three-part learning journey totaling approximately 40 hours:

1. Pre-course stage: Participants will assess their skills, engage with other learners in a live forum, and establish a strong start to the group learning journey.
2. Core-course stage: Focuses on active participation in course sessions, developing an individual learning map, preparing for exams, creating presentations, and evaluating training demos.
3. After-course stage: Participants will provide course feedback, engage in forum discussions, reflect in a learning journal, explore additional readings, and create a tailored action plan aligned with their organization’s needs.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be awarded the following certificates (soft copy):

• Certificate of Attendance: given after participating in the five-day live session course
• Certificate of Completion: presented upon completion of the pre-course activities and the online certification exam
• Certified Professional Diploma: awarded upon successfully completed all three stages of the learning experience

The journey through The KPI Institute’s Certified Training Professional course is just the beginning. Designed for a workforce where training is now strategic, the program equips trainers to meet rising organizational expectations with confidence.

Are you ready to take the next step? Read more about the program and sign up to secure your spot. Visit https://kpiinstitute.org/certified-training-professional/ for more information.

The 2026 State of Strategy Management Practice Survey is live! Gain exclusive resources to strengthen your strategy while sharing your insights on AI, agility, governance, and sustainability in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) organizations. Join the survey here!

Most organizations can create strategies, but they struggle to execute them. Plans are approved and targets set, yet day-to-day realities often derail results. As MENA organizations face rapid change, strategy leaders must do more than plan. They must adapt, execute, and deliver. To capture how organizations are responding, The KPI Institute launched the 2026 State of Strategy Management Practice Survey.

The survey invites strategy and performance professionals across the region to share their perspectives on the challenges most likely to shape strategy execution in 2026. These include artificial intelligence (AI) integration in decision-making, accelerating planning cycles, growing governance and compliance demands, and rising sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations. 

This forward-looking initiative builds on key insights from the State of Strategy Management Practice – 2025 MENA Region report. Last year’s findings revealed a region in transition, with strategic planning becoming more formal and structured, signaling greater maturity in long-term decision-making. At the same time, execution challenges persisted. Confidence in translating strategy into measurable outcomes declined for the second consecutive year, with nearly 80% of professionals reporting firsthand experience with execution failure.

The 2025 data also highlighted an evolution in performance management systems, with organizations increasingly prioritizing agility, alignment, and accountability—while still facing gaps in capability and execution, particularly between large organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Together, these insights underscore a clear message: strong plans are not enough. Execution capability will define organizational success in 2026.

With this, The KPI Institute invites you to share your perspective on emerging challenges in 2026 and welcomes your 2026 strategy prediction. Join the survey now and receive access to exclusive resources, including the Top 25 Strategy and Performance KPIs – 2025 Edition and the State of Strategy Management Practice – 2025 MENA Region report. 

Have you also felt it? The nagging sense that being busy is not the same as being successful. As we move into 2026, the old metrics of long hours and ceremonial accolades are being replaced by something more meaningful. The search for meaning begins with discovering your priorities, whether for yourself or at work. Reflections and touchstones can guide how those insights take shape.

To help organizations and professionals navigate this, The KPI Institute and the Institute for Life Management Science have teamed up to release the Top 25 Personal KPIs – 2025 Edition. It is a research-backed blueprint for self-mastery in 2026. This updated report moves beyond traditional productivity to offer a holistic framework of 25 essential metrics, including enhanced templates and expert insights on AI-native workflows and mental resilience. 

At the core of this framework is the concept of personal performance—the progress a person makes toward their own goals. It shows how well someone manages their time, energy, and money to reach the outcomes they want. Unlike organizational performance, which follows standardized goals and external benchmarks, personal performance is shaped by individual values and priorities. It covers different areas of life, including health and well-being, daily productivity and habits, relationships, learning and career development, and financial stability.

Translating progress across these areas requires clear measurement. A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable way to track progress toward a personal goal, turning intentions into actionable metrics that support better decisions and continuous growth. Personal KPIs can be monitored using tools ranging from digital apps and habit trackers to spreadsheets, journals, and goal-planning platforms.

To bridge this gap, the 2025 edition highlights 25 critical metrics, organized across six key categories essential for gaining a competitive edge in both life and work:

1. Personal Productivity – measures how effectively individuals organize their time, energy, and activities to accomplish both personal and professional objectives. Examples include:

• % Goals achievement
• % Personal idle time 
• # Work procrastination.

2. Personal Resilience – evaluates an individual’s ability to manage adversity, adapt to change, and sustain mental and emotional well-being during periods of stress, such as:

•  #Emotional agility
• # Proactive coping capacity
• # Social support

3. Well-being – centers on overall physical, mental, and emotional health, incorporating practices that both prevent burnout and support recovery. It includes indicators like:

• # Psychological well-being
• # Burnout risk 
• # Work-life balance rating

4. Happiness – reflects perceived life satisfaction, emotional balance, and overall subjective well-being. Examples include: 

• # State of joy
• # Leisure satisfaction 
• # Optimism index 

5. Longevity – tracks lifestyle and health-related behaviors that support a longer, healthier life, including nutrition, sleep quality, and physical activity. Some of the indicators that can be used to track Longevity are:

• # Red blood cells (RBC) 
• # Cholesterol level

6. Affluence – assesses financial security and stability through measures such as savings habits, diversified income streams, and long-term investment growth, which can be measured through, but not limited to:

• $ Net worth at certain ages
• % Passive income 
• #Lifestyle sustainability ratio

Recognizing these dimensions is only the starting point. The six categories above provide a comprehensive framework, but knowing how to track and apply these metrics is what turns insight into action. By measuring your progress, you gain clarity on what’s working, what needs adjustment, and how to align daily habits with your bigger goals.

By using the Top 25 Personal KPIs – 2025 Edition, you’re not just tracking data—you are understanding your own rhythm. In 2026, the most successful people won’t have the longest to-do lists, but the clearest insight into their progress.

Discover the top five most-used and popular Personal KPIs and learn how to apply all 25 metrics in your life by downloading the Top 25 Personal KPIs – 2025 Edition, available both on the TKI Marketplace and Amazon.

Workforce disengagement, technological shifts, mounting sustainability requirements, and growing pressure on public institutions defined much of 2025. For leaders and professionals, this meant being asked to do more—with less certainty and fewer margins for error.

Performance Magazine’s 2025 print editions respond directly to these challenges, offering structured insight, practical perspectives, and data-informed analysis to help organizations make sense of complexity and turn it into informed action across strategy and performance management.

Performance Magazine Issue No. 32, 2025 – Employee Performance Edition

This edition explored organizational culture as a core enabler of performance rather than a background influence. It examined how culture can be applied deliberately through systems, behaviors, and continuous performance management practices to strengthen alignment, engagement, and long-term results, while also addressing global workforce trends such as employee well-being, stress, and the “Great Detachment.” Access the free digital edition on the TKI Marketplace or purchase the print edition via Amazon.

Performance Magazine Issue No. 33, 2025 – AI Edition

The AI Edition focused on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping strategic leadership, decision-making, and performance management. Through expert perspectives, practical tools, and ethical guidance, the issue supported leaders in moving from experimentation to responsible, real-world AI adoption—without losing the human element. Read the digital version for free on the TKI Marketplace or order a printed copy from Amazon.

Performance Magazine Issue No. 34, 2025 – Sustainability Edition

Are we tired of doing good? This Sustainability Edition examined the growing pressure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and the fatigue it creates for organizations. The issue explored how evolving regulations and expectations are prompting companies to rethink sustainability strategies and refocus on initiatives that generate real performance and long-term value. Explore the digital edition for free on the TKI Marketplace, or buy the print edition on Amazon.

Performance Magazine Issue No. 35, 2025 – Government Edition

The Government Edition examined governance and performance in the public sector amid geopolitical instability and global disruption. Drawing on insights from the Government Services Index (GSI) 2025, the issue analyzed government effectiveness across regions and featured expert commentary, interviews, and best practices from high-performing governments. Download the digital edition for free via the TKI Marketplace or request a print copy from Amazon for a minimal fee.

The integration of sustainability into strategy has moved from a peripheral concern to a defining aspect of organizational strategy. In its fourth edition, The KPI Institute’s State of Strategy Management Practice – 2025 MENA Report reflects this trend alongside its wider analysis of strategy management practices. 

Findings indicate that 74% of professionals reported that sustainability is part of their organization’s strategic plan this year—a 10-percentage-point increase from 2024. The report attributes the overall rise to heightened investor demands, shifting consumer behavior, and growing global and regional pressure on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

Expanding on this finding, the report includes insights from Mohummed Haris, head of corporate strategy in the automotive industry, who shared that his organization’s sustainability strategy is guided by a broader vision that “brings with it expectations around specific reporting standards, whether it be International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or certain KPIs.” He added that the organization aims to become a process-driven entity, aligning its strategy with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Sustainability Framework, the United Nations (UN) Global Compact standards, and Saudi Arabia’s national net-zero ambitions.

Sector-specific data highlights how the integration of sustainability into strategy varies across industries. Retail demonstrates the strongest commitment, with 100% of respondents confirming sustainability as part of their strategic planning process. Manufacturing and energy follow closely at 75%, driven by strict regulatory frameworks and scrutiny from global markets. 

Meanwhile, the report shows banking as the least aligned, with half of the respondents stating that sustainability is not part of their strategy. The healthcare and engineering sectors also show majority agreement, but 18% and 16% of respondents disagreed, respectively, which indicates that sustainability is not yet fully integrated into their strategy. The report’s findings show that stronger integration could be achieved by setting “clearer policy mandates or improved understanding of how sustainability impacts long-term performance in those sectors.”

In the report’s Recommendations for Best Practices section, Teodora Gorski, Managing Director – MENA at The KPI Institute, recommends embedding sustainability into the core of strategy design by integrating ESG priorities into strategic themes, KPI frameworks, and initiative portfolios. She further advises extending accountability beyond ESG teams by assigning executive ownership, tracking business unit contributions, and aligning sustainability goals with investment and board-level reporting.

The 2025 report shows that despite the growing momentum gained due to certain industries making bold strides toward sustainability, some remain cautious. To uncover the full picture, download the State of Strategy Management Practice – 2025 MENA Report, which features a refined survey design, broader regional coverage, and expert interviews that bring practical, real-world context to the findings. Access the report here.

Performance Magazine, the flagship business publication of The KPI Institute, announces the release of its highly anticipated government edition, featuring the 2025 Government Services Index (GSI)—a comprehensive benchmark assessing the performance of public sector institutions worldwide.

Produced by The KPI Institute’s Publications team, the GSI evaluates overall strategic effectiveness, service delivery, digital readiness, and citizen engagement across governments. It serves as an essential reference for understanding how public institutions are adapting to global challenges while striving to deliver better outcomes.

Expanding on these findings, the government edition of Performance Magazine provides strategic, data-backed insights into how governments are navigating complex demands, from rising citizen expectations and fiscal constraints to the pace of digital transformation. Through the lens of strategy and performance management, this special issue highlights which countries are leading, where progress is uneven, and what practices are driving measurable success.

The In-Depth section unpacks key findings from the GSI, offering analysis of regional and international trends in government performance and innovation. The Interviews section features insights from reputable public sector leaders, while Ask Our Experts delivers actionable guidance from The KPI Institute’s subject matter experts on achieving results in high-stakes environments.

This edition is a must-read for government professionals, policy strategists, and performance leaders seeking to understand what works and how to lead change. 

Performance Magazine Issue No. 35, 2025 – Government Edition is available now as a free digital download at the TKI Marketplace. For readers who prefer a print version, hard copies can be ordered via Amazon.

The new year presents new opportunities for growth, learning, and improvement. With evolving trends and rising performance expectations, professionals must continue to strengthen their strategy and performance capabilities. 

The KPI Institute’s 2026 Learning Lineup equips participants with practical tools to enhance strategy execution, performance governance, and KPI management. Programs are delivered through live virtual classrooms, face-to-face courses across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and self-paced eLearning—offering flexible, accessible, and digital-first learning experiences.

Each program is grounded in rigorous global frameworks and standards, promoting ethical performance management, strategic alignment, and long-term value creation. With globally recognized certification and accreditation offerings, participants gain credibility and practical skills to elevate performance management maturity across their organizations.

Key offerings in the 2026 learning lineup include two new courses: Certified Training Professional, which is designed to strengthen organizational training and development by guiding participants through a structured instructional design approach; and Certified AI Enablement Professional, which equips professionals with the skills to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline tasks, save time, and enhance the quality of work and outcomes.

Explore the full 2026 course lineup in detail and plan your professional development by accessing the course calendar below:

• Live Online courses 2026: https://kpiinstitute.org/Live_Online_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar_a.pdf
• Face-to-Face courses 2026 – EMEA: https://kpiinstitute.org/MENA_UK_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf
• Face-to-Face courses 2026 – SEA: https://kpiinstitute.org/SEA_Training_Courses_2026_Calendar.pdf

Looking ahead, The KPI Institute continues to advance strategy and performance management practices, expand research-driven insights, and strengthen global partnerships to help organizations and professionals deliver sustainable impact and measurable results. 

In line with this commitment, The KPI Institute is strengthening its presence in Saudi Arabia by opening a dedicated hub and delivering accelerated training programs that feature more flexible delivery formats. These enhancements provide greater accessibility and convenience without compromising the depth, interactivity, or quality that define The KPI Institute’s globally recognized certifications. 

With The KPI Institute’s flexible 2026 learning options, professionals can plan their development with ease. Ready to elevate your performance and strategy skills? Explore the full scheduled course calendar, browse monthly programs, and register today through the TKI Marketplace to advance your skills and drive measurable impact.

As 2026 begins, The KPI Institute strengthens its role as a global authority in performance management, enabling organizations to achieve sustainable, measurable results. Anchored in research excellence and responsible governance, The KPI Institute focuses on long-term value creation worldwide.

The 2026 portfolio of premium training and certification programs builds critical capabilities in strategy execution, performance governance, and KPI management through flexible delivery formats that expand access and support digital-first learning.

In 2025, research and thought leadership remain central to The KPI Institute’s strategic priorities. Through research initiatives and publications—such as the 2025 Global Trends Brief, State of Strategy Management Practice – 2025 MENA Region, Government Services Index 2025, and the quarterly Performance Magazine—The KPI Institute provides evidence-based insights that enable organizations to embed performance discipline into decision-making processes, strengthen governance frameworks, and align execution with long-term strategic and sustainability objectives.

The consultancy division supports private and public sector organizations in strengthening accountability, transparency, and results orientation. By working with corporations, holding companies, and government institutions, The KPI Institute enables the translation of strategy into action while aligning performance outcomes with ESG commitments and public value creation.

2026 marks a year of strategic focus and responsible growth. Live-Online Certifications and face-to-face Certified Courses across the EMEA and SEA regions are grounded in rigorous global standards that promote ethical performance management and long-term value creation. Through globally recognized certification and accreditation programs, The KPI Institute continues to elevate professional standards worldwide.

Looking ahead, The KPI Institute remains committed to advancing strategy and performance management practices, expanding research-driven insights, growing its global footprint through new hubs, and strengthening partnerships to enable sustainable impact and measurable results.

The KPI Institute thanks its clients, partners, and global community for their continued trust and collaboration and looks forward to contributing to a more accountable, resilient, and performance-driven future in 2026.

As the year draws to a close, performance measurement becomes more critical than ever. The final quarter is not only about closing results, but it is a decisive period for validating strategic priorities, identifying performance gaps, and setting a solid baseline for the year ahead. At this stage, organizations rely heavily on well-defined key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure financial discipline, operational stability, and informed decision-making.

The fourth quarter of 2025 placed a strong emphasis on controlling costs, strengthening incident response capabilities, and optimizing inventory levels. The featured KPIs for October, November, and December reflect key performance areas that help organizations finish the year with clarity and confidence, while also preparing for a smooth transition into 2026.

KPI of October: $ Cost of goods sold (COGS) – tracks the expenses directly associated with producing the goods a company sells, providing visibility into manufacturing and procurement spending. This KPI supports organizations in monitoring cost structures and maintaining control over production-related expenditures.

Effective monitoring of $ COGS helps leaders identify cost inefficiencies, optimize supplier and production decisions, and protect margins—making it essential for maintaining competitiveness and accurate pricing, especially at year-end. Download the free digital poster, via the TKI Marketplace, to learn more about how to define, measure, and apply the $ COGS effectively within your organization.

KPI of November: # Mean time to resolve (MTTR) –  measures the average duration required to identify, resolve, and prevent the recurrence of a security incident. It is used to evaluate an organization’s ability to respond to incidents efficiently and effectively and is one of several essential KPIs in incident management.

# MTTR offers insight into how quickly teams can detect issues, coordinate responses, and restore operations, and should be tracked alongside related indicators for a more complete view of incident response performance. Explore this indicator further by downloading the digital poster from the TKI Marketplace.

KPI of December: % Slow moving inventory – measures the share of inventory items that have remained unsold for a specified period (e.g., 90 or 180 days) compared to total inventory. This KPI helps organizations identify stock that may be at risk of becoming obsolete.

Monitoring slow-moving inventory enables organizations to make informed decisions on markdowns, promotions, redistribution, or discontinuation of underperforming items. Proactive management of this KPI supports healthier cash flow, leaner operations, and more accurate demand planning as organizations prepare for the new year. Download the digital poster from the TKI Marketplace to learn more.

These digital posters are part of the KPI of the Month series by The KPI Institute. It is a free infographic series designed to provide practical insights into the application of key performance indicators. Each edition focuses on one specific KPI, offering clear explanations of terminology, addressing common challenges in its use, and outlining essential details such as its definition, calculation, balanced scorecard relevance, data profile, typical targets, and actionable recommendations. Explore the other featured KPIs from the past quarters, visit the TKI Marketplace today!

Now preparing for its fourth edition, The KPI Institute’s Government Services Index (GSI) continues to strengthen its position as one of the world’s most trusted, data-driven assessments of public service excellence. Over the past three years, the GSI has evolved into a global reference point for governments seeking to understand not only how they perform, but why certain public systems excel and how others can improve.

To ensure a comprehensive and reliable framework, the development of the GSI involved an extensive research process. Over 100 articles and 40 global indices were analyzed, together with more than 900 indicators reviewed, to streamline the most relevant dimensions for evaluating government service quality and the availability of consistent global data. Moreover, the GSI 2025 report covers 126 countries, expanding from 122 in the previous edition and spanning five global regions: America (22 countries), Europe (38 countries), Asia and Oceania (26 countries), Africa (29 countries), and Middle East (11 countries).

More than a ranking, the GSI functions as a comparative benchmarking platform, offering policymakers, researchers, and practitioners a systematic approach to assessing government effectiveness across diverse contexts. Its robust methodology is built around 30 indicators across five key dimensions: Future Readiness, Digitalization, Governance, Society Welfare, and Citizen Experience. Together, these pillars capture both a government’s present capabilities and its preparedness for the challenges of tomorrow.

As the 2025 edition approaches, the GSI continues to serve as both a mirror and a guide—reflecting regional performance while highlighting the emerging standards of agile, sustainable, and citizen-centered governance.

Early findings reveal a clear trend: the governments setting today’s global benchmarks are those that anticipate future needs, embrace digital transformation, foster inclusive governance, safeguard societal welfare, and deliver equitable citizen experiences. Their progress underscores a crucial insight—lasting excellence depends on integrated, long-term strategies, not isolated reforms.

With the 2025 GSI on the horizon, the question for public leaders is sharper than ever: Is your government raising the bar?

Be the first to get a copy of the Government Services Index 2025 report. Follow The KPI Institute on LinkedIn for exclusive updates and release announcements

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Editor’s Note: Explore the previous Government Services Index reports for deeper insights and year-to-year comparisons. Get your digital copy for free!

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