Reflection
When the Score Becomes the Work
A useful measure needs occasional examination of what it leaves out.
R
Richard Nkwenti
1 min read
A target can begin to shape behavior long before anyone questions whether the behavior is worthwhile. People learn what receives praise, what can be omitted, and which inconvenient details never appear in the report.
Look at a measure you use to judge yourself or others. What valuable activity becomes harder to justify beneath it? Who carries the cost of making the number look better?
Keep the measure open to revision. A system of evaluation should be answerable to the purpose that gave it authority.