The best definition I’ve heard of a business case is that “It’s the lies people tell to get funding.” And that is the truth.

Growth is high and expenses are low, leading to unreasonable expectations in the majority of business cases. So what is the key to reducing the lies that people present in business cases?

It comes down to tracking what they deliver, e.g., benefits realization, tracking actuals, etc. Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League, has a good suggestion on this. When talking about the New England Patriots videotaping opponents’ signals, he stated,

“The most important thing is to take decisive action. We discovered that they were taping the signals of visiting coaches, which is against our rules, and we made very clear that it was not going to be permitted. [Patriots coach Bill Belichick was fined $500k and the team was fined $250k and denied a draft pick.] Sending a message that you’re going to enforce the rules is the best way to deal with integrity and make sure that our fans understand that games are going to be played by the rules.”

When it comes to investments in projects and initiatives, companies rarely hold folks accountable, ensuring that the cycle of lies and rosy projections continues. Instead, they should take a page from Roger Goodell and reward those who deliver and “punish” those who don’t. The punishment can take the form of reduced funding going forward, greater oversight, or even diminished responsibilities or dismissal. Only by doing this will you ensure that people come with their best ideas and are incentivized to put forward their best ideas and deliver per their business case. ###