Sandbagging
What is Sandbagging?
The counter-productive practice of intentionally setting low or easily achievable goals to guarantee success.
Sandbagging usually occurs in legacy companies that tie 100% of an employee's bonus compensation to hitting their goals. If missing a goal means losing money, employees will naturally protect themselves by negotiating for incredibly safe, uninspiring targets.
OKRs purposely divorce goal-setting from individual compensation. By expecting teams to only hit 70% of a massive 'Stretch Goal', OKR culture actively punishes sandbagging and rewards audacious failure.
OKRs purposely divorce goal-setting from individual compensation. By expecting teams to only hit 70% of a massive 'Stretch Goal', OKR culture actively punishes sandbagging and rewards audacious failure.
Sandbagging
A sales rep knows they can close $50k this month without trying, so they set their goal at $40k to ensure they hit 100% and look good.
Ambitious Risk
A team sets a goal to 'Build a completely automated revenue engine'. They only achieve 60% of it, but in the process, they permanently cut manual workload in half.
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