Pillar 03
Reward Results.
Replacing "gut feel" management with visible, objective scoreboards and self-funded incentives.
If they can't see the score, they can't tell if they're winning. And if they can't tell if they're winning, they will leave.
When visibility is missing...
Effort > Impact
The team works hard, but on the wrong things. Busyness is mistaken for productivity.
Month-End Surprises
You don't know you missed the goal until it's too late to fix it.
Unfunded Bonuses
You pay bonuses based on revenue, but run out of cash because profits weren't there.
Anxiety
High performers get anxious because they don't know where they stand.
The Core Principle
“Winners want a scoreboard.”
Low performers hide from data. High performers crave it.
When you create visibility, you don't have to "manage" the result. The number manages the result for you.
Building Blocks of Visibility
1. The Dashboard (DMD)
The Decision Making Dashboard. Your single source of data to know what to do and when.
Get the Template (Google Sheet) →2. The Self-Funded Pool
Bonuses are funded by profit, not revenue. This protects cash flow and aligns the team with the actual health of the business.
3. The 3 Thresholds
Distribute the pool only when three things are true:
- 1. Company hit profit target.
- 2. Team hit quarterly goals.
- 3. Individual hit Critical Results (ESA).
Where to start
Stop flying blind. Install these two tools.
Install the DMD
Build your "Single Source of Truth." If it's not on the sheet, it's not happening.
Get the SheetDefine Critical Results
This is the "Individual" key to the bonus. Every role needs one number they own to unlock their share of the pool.
Read about Critical ResultsTools for Visibility
"The team stopped missing targets and started hitting their goals consistently once the scoreboard was visible. We finally knew what 'winning' looked like."
— Owner, Accounting Firm
Common Questions about Results
Can't I just use my accounting software?
No. Accounting is historical (what happened last month). A Dashboard is navigational (what is happening right now). You can't drive a car looking only at the rearview mirror.
What if the numbers look bad?
That is good news. Bad numbers that are visible can be fixed. Bad numbers that are hidden kill your business. Visibility is the first step to improvement.
Will my team feel micromanaged?
Only if you use the data to punish them. If you use the data to help them win, they will love it. High performers hate ambiguity; they want to know the score.