---
id: "framework-consensus-metric-reduction"
type: "framework"
source_timestamps: ["¶32", "¶33", "¶34", "¶35"]
tags: ["change-management", "metrics", "leadership"]
related: ["contrarian-bloated-metrics", "concept-performance-with-purpose"]
speakers: ["Indra Nooyi"]
steps: ["Bring all expert teams together to propose metrics for a new transformation initiative.", "\\\"Accept all proposed metrics (e.g.", "30 metrics) in Year 1", "even if it is operationally unwieldy", "to prevent mutiny and ensure all factions feel heard.\\\"", "Allow the organization to experience the friction of managing too many metrics for 1-2 years.", "\\\"Wait for the group to organically request a reduction", "then collectively whittle the list down to a manageable number (e.g.", "7 or 8) as a unified team.\\\""]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2025/10/innovating-at-the-core-and-for-the-future"
source_title: "Innovating at the Core—and for the Future"
sources: ["futures"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-futures"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-cl-91-innovating-core-and-future"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/10/innovating-at-the-core-and-for-the-future"
sourceTitle: "Innovating at the Core—and for the Future"
---
# Consensus-Building Metric Reduction

A counter-intuitive change-management approach Nooyi used during the rollout of [[concept-performance-with-purpose]] to build coalition among expert teams — prioritizing consensus over immediate operational efficiency. It is the practical expression of [[contrarian-bloated-metrics]].

**Steps.**
1. Bring all expert teams together to propose metrics for the new transformation initiative.
2. Accept all proposed metrics (e.g., **30 metrics**) in Year 1, even if it is operationally unwieldy, to prevent mutiny and ensure all factions feel heard.
3. Allow the organization to experience the friction of managing too many metrics for **1–2 years**.
4. Wait for the group to *organically* request a reduction, then collectively whittle the list down to a manageable number (e.g., **7 or 8**) as a unified team.

**Enrichment.** The exact 30→7-8 numbers are from Nooyi's narrative, but the tactic — over-inclusive early design followed by pruning — is consistent with participatory change management (psychological ownership drives buy-in) and design-thinking's diverge-then-converge logic. KPI/OKR experts would counter that starting with 30 metrics dilutes accountability and obscures priorities.