I think the absolute overemphasis on metrics stems from two sources; Business School graduates in uniform and an over reliance on 'data' to 'prove' things to the excessive number of 'consultant's and think tanks we hire. Fallacious logic on both counts IMO. All three counts, in fact.
Screw up manufacturing Widgets and you sell the bad ones at a discount and get a tax write off for the whole thing. Screw up in combat and someone's going to die unnecessarily. Business and Soldiering are not at all compatible.
Had a Battalion Commander once, good guy. Had two big charts behind his desk. One had "Things that are important" and listed AWOL, DR, Article 15s, etc. The other had "Things that are unimportant" and listed Indiv Tng, Marksmanship, ARTEP completions etc. He was being sarcastic. The Bde Commander tolerated (and agreed with) the charts. The first General that saw it pitched an absolute fit and the Charts disappeared...
Yes, 'metrics' are out there -- and most do more harm than good IMO...
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