Rubric reference
Decision Drag Index and Operating Rhythm Grade
Decision Drag Index: A 0–100 score, higher is worse, of how much a team's decisions slow it down: whether decisions are recorded, communicated to the people affected, reopened because context was lost, and whether initiatives have named owners.
How do you measure whether a manager's operating cadence is working?
Score two things separately. Decision Drag measures how decisions get lost or reopened. Operating Rhythm measures whether there is time for review, whether priorities are checked across the team, whether status is written instead of met about, and whether staff meetings are for decisions instead of updates.
Criteria and weights
| Score | Questions | Points per answer |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Drag (higher is worse) | Decisions recorded · communicated · reopened · initiatives owned | Weak 25 · middle 12 · strong 0 |
| Operating Rhythm (higher is better) | Time for review · priorities checked · written status · staff meeting use | Strong 25 · middle 13 · weak 0 |
Bands
| Decision Drag | Band | Operating Rhythm | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 25 | Low | 85 and above | A |
| 26 to 50 | Moderate | 65 to 84 | B |
| 51 to 75 | High | 40 to 64 | C |
| 76 to 100 | Severe | Below 40 | D |
How to apply it
- Answer the four decision questions and add the points for Decision Drag.
- Answer the four rhythm questions and add the points for Operating Rhythm.
- Fix the weakest answers first; they are the top friction points.
Use it
Score it in the free Manager Operating Cadence Audit, or keep it running in Executive OS.
Plotted Work Studio rubric by Dominique Simmons. You may cite or adapt it with a link to this page.