Encyclopedia of Managerial Techniques

Numbers-Driven Leadership (NDL)

(Data-Driven Management / Quantitative Oversight)

A leadership philosophy where numerical metrics dictate all business decisions, often at the expense of qualitative factors. The assumption is that if something cannot be measured, it does not matter.

Examples from practice

A retail chain optimizing foot traffic statistics while ignoring declining customer satisfaction; a company focusing on quarterly revenue growth at the cost of long-term stability.

Advantages

Provides clear performance indicators; simplifies decision-making.

Disadvantages

Encourages short-term thinking; ignores intangible factors such as employee morale or brand perception.

See also