We are designing our weekly Scorecard but we are stuck on metrics that require input or cooperation from multiple departments, like client onboarding speed. Who owns the number on the Scorecard when nobody has total control over the entire process?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a weekly scorecard metric spans multiple departments, you cannot have shared ownership. Shared accountability is a myth. If two people own a number, nobody owns it, and the metric will consistently fall into the red without anyone taking responsibility.

You must assign the metric to a single seat on the Accountability Chart. This does not mean that person does all the work. It means they own the result and are responsible for reporting the number and flagging it when it is off track.

Take a metric like customer onboarding time, which involves sales, finance, and operations. To assign ownership, look at who has the greatest influence on the overall process or who suffers the most when the number is missed. Usually, operations should own this metric.

If the onboarding time falls behind because sales did not hand off the client files properly, the operations leader does not get to make excuses. They must put the issue on the Level 10 Meeting™ issues list and use IDS® to solve the handoff process with the sales leader.

The metric owner's job is to be the watchdog for that number. They monitor the flow, coordinate with other departments, and raise the alarm the moment the process breaks. Put one name next to every number, and hold that single seat accountable.