[Case Study 15] The Metrics That Changed the Mission (Facilitator Guide)

Facilitator Guide

Case Study 15 – The Metrics That Changed the Mission

When does measurement begin to distort purpose—and what does it reveal about leadership, trust, or system design?

When measurement distorts purpose.

Case Study 15 – The Metrics That Changed the Mission examines a leadership dilemma in which performance measures gradually become ends in themselves rather than tools in service of the mission. As attention shifts toward optimizing what can be measured, the organization's deeper purpose, values, and long-term priorities begin to recede. This workbook invites readers to explore the relationship between metrics and mission, recognize the unintended consequences of misaligned incentives, and develop stewardship practices that ensure measurement remains accountable to purpose rather than replacing it.