Our department leaders consistently set their weekly Scorecard targets artificially low so they never show a red number in our Level 10 Meeting. How do we reset these targets to be stretch goals without making the team feel penalized for missing them?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When leaders sandbag targets to keep their Scorecard rows green, you do not have a data problem. You have an accountability and culture problem. Leaders play defense when they fear that a red number will result in public embarrassment, lost bonuses, or micromanagement from the Visionary or Integrator.

The first step is redefining what a red number means in an EOS® company. A red number is not a failure; it is an early warning system. It is an objective flag that signals an activity requires attention before it damages financial performance.

To eliminate sandbagging and set realistic targets, follow this protocol:
- Tie targets directly to annual goals and the V/TO®: Work backward from your revenue and margin targets to determine the exact weekly activity volume mathematically required to hit the annual plan
- Separate Scorecard tracking from incentive compensation: If annual bonuses are tied directly to maintaining weekly green Scorecard rows, leaders will always protect the target at the expense of honesty
- Praise early identification: Publicly acknowledge leaders who surface red numbers early, bring them to the Issues List, and use IDS® to solve the root problem
- Audit standard deviations: If a metric is green 13 consecutive weeks without variation, challenge the seat owner to raise the bar to reflect actual capacity

When your team understands that the Scorecard exists to illuminate truth rather than assign blame, sandbagging stops. A Scorecard that is always green is a useless vanity board that conceals operational rot until it is too late.