Every Metric Needs a Guardrail
Pair a target metric with guardrails that reveal whether the target is being gamed or misread.
Measure the proxy, but protect the outcome. Name the real outcome Start with what the metric is meant to represent. Closed tickets are not the outcome; resolved customer problems are. Calls made are not the outcome; qualified demand is. Identify the gaming path Ask how a rational person could make the number look better while making the real outcome worse. The answer reveals the guardrail you need. Add a counter-metric A guardrail should move when the target is being distorted. Speed pairs with rework. Growth pairs with retention or margin. Volume pairs with quality. Review behavior, not just movement In…
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