Scorecard Best Practices

Chapter 8. Implementation Issues

Scene: Executive Golf Club. Patrick and Ted have just teed off at the first hole and are driving the golf cart away from the tee … Patrick: “Nice shot, Ted. I guess you can tell that I'm a bit rusty.” Ted: “That's OK. There's no one behind us, so we'll have plenty of time for you to catch up on your game.” Both laugh. Patrick: “I read the last set of materials. I'm getting the sense that communication about the project and the scorecard is ultra‐important.” Ted: “A major concept behind a scorecard system is opening up the communication about strategy throughout an organization. It makes sense for communication to start during the project implementation stage—more so when open communication has not traditionally been part of the organizational culture.” Patrick: “But, how diligent do you have to be in selecting where you should begin your scorecard?” Ted: “We've seen that no matter where you start, organizations that apply some basic common sense can derive benefits. I think that starting from the top is very common when organizations are attempting to tie the scorecard to the organization's strategy. Other starting points tend to emphasize performance management and tracking performance indicators.” They arrive at Patrick's ball. He addresses the ball with his five‐iron and swings through. Patrick: “It's not Tiger Woods, but at least it's on the right fairway now.” He climbs aboard the cart and, together, they continue to the location of Ted's ...