When goals go narrow, ethics bend and learning stalls
A regional sales team adopted an aggressive quarterly quota with a hefty bonus. Numbers jumped for two months, then complaints hit support like hail. Reps pushed quick closes with mismatched customers, and returns spiked. One deal even hid fees in fine print to beat the clock. The manager stared at the dashboard while her tea cooled. The metric was working, and the business was hurting.
They ran a reset. The team kept revenue targets, but added two guardrails: customer satisfaction post‑sale and a ‘no rework’ rate tracked by support. They also introduced a weekly learning goal: each rep ran one small experiment and shared what they learned every Friday. Bonuses shrank and recognition shifted to a public leaderboard that highlighted balanced performance.
Within a quarter, revenue steadied slightly lower, but returns fell by half and referrals grew. Reps approached deals more thoughtfully, and the Friday share-out turned into a hive of small innovations. One micro‑anecdote: a junior rep tested a 2‑question discovery prompt that doubled meeting quality for the whole team.
Tight goals narrow focus, which can be good for simple tasks and risky for complex ones. Balancing metrics across ethics, learning, and time horizons widens attention. Modest rewards reduce the urge to cut corners. In short, make goals that teach and protect, not only goals that tally.
Pull your top goals and circle the ones that drive tunnel vision, then pair each with a learning measure and a guardrail like customer satisfaction or error rates. Add a weekly experiment target and two longer-horizon health metrics so people lift their eyes beyond the quarter. Finally, trim the trophy size so recognition stays meaningful but doesn’t tempt shortcuts. Roll out the change for one cycle, keep a close eye on returns and complaints, and adjust. Try the new dashboard for 8 weeks and compare the before-and-after story.
What You'll Achieve
Internally, reduce pressure that provokes shortcuts and increase a learning mindset. Externally, stabilize quality, lower rework and complaints, and improve long‑term growth signals.
Make goals wider, longer, and harder to game
Audit for tunnel targets
List your top metrics. Circle ones that are short-term, single-number, or easily gamed. These often drive shortcuts and stress.
Add learning and ethics metrics
Pair outcome goals with learning goals (skills practiced, experiments run) and guardrails (customer satisfaction, peer reviews, error rates).
Balance time horizons
Mix near wins (weekly), mid-range outcomes (quarterly), and long-term health measures (annual retention, R&D progress).
Shrink trophy size
Keep rewards modest so they don’t crowd out judgment. Make recognition public, but payouts small and consistent.
Reflection Questions
- Which current targets are most likely to cause tunnel vision?
- What learning metric would prove we’re getting smarter each week?
- Which simple guardrail would protect customers and brand?
- How can I recognize balanced performance without oversized payouts?
Personalization Tips
- Sales: Pair revenue targets with customer satisfaction and a ‘no rework’ rate, plus a weekly learning experiment.
- School: Balance grades with a portfolio of attempts, reflection notes, and peer feedback to discourage cheating.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Ready to Take Action?
Get the Mentorist app and turn insights like these into daily habits.