A scorecard is a simple document that answers the question, “if I am raving about this hire in 12-18 months, what have they accomplished to elicit that reaction?” While qualifications, skills, and attributes may help source candidates, the real question is: “Can this person use those qualifications, skills, and attributes to grow the business?” Using a scorecard helps answer that vital question. 

A great scorecard fits on one page and can be explained intelligently in under two minutes. To get to ‘great,’ keep the following in mind:

1. Don’t over-complicate the exercise. Too many people reach for fancy software, agonize over precise measures, engage in wordsmithing, or look too far ahead. Describe actions, accountabilities, and a few key metrics that define success.  
2. Keep it role-focused rather than candidate-focused. Strategic leaders can separate the candidate (even a beloved internal one) from the role itself to evaluate what is best for the organization.
3. Structure the interview process so that all participants are compared apples to apples. Scorecards help minimize common cognitive biases that sneak into the hiring process, such as the mere exposure effect (likability generally increases with each exposure) or the attribution bias (assuming others’ behaviors reflect traits—internal and unchanging).  
4. Link the role to the business strategy. Articulate the current versus the end state and how this role helps the organization go from A to B. 
5. Leverage the scorecard to help new executives assimilate quickly and create impact. A clear, compelling roadmap provides instant clarity and alignment for the new executive. 

Whether you are just imagining the role or down to two final candidates, perhaps pause, and ask, “what does success look like for this role?” Then write down the answer on whatever is close by.