Keeping Score – How a Weekly Scoreboard Drives Business Performance
What’s the Score?
Imagine watching a high-stakes football game with no scoreboard. Players run up and down the field, fans cheer, and everyone seems to be having a great time. But nobody knows what the score is. Are we winning? Losing? How much time is left?
Sounds absurd, right? Yet, this is exactly how many businesses play the game of business—operating without a clear scoreboard that tells them where they stand.
Numbers create accountability. What gets measured gets done. Keeping a compelling scoreboard is critical to ensure your team knows exactly what’s happening, what needs to be improved, and who is responsible for what.
SMEs must implement simple, visible, and actionable scoreboards to track progress and keep everyone aligned. When a scoreboard is well-designed and regularly reviewed, it eliminates uncertainty, improves team motivation, and creates a culture of continuous improvement.
Let’s dive into how you can build a scoreboard that drives performance and execution in your business.
Why Keeping Score Changes the Game
People perform at a higher level when they track their progress. Imagine you turn up for a casual round of golf one afternoon with a friend—you tee off, swing freely, and don’t worry too much about the outcome.
Then suddenly, after the first hole, your playing partner pulls out a scorecard and asks, “What did you hit?” Wait—what? Your approach to the second hole is going to be very different! The simple act of keeping score increases focus and accountability.
The same principle applies in business. When teams have a visible scoreboard, they naturally work harder to improve their numbers. Without it, performance remains vague, accountability disappears, and results become inconsistent.
A well-designed scoreboard helps teams:
Clearly see what’s working and what’s not.
Identify areas that need improvement before problems escalate.
Stay motivated and competitive as they track their progress over time.
Create a culture of accountability where performance is measured and improved regularly.
Without a scoreboard, you’re hoping for success instead of planning for it.
Key Components of an Effective Scoreboard
A great scoreboard isn’t just a bunch of numbers on a spreadsheet. It must be designed to drive execution. Here’s what makes a scoreboard effective:
Simplicity – Can everyone understand it?
Avoid overcomplicated metrics. A scoreboard should be quick to interpret at a glance.
Use clear, plain language—not jargon or overly complex financial terms.
Keep the focus on what really matters—don’t clutter it with unnecessary data.
Visibility – Can everyone see it?
A scoreboard is only effective if it’s reviewed regularly.
Ensure it’s displayed where the team can see it (physical whiteboard, shared dashboard, printed reports, etc.).
Integrate it into weekly team meetings to reinforce accountability and create momentum.
Consistency – Is it always in the same format?
A scoreboard must be uniform and predictable—if the numbers and reports keep changing, nobody will trust them.
The format, layout, and numbers should remain consistent week after week.
Make sure each metric is defined the same way across all reports to prevent confusion.
Clarity – Can we see if we’re winning?
At a glance, your team should be able to instantly see whether they are on track.
Use comparisons to targets, budgets, or prior performance to give context.
Color coding (green = winning, red = off track) makes scoreboards easier to interpret.
Ensure metrics are actionable—employees should understand how their actions impact the scoreboard.
Ownership & Cadence – Who updates it, when, and how often?
Assign one person or a team to update the scoreboard.
Define a specific cadence—when will the scoreboard be posted and reviewed?
Hold regular scoreboard check-ins to drive action on the numbers.
Make sure accountability is assigned so updates don’t get overlooked.
Lead vs. Lag Indicators – Measuring the Right Things
Most businesses only focus on lag indicators—results that show whether goals were met after the fact. But to truly drive execution, you need to measure lead indicators—the actions that predict success.
LAG MEASURES: Backward-looking indicators
Tell you if you achieved your goal.
Are outcome-based (e.g., revenue, profit, customer retention).
Example: Monthly sales revenue is a lag measure—you only know the result at the end of the period.
LEAD MEASURES: Predictive & influenceable
Are forward-looking and drive the lag measure.
Are harder to track but more powerful.
Example: Number of outbound sales calls per week is a lead measure—more calls lead to higher revenue.
Key Differences:
Lead measures drive lag measures. If your team improves on lead indicators, the end results improve.
Lead measures often look too simple but are crucial for execution.
Lead measures require tracking discipline—they don’t always show immediate results but lead to better outcomes over time.
Examples of Lead & Lag Measures in Action
Sales Team Example:
Lead Measure: Number of outbound calls per week → Lag Measure: Monthly revenue.
Lead Measure: Number of proposals sent → Lag Measure: Closed deals.
Operations Team Example:
Lead Measure: Number of customer complaints resolved within 24 hours → Lag Measure: Customer retention rate.
Lead Measure: % of orders shipped on time → Lag Measure: Customer satisfaction score.
Marketing Example:
Lead Measure: Number of content pieces published per week → Lag Measure: Website traffic & lead conversions.
Lead Measure: Number of ad campaigns launched → Lag Measure: Cost per acquisition.
By tracking lead indicators, businesses can proactively adjust their strategy rather than waiting until it’s too late.
5 Examples of Effective Scoreboard Layouts
There’s no one-size-fits-all format for a scoreboard. Choose one that fits your team and business needs. Here are five examples:
Simple Weekly Scoreboard (Whiteboard Format)
Google Sheets / Excel Tracker
Trello/Asana Scoreboard
KPI Dashboard (Power BI, Tableau, Looker)
Department-Specific Scoreboards
Choose a format that works for your team—but make sure it’s reviewed and shared weekly!
Your Next Steps: Start Keeping Score
If you don’t already have a weekly scoreboard, now is the time to build one. Remember:
Define your key lead & lag measures.
Keep it simple, visible, and consistent.
Assign ownership and set a review cadence.
Want to get started? Book a free 30 minute strategy session.
