Our weekly scorecard targets are either too easy to hit or completely unrealistic, which is frustrating our team. What is the process for setting and adjusting accurate scorecard targets?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Setting the right scorecard targets is a balancing act. If targets are too easy, your team gets complacent and performance plateaus. If they are consistently unreachable, your team gets demoralized and stops paying attention to the scorecard altogether.

To establish accurate targets, start with historical performance data rather than wishful thinking. Look at the last twelve to thirteen weeks of data on your scorecard to identify your baseline average. Your initial target should be set just slightly above this historical average to encourage incremental improvement.

Next, ensure your weekly targets are directly aligned with your annual plan and your quarterly Rocks. If your annual goal is to reach five million dollars in revenue, reverse engineer that target into the weekly activity metrics required to achieve it.

Once targets are set, leave them unchanged for at least one full quarter. Constantly shifting the goalposts mid quarter creates confusion and erodes accountability. If a target is consistently missed or exceeded, use your Level 10 Meeting™ to run the IDS® process. Analyze whether the issue is a capacity constraint, a market shift, or a training gap.

At the end of the quarter, review all scorecard targets during your Quarterly Planning Session. Adjust the targets based on your updated operational capacity and next quarter's goals. This structured approach ensures your targets remain challenging yet achievable, driving continuous improvement without causing team burnout.