[Verse 1]
Before you question how things work today
You need to learn the standard way
John Doerr wrote the book that started it all
"Measure What Matters" - heed the call
Objectives clear and key results that shine
The canonical model by design
[Chorus]
Six books to read, six paths to see
The problem runs much deeper than OKRs
From metrics madness to autonomy
These authors show what's wrong with how we measure everything
[Verse 2]
James Scott warns us in his "Seeing Like a State"
When systems get too neat, it's often far too late
High-modernist planning thinks it knows the score
But complex systems need flexibility, not rigid core
Legibility's a trap that looks so clean and bright
But loses all the nuance hiding out of sight
[Chorus]
Six books to read, six paths to see
The problem runs much deeper than OKRs
From metrics madness to autonomy
These authors show what's wrong with how we measure everything
[Verse 3]
Captain Marquet sailed and "Turned the Ship Around"
From leader-follower to leader-leader, wisdom found
When everyone can lead and make decisions too
Autonomy emerges, that's the breakthrough
The navy learned that pushing power to the edge
Makes stronger teams than any top-down pledge
[Bridge]
Netflix says "No Rules Rules" - context beats control
Reed Hastings shows us how to free the human soul
McChrystal's "Team of Teams" broke military mold
Even hierarchies can learn new ways to unfold
[Verse 4]
Jerry Muller writes about "The Tyranny of Metrics"
When numbers rule our lives, the cost is more than rhetoric
Metric fixation breaks the things we're trying to measure
Gaming systems replaces creating real treasure
[Chorus]
Six books to read, six paths to see
The problem runs much deeper than OKRs
From metrics madness to autonomy
These authors show what's wrong with how we measure everything
[Outro]
Start with Doerr to learn the game
Then read the rest to see what's wrong with the frame
Six different lenses, one clear view
The measurement problem's bigger than we knew