My VP of Marketing claims she cannot own our weekly inbound demo request number because our external agency manages the ad spend and we cannot control search algorithm shifts. How do I enforce absolute scorecard ownership when external factors impact the results?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Ownership on an EOS® Scorecard is not about having absolute control over the universe. It is about who is accountable for driving the response when things off track. If your VP of Marketing has GWC™ (Get It, Want It, Capacity to Do It) for her seat on the Accountability Chart, she owns the outcome, period. If an external agency is dropping the ball or an algorithm changes, she is the one who must identify the issue, bring it to the Level 10 Meeting™, and solve it.

When a leadership team member says they cannot own a number because of external variables, they are confusing control with accountability. We do not look at the Scorecard to see who to blame. We look at it to see who is going to lead the charge to fix the trend. If the metric drops below target, your VP of Marketing must own the activity of managing that agency, testing new channels, or shifting strategy.

To implement this, make sure the measurable is clearly defined and that she has the authority to make changes to the agency or the budget. If she does not have that authority, you have an Accountability Chart issue, not a data issue. Once the seat is properly designed, the owner of the seat owns the number. No excuses, no finger-pointing. When a number is red, she does not say it is not her fault. She says she has diagnosed the cause and is initiating IDS to solve it.