Metrics
Metrics that lie politely
Averages, totals, and vanity counts — the friendly numbers that quietly steer teams in the wrong direction.
The most dangerous metrics are not the wrong ones. They are the polite ones: numbers that always go up, never embarrass anyone, and never force a decision.
Cumulative signups, average session length, total revenue since founding — each is true, and each hides the shape of the underlying trend.
Our rule of thumb: if a metric cannot go down, it is decoration. Report the rate, not the total.