Goodhart's Law

Goodhart's Law states that when a particular measure or metric becomes the main target for a performance, it can lose its effectiveness as a true indicator of success. In other words, once people focus on improving that specific metric, they may manipulate or game the system, causing the measure to no longer reflect the actual underlying goal. For example, if a company only measures sales numbers, employees might push aggressive sales tactics that boost sales temporarily but harm customer satisfaction or long-term loyalty. The law highlights the importance of choosing meaningful metrics that genuinely represent the desired outcomes.