Diversity is one of humanity’s greatest strengths, and not a competing goal to excellence, right to the contrary. Moreover, the quality of teams hinges on the complementary skills and interaction between its members. However, metrics for assessing research that have been popular over the recent two decades critically fail on these fundamental principles for advancing science to the benefit of society. Research management has become obsessed with outputs, productivity, and citations; none of which reflect good science. University rankings must not serve as excuse for bad management, and research assessment must never become disconnected from a specific purpose. Institutions need to set their own policies that let them thrive within their niche in the global research ecosystem rather than trying to engage in meaningless overcompetition. I will suggest a simple framework for fostering an environment that supports creativity and initiative.