Definition — from the glossary of The Hidden Cost of SpeedThe interpretive frame that is actually operating across different organizational segments, as measured by the diagnostic instrument. The gap between intended and observed operating reference is the primary diagnostic output.
The observed reference is read from classifications, not declarations — from how people across levels, functions and regions actually sort concrete cases. It can differ from the intended reference in direction, in spread, or in both; and the difference is a measurement, not an accusation. Most organizations have never seen theirs.
Where this comes from. This term is defined in the glossary of The Hidden Cost of Speed by Christoph Svoboda. About the book.
See it in your own answers. The Shared Reference Diagnostic — ten scenarios, about ten minutes, your own report, free.