The Dark Side of Service Metrics (and How to Defeat It)

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 | 3:00PM–3:50PM | Room 550
Session Type: Breakout Session
Delivery Format: Standard Presentation
Everybody knows that capturing and using metrics is a critical part of running a service organization. But research shows that when misapplied, metrics can demotivate workers and lead them to hide rather than address problems. Blindly managing to numbers can also lead supervisors to overlook risks and opportunities, and teach workers to game the system rather than contribute to the team's objectives. By introducing principles like tension metrics, the transparency paradox, and "teamification," we will explain how to overcome these pitfalls and transform your metrics into powerful storytelling tools that will enable your team to deliver world-class service.

Outcomes: Identify opportunities to improve your organization's metrics portfolio * Learn how to implement strategies for aligning metrics with organizational and management goals * Understand how to use metrics to motivate your team to do its best possible work

Presenters

  • John Owen

    Senior Director, Technology Support Services, Harvard Business School

  • Molly Tomlinson

    CTO, Berklee Online, Berklee College of Music