How do we determine if a weekly metric belongs on our leadership team scorecard versus a departmental scorecard?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Determining whether a metric belongs on your leadership team scorecard or a departmental scorecard comes down to accountability and visibility. Your leadership team scorecard must contain only the five to fifteen critical vital signs that show the overall health of the entire organization.

To filter these metrics, ask two questions. First, does this number represent a cross-departmental outcome that the leadership team must align on weekly? Second, if this number goes red, does it threaten our ability to hit our company Rocks or budget? If the answer is yes, it belongs on the leadership scorecard.

Departmental scorecards, on the other hand, contain the granular, tactical activities that feed those high level metrics. For example, total weekly sales revenue belongs on the leadership scorecard. The number of outbound cold calls or discovery meetings completed by individual sales reps belongs on the sales department scorecard.

If a leadership metric goes red for two consecutive weeks, your Integrator should drill down into the corresponding departmental scorecard during IDS to find the root cause. This hierarchy prevents your leadership team from getting bogged down in micro-level activities while ensuring you maintain absolute visibility over the entire operational engine. Keep the main scorecard focused on the ultimate health of the business.