Our leadership team spends too much time in our weekly meetings debating whether a scorecard number is accurate or if we are using the right formula. How do we eliminate data arguments and establish a single source of truth?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When your weekly Level 10 Meeting-TM is derailed by debates over data accuracy, you lose all traction. If your team does not trust the numbers on the scorecard, they will default to making decisions based on gut-feel, feelings, and emotions. You must establish a single source of truth for every metric. To do this, the owner of each scorecard number must document the exact definition and data source for their metric. This documentation must be stored where everyone can access it. For example, if the marketing seat tracks new leads, the documentation must state exactly what constitutes a lead, which software tool generates the report, and what filters are applied. Additionally, the owner of the number is responsible for verifying the data before it is entered into the scorecard. If a number looks abnormal, the seat owner must investigate and resolve the discrepancy before the meeting starts. The weekly scorecard review is for identifying issues, not auditing data. If a number is on the scorecard, the team must agree that the data is accurate. If a discrepancy arises during the meeting, do not debate it. Put it on the Issues List, assign someone to resolve the definition offline, and move on.