How to Unlock Discretionary Effort in Your Team
Getting the best out of your team isn’t just about motivation—it’s about creating an environment where discretionary effort becomes natural. Your top performers, or “A players,” already have a strong internal drive. However, the rest of your team may need a structured approach to keep them engaged and pushing beyond the basics.
In today’s uncertain economic climate, where every bit of effort counts, you need all hands on deck. It’s not just about working hard; it’s about working smart. So, how do you create a system that drives everyone to give their best?
The Power of Execution Rhythms and KPI Report Ups
One of the most effective ways to keep your team accountable and motivated is by implementing an execution rhythm. This includes structured weekly, monthly, and quarterly check-ins to ensure consistent progress toward your goals.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) report-ups play a crucial role in this. Many organizations use these to track progress, but the real game-changer is adding aggregate scoring to these reports.
Introducing Aggregate Scoring
The concept is simple: Instead of reviewing KPIs in isolation, assign a weighted or average score to summarize overall performance. Much like a final score in sports, an aggregate KPI score provides a clear and immediate performance snapshot.
For example, if an employee has three KPIs:
- KPI 1: 50% to goal
- KPI 2: 75% to goal
- KPI 3: 100% to goal
Their aggregate score would be 75%. This approach brings instant clarity and accountability. Employees can compare their scores to their peers, fostering a healthy, competitive environment that encourages continuous improvement.
Why Aggregate Scoring Works
- Increased Accountability – When performance is visible and measured consistently, employees naturally want to improve.
- Healthy Competition – No one wants to be the lowest scorer in a public forum.
- Clearer Focus – Employees understand exactly where they stand and where they need to improve.
- Improved Leading Indicators – If employees work toward perfecting controllable leading indicators, the lagging indicators (like sales and revenue) will follow.
Real-World Success Stories
Several organizations have implemented aggregate scoring with incredible results. One team in the heavy equipment industry set a target where every member had to achieve at least a 70% aggregate score. If they didn’t, they received additional coaching from leadership. Another team introduced incentives—if the entire group averaged over 90%, they would receive a reward, like homemade pumpkin bread. The results? Increased engagement, focus, and performance across the board.
How to Get Started
- Define Key KPIs – Identify 3-7 critical metrics per role.
- Standardize Reporting – Use a consistent reporting format, like the “BAT” (Baseline, Actual, Target, Trend).
- Implement Aggregate Scoring – Calculate a total score based on all KPIs.
- Make Scores Visible – Share results publicly within the team.
- Encourage Healthy Competition – Set team-wide or individual challenges to drive improvement.
- Offer Rewards & Recognition – Small incentives can drive big results.
Try It and See the Results
When discretionary effort is built into your team’s culture, motivation becomes intrinsic, and performance skyrockets. If you’re looking to reduce the time spent managing, following up, and coaching, aggregate scoring could be the key to unlocking your team’s full potential.
Give it a try, track the results, and see how it transforms your organization’s execution and performance!