We regularly review Scorecard metrics that have been red for three consecutive weeks, yet the owner has not added them to the weekly Issues List. How do we enforce the rule that off-track metrics must automatically trigger an issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A healthy Scorecard is a predictive tool, not a historical record. When a weekly metric is red for multiple consecutive weeks, it is a clear warning sign that a critical business function is off-track.

A common point of failure is when a leader allows a red metric to persist without raising it as an issue. This habit hides operational friction and delays necessary corrections. To maintain discipline, you must enforce a strict operational rule: if a metric is off-track for more than two consecutive weeks, it must automatically be placed on the Issues List.

The metric owner should not wait for the facilitator or the Integrator to point this out. During the Scorecard review, as they report their red number, they must simply say: off-track, and it is on the list.

This rule removes the personal emotion and defensiveness from the review. It positions the red metric not as a personal failure, but as an operational puzzle that the entire leadership team must help solve. By forcing these off-track numbers onto the Issues List immediately, you protect the health of your cash flow, customer satisfaction, and business operations long before the damage shows up in your financial statements.