We have several cross-functional metrics, like the cycle time of onboarding a new client, which require inputs from both Sales and Operations. How do we assign single-point ownership on our Accountability Chart when the ultimate success of the metric depends on two different leaders cooperating?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To run a healthy business on data, you must maintain a strict rule: every scorecard metric can have only one owner. When multiple leaders share ownership of a number, accountability evaporates. If a cross-functional metric goes red, shared ownership inevitably leads to finger-pointing and excuse-making. To solve this, you must assign the metric to the single seat on your Accountability Chart that has the greatest authority to influence the overall outcome, even if they rely on other departments to get the work done. For example, if client onboarding speed is the metric, assign it to the operations leader who owns the onboarding process. They are responsible for reporting the number and leading the discussion if it goes red. If the sales team is failing to deliver clean client handoffs, the operations leader must address that handoff process directly with the sales leader. They do this by bringing the issue to the Level 10 Meeting™ and using the IDS® process to solve it systematically. The owner of the metric does not do all the work themselves. Rather, they own the result and are responsible for diagnosing bottlenecks, collaborating with other departments, and driving the solutions required to get the number back to green.