Several of our weekly scorecard targets have been hit perfectly for six months straight without a single miss, which makes me suspect we are coasting on easy goals. How do we determine when it is time to raise our targets without burning out our people?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A scorecard that is consistently green for six months is rarely a sign of perfect operations. More often, it is a sign of soft targets. When targets are too easy, your team stops pushing for continuous improvement, and your business growth stalls.

To determine if it is time to raise your targets, you must analyze your historical performance trends during your quarterly meetings. Start by evaluating the relationship between your scorecard metrics and your company's overall progress toward your V/TO® goals. If your scorecard is completely green but you are missing your quarterly Rocks or annual revenue targets, your scorecard goals are misaligned or too low.

Next, look at the capacity of the seat owning the metric. Ask if the target represents a standard of excellence or merely a safe average. If the team is hitting the target without stretching their capabilities or utilizing new efficiencies, it is time to raise the bar.

When you do adjust the target, do it collaboratively. Explain to the metric owner that raising the target is not a punishment for success, but a strategic move to unlock new levels of capacity and enterprise value. Setting higher, realistic targets forces your team to innovate, often by adopting new AI tools or refining workflows, rather than simply working longer hours and risking burnout.