False proxies

False proxies refer to an indicator or signal that is mistakenly used to measure an outcome. Some easy examples:

Using a test score to assume someone has learned the material. After all, not all doctors are equal. Someone has to graduate at the bottom of the class.

The nonprofit who believes their biggest fundraiser yet can be replicated again. You might have raised the potential ceiling but it might not be a trend either.

Weight on a scale can be an indicator someone is healthy but it is only one measurement.

Someone good at interviewing may not be good at the job they are being hired for. They may just be good at interviewing.

False proxies can also be mis-used in our culture. Someone with a criminal record isn’t treated as someone who once made a mistake but is instead effected in housing and work applications.

We use these proxies because they are simple to measure. They are shortcuts that don’t fill in the whole picture, only a slice of it. But too often, we assume we can see everything so clearly. Which leads to misalignment.

Yes, proxies are useful when we want the gist. With a culture that is focused on fast paced efficiency, we substitute substance and nuance for own story of how we see the world. And make important decisions based on these false proxies.