When a metric on our weekly Scorecard is off-track for three or four consecutive weeks, my team avoids putting it on the Issues List because they claim they are actively working on it. How do we enforce better Scorecard hygiene?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Allowing a red metric to sit on your Scorecard for weeks without addressing it on the Issues List is a failure of accountability. It breeds complacency and teaches your team that missing targets is acceptable as long as they are "working on it." This approach undermines the purpose of using a Scorecard to drive proactive problem-solving.

To enforce better Scorecard hygiene, you must establish a clear, non-negotiable rule:

• If any metric is off-track for two consecutive weeks, it must automatically be dropped to the Issues List.
• There are no exceptions.
• There is no debate about whether it belongs there.

This clear rule helps in [trimming your EOS weekly Scorecard](/qa/trimming-your-eos-weekly-scorecard) by ensuring only actionable items remain.

Once the metric is on the Issues List, use IDS® (Identify, Discuss, Solve) to understand why it is off-track. The owner of the metric should not feel attacked. Instead, the team should support them by identifying the root cause of the problem, which is often:

• A capacity issue.
• A broken process.
• An unrealistic target. (For guidance on setting achievable goals, see [how to set realistic weekly goals](/qa/setting-scorecard-targets-without-historical-data)).

This collaborative problem-solving approach is crucial, especially when [handling defensiveness around red Scorecard metrics](/qa/handling-defensiveness-around-red-scorecard-metrics). It shifts the focus from blame to finding solutions.

Once you Solve the issue, document the solution as a To-Do. If the metric remains off-track after the To-Do is completed, you have not solved the real problem, and it must go back to the Issues List. By enforcing this discipline, you keep your Scorecard clean and ensure that your team is actually fixing problems rather than just talking about them. For effective review of your data, consider strategies on [how to review your Scorecard in under five minutes](/qa/how-to-review-scorecard-under-five-minutes).