Uxio Malvido me recomendó ayer un Working Paper de Harvard que trata el dichoso asunto de la obsesión por los objetivos y los ratios. 

El título del artículo en cuestión ya es suficientemente jugoso: “Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Prescribing Goal Setting”. Transcribo parte del resumen ejecutivo para ir haciendo boca: 

Advocates of goal setting have had a substantial impact on research, management education, and management practice.

In this article, we argue that the beneficial effects of goal setting have been overstated and that systematic harm caused by goal setting has been largely ignored. We identify specific side effects associated with goal setting, including: 

• a narrow focus that neglects non-goal areas
• a rise in unethical behavior
• distorted risk preferences
• corrosion of organizational culture, and
• reduced intrinsic motivation.

Rather than dispensing goal setting as a benign, over-the-counter treatment for motivation, managers and scholars need to conceptualize goal setting as a prescription-strength medication that requires careful dosing, consideration of harmful side effects, and close supervision.

El artículo entero puedes bajártelo aquí. Te lo recomiendo. Gracias, Uxio…