--- title: 10 Mistakes Leaders Make with Data Dashboards description: 10 Mistakes Leaders Make with Data Dashboards image: https://www.atlasalign.com/hubfs/data%20colorful%20woman.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards#main-content) ![Atlas Alignment Growth Partners logo](https://www.atlasalign.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AA%20logo%203%20inch.jpg?width=300&height=60&name=AA%20logo%203%20inch.jpg) - [Home](https://www.atlasalign.com/) - [Services](https://www.atlasalign.com/services) - [About](https://www.atlasalign.com/about) - [Blog](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog) - [Resources](https://www.atlasalign.com/resources) - [Events](https://www.atlasalign.com/events) - [Contact](https://www.atlasalign.com/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://www.atlasalign.com/) - [Services](https://www.atlasalign.com/services) - [About](https://www.atlasalign.com/about) - [Blog](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog) - [Resources](https://www.atlasalign.com/resources) - [Events](https://www.atlasalign.com/events) - [Contact](https://www.atlasalign.com/contact) - [Book a Chat](https://www.atlasalign.com/discovery) [Book a Chat](https://www.atlasalign.com/discovery) Nov 18, 2022, 3:45:16 PM # 10 Mistakes Leaders Make with Data Dashboards [Diana Southall](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/author/diana-southall) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/10-mistakes-leaders-make-with-data-dashboards) I find that organizations tend to make some or all of these mistakes in their goal and data tracking and reporting: 1. Metrics are just financial, and lack information on qualitative performance or a more balanced data set (customer experience, employee experience) 2. Too many metrics—so people do not know which ones are “critical numbers” (I have seen up to 1000 in a spreadsheet!) 3. Focus on lagging metrics without any leading ones to proactively forecast performance or identify looming issues 4. Small bits of data are communicated sporadically or informally weekly – so people lack the visibility to the trends of data over time 5. Company-wide metrics are not “cascaded down” and aligned with department or team targets 6. No company or department dashboard to visually share all key performance indicators easily in one place 7. Data is presented numerically, but not visually compared to a target \[such as the red-yellow-green stop light visual\] to show how performance compared to expected and for quick identification of issues to address 8. Reviewing metrics and dashboards weeks after a month or quarter is over, and focusing on a post-mortem rather than as a basis for agile decision making 9. Not connecting department and individual projects with company objectives/ goals – resulting a lack of alignment and lack of completing on high priority items 10. A mindset that company goals and performance is only for senior leaders—that staff wouldn’t understand or do not care about the annual goals, priorities or progress [Execution](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/execution), [dashboards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/dashboards) ## Related posts [coaching](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/coaching), [strategy](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/strategy), [Uncategorized](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/uncategorized), [training and development](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/training-and-development), [ScalingUp](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/scalingup), [performance](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/performance), [Video](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/video), [action plans](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/action-plans), [job fit](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-fit), [job role](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-role), [planning](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/planning), [sales process](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/sales-process), [accountability](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/accountability), [Delegation](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/delegation), [recruiting](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/recruiting), [Cash](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/cash), [culture](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/culture), [rewards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/rewards), [Execution](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/execution), [dashboards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/dashboards) ## [Step 4 of 6 to Coach for Accountability – Using Dashboards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/step-4-of-6-to-coach-for-accountability-using-dashboards) [Diana Southall](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/author/diana-southall) Mar 26, 2018, 12:00:00 AM [Read more](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/step-4-of-6-to-coach-for-accountability-using-dashboards) [coaching](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/coaching), [strategy](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/strategy), [Uncategorized](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/uncategorized), [training and development](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/training-and-development), [ScalingUp](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/scalingup), [performance](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/performance), [Video](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/video), [action plans](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/action-plans), [job fit](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-fit), [job role](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-role), [planning](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/planning), [sales process](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/sales-process), [accountability](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/accountability), [Delegation](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/delegation), [recruiting](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/recruiting), [Cash](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/cash), [culture](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/culture), [rewards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/rewards), [Execution](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/execution), [dashboards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/dashboards) ## [8 Benefits of Dashboards for your business](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/8-benefits-of-dashboards-for-your-business) [Diana Southall](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/author/diana-southall) Sep 5, 2019, 12:00:00 AM [Read more](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/8-benefits-of-dashboards-for-your-business) [coaching](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/coaching), [strategy](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/strategy), [Uncategorized](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/uncategorized), [training and development](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/training-and-development), [ScalingUp](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/scalingup), [performance](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/performance), [Video](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/video), [action plans](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/action-plans), [job fit](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-fit), [job role](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/job-role), [planning](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/planning), [sales process](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/sales-process), [accountability](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/accountability), [Delegation](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/delegation), [recruiting](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/recruiting), [Cash](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/cash), [culture](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/culture), [rewards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/rewards), [Execution](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/execution), [dashboards](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/tag/dashboards) ## [64% more sales? What difference does one person make?](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/64percentmoresales-differenceonperson) [Diana Southall](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/author/diana-southall) Mar 14, 2014, 12:00:00 AM [Read more](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog/64percentmoresales-differenceonperson) --- [![AA logo 600x200](https://www.atlasalign.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AA%20logo%20600x200.jpg?width=900&height=300&name=AA%20logo%20600x200.jpg "AA logo 600x200")](http://www.AtlasAlign.com) Mailing address: PO Box 1016 Buffalo NY  Serving WNY, Southern Tier and the Great Lakes \[in-person\] and Globally \[virtual\]  [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/company/atlasalignment/) [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/pages/People-Plan/192367500792264) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf6sKTSNEnhuAPfTUa5tqZw) - [Home](https://www.atlasalign.com) - [Services](https://www.atlasalign.com/services) - [About](https://www.atlasalign.com/about) - [Blog](https://www.atlasalign.com/blog) - [Resources](https://www.atlasalign.com/resources) - [Events](https://www.atlasalign.com/events) - [Contact](https://www.atlasalign.com/contact) [                               Terms](https://www.atlasalign.com/terms)                                               [Privacy](https://www.atlasalign.com/privacy) Copyright © 2026, Atlas Alignment Partners Inc                  ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=45108&fmt=gif)