The outcome scorecard
The scorecard is the spine. Every interview question, reference call, and final score traces back to it.
Writing outcomes
An outcome is a result, not an activity.
| Test | Fails | Passes |
|---|---|---|
| Result, not activity | "Drive pipeline strategy" | "Build next-year pipeline to 3x coverage by the end of Q2" |
| Measurable | "Improve the team" | "Bring 4 of 6 reps to full productivity by month 9" |
| Dated | "Fix forecasting" | "Deliver a day-90 forecast within 15% of actual" |
| Owned by this role | "Grow revenue" | "Convert 40 design partners to paid contracts by year end" |
Count: 5 to 8. Fewer than 5 under-defines the role. More than 8 and no one can be measured against all of them.
Weights: sum to 100. The top two outcomes usually carry 40 to 60 points between them. If every outcome weighs the same, the hiring team has not decided what the job is.
Example outcome sets
First sales leader, scaling company
| Outcome | Weight | Measured by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnose the true state of pipeline and present it to the CEO | 15 | Written diagnosis accepted by CEO | Day 30 |
| Install a weekly forecast within 15% of actual | 25 | Forecast vs. actual, two consecutive quarters | Day 180 |
| Raise team win rate from baseline by a set number of points | 25 | Closed-won rate on qualified opportunities | Month 9 |
| Hire and ramp 3 reps to target productivity | 20 | Ramp time vs. plan | Month 12 |
| Install a coaching rhythm every manager runs | 15 | Coaching sessions held and rated | Day 120 |
First account executive
| Outcome | Weight | Measured by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close first 5 new logos without founder in the room | 35 | Closed contracts | Month 6 |
| Document a repeatable discovery and demo flow | 20 | Playbook used by next hire | Month 6 |
| Build own pipeline to 3x quarterly quota | 25 | Self-sourced pipeline | Month 4 |
| Feed product 3 validated gaps per month | 20 | Gaps logged and accepted | Monthly |
Founding customer success lead
| Outcome | Weight | Measured by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onboard 5 customers to first value inside 30 days each | 30 | Time to first value | Day 90 |
| Hold gross retention at or above plan | 30 | Gross revenue retention | Month 12 |
| Surface expansion in at least 20% of accounts | 20 | Qualified expansion opportunities | Month 9 |
| Build the health score and the renewal playbook | 20 | Playbook in use | Month 6 |
Deriving competencies
For each outcome, ask: what would someone have to be able to do, repeatedly, to produce this? List 2 to 4. Then consolidate and weight.
| Outcome | Competencies it requires | Critical or supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Forecast within 15% | Pipeline inspection, deal qualification, honesty under pressure | Critical |
| Raise win rate | Coaching, discovery skill, deal strategy | Critical |
| Hire and ramp 3 reps | Talent assessment, onboarding design | Supporting |
Critical means a hire without it fails the outcome. Supporting means it can be coached or covered by someone else. A scorecard with more than 4 critical competencies has not been prioritized.
Deal-breakers
Testable conditions checked before interviews burn time:
- Has not personally done the core outcome at least once (for example, has never owned a forecast)
- Cannot meet the location or travel requirement
- Compensation expectation above the approved ceiling
- Cannot start within the required window
- Will not accept the equity and cash mix the company can offer
Culture fit as behaviors
Write 4 to 6 behaviors that can be observed in an interview or confirmed by a reference. Never write traits.
| Unfalsifiable | Observable |
|---|---|
| "Great culture fit" | Names their own mistakes without being asked |
| "Team player" | Credits named colleagues for specific results |
| "High integrity" | Raises risks early; references confirm no surprise reveals |
| "Bias for action" | Describes decisions made with incomplete information and what happened next |