During our weekly Scorecard review, our leaders frequently try to avoid dropping a red metric to the Issues List by giving a quick status update and stating they are already working on it. How do we enforce dropping every red metric to IDS® without making leaders feel defensive?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A red metric on your Scorecard is not a personal failure or a performance review. It is simply an operational indicator that a target was missed. However, leaders often feel defensive and try to talk their way out of it by explaining the backstory and promising it will be green next week.

The facilitator must stop this defensive commentary immediately. The rule for the Scorecard review is binary: read the number, and if it is red, it drops to the Issues List. No explanations, no defense, and no promises allowed during the review.

To ease the defensiveness, the facilitator must shift the team's mindset about the Issues List. The Issues List is not a disciplinary list. It is a safe place where the leadership team comes together to help a colleague solve a problem.

When the red metric is dropped to the list, say: This is on the list so we can support you, not to point fingers.

When you reach the IDS® portion of the meeting, the owner of the red metric gets to state what the hurdle is. Often, the solution requires cooperation from another department or a minor operational adjustment that the team can solve together in five minutes.

By enforcing this strict rule, you save valuable time during the administrative review and foster a culture of open, healthy problem-solving where numbers are treated as data, not emotional threats.