In the podcast, “Scorecards 101: How to track if you’re crushing it” presented by ‘Bossy with Tara & Katie,’ the hosts Tara and Katie share their strategies on creating and implementing scorecards in business settings. This write-up aims to summarize the discussions, insights, and lessons from the podcast.
The discussion kicks off with a story from Tara’s past days at Southwest, where she hypothesized about presenting a personal scorecard to her manager. This sparks a conversation about the value of scorecards in measuring success and moving the needle in business.
The Importance of Scorecards
A major focus of the podcast is about the effective use of scorecards. According to Tara and Katie, scorecards provide a tangible and measurable way to determine if an individual or business is on track towards their goals. They argue that scorecards don’t have to be boring; they can actually be exciting tools that provide an overview of processes, determine success rates, and encourage progress.
Building an Effective Scorecard
As per their discussion, a significant part of building an effective scorecard is to focus on the critical metrics required to push an idea or business forward. Katie seeks advice from Tara on the concept of a scorecard, particularly about tracking the right things. She talks about her business model, Money with Katie, which she calls a volume play— a broad audience trying to move low-price-point products while also attracting high-value advertisers.
Katie shares her process of creating a scorecard, discussing her method of crafting it based on progress towards goals and monitoring the metrics that lead to achieving those goals. She further establishes the difference between tracking progress towards goals and monitoring the metrics driving those goals.
The Executive Scorecard: A Case Study
Tara presents a hands-on example by sharing an experience of implementing a scorecard in her own team. She describes her executive business scorecard, which comprises three metrics. Each team member is accountable for one metric, and they identify two main metrics beneath their primary metric. This set-up ensures that each individual is collectively moving in the right direction and tracking the metrics contributes to business growth.
She elaborates on the use of color-coded systems as identifiers to determine if the business is going according to plan or if immediate attention to certain areas is required.
Scorecard Implementation in Practice: A Case Study
Katie then provides an in-depth overview of how she implemented a scorecard system in her business. Her scorecard consists of four sections: revenue growth, wealth planner sales, overall audience growth goals, and an R&D section. The first three are regular metrics; the fourth is structured as a project. The distribution of attention isn’t equal across all sections, signaling that some components should be prioritized over others based on their contribution to the business.
Projects vs Metrics on a Scorecard
A distinction is drawn between projects and metrics on a scorecard by Tara — while a metric stands for ongoing measurement, a project represents a particular goal or aim. Katie also shares an R&D strategy where they ensure every quarter to initiate something new and experimental.
Conclusion
Scorecards, as shared by Tara and Katie in ‘Bossy with Tara & Katie,’ shed light on how businesses can remain on course and measure their success effectively. A well-structured scorecard can act as a driving force for a business team to move in unity, ensure indicators of growth are monitored and that the right inputs are in place for the desired outputs. It’s a testament to the phrase — what gets measured, gets managed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the value of scorecards according to Tara and Katie?
Tara and Katie argue that scorecards provide a tangible and measurable way to determine if an individual or business is on track towards their goals. They can be exciting tools that provide an overview of processes, determine success rates, and encourage progress.
What elements are critical when building an effective scorecard?
According to Tara and Katie, focusing on the critical metrics required to push an idea or business forward is a significant part of building an effective scorecard. It is also important to distinguish between tracking progress towards goals and monitoring the metrics that lead to achieving those goals.
What is Tara’s example of an executive business scorecard?
Tara’s executive business scorecard comprises three metrics. Each team member is accountable for one metric, and they identify two main metrics beneath their primary metric. It is structured to ensure that each individual is collectively moving in the right direction and tracking the metrics contributes to business growth. A color-coded system is also used as identifiers.
How did Katie implement a scorecard system in her business?
Katie’s scorecard consists of four sections: revenue growth, wealth planner sales, overall audience growth goals, and an R&D section. The first three are regular metrics while the fourth is structured as a project. The distribution of attention isn’t equal across all sections, meaning that some components were prioritized over others based on their contribution to the business.
What is the difference between projects and metrics on a scorecard?
Tara and Katie explain that a metric stands for ongoing measurement, while a project represents a particular goal or aim. For instance, Katie shared an R&D strategy where they ensure to initiate something new and experimental every quarter.
What is the main takeaway from Tara and Katie’s view on scorecards?
Scorecards can help businesses stay on course and measure their success effectively. A well-structured scorecard can drive a business team to move in unity, ensure growth indicators are monitored, and that the right inputs are in place for the desired outputs. As they say, what gets measured, gets managed.
