A better approach is to avoid min-maxing on metrics. You can be aware of metrics without making them your exclusive focus, bond and duty. A good rule of thumb

A better approach is to avoid min-maxing on metrics. You can be aware of metrics without making them your exclusive focus, bond and duty. A good rule of thumb is when you find yourself making "obviously bad decisions" because you know as a result the metric will go up, not because a generally favorable outcome for the business is expected to be the result, then you might be a redneck middle manager driving the metrics. No one should generally exercise tunnel vision and you should not be completely focused on metrics. (Although it might be OK to have one person in the business whose job is to maintain the tunnel vision, if you're telling the whole company to do this then you are likely creating blind spots that will come back to haunt you.) If you focus on driving up the metrics it can be at the expense of the vision. The business is not the metrics, and the vision is not fully defined by the metrics.