Once you get above a certain level sure, it's not mostly about IC metrics anymore. But that doesn't mean you can't make them objective. If a person has a set of defined responsibilities, they either delivered on them, or they didn't, and you should be able to judge that relatively objectively. And if those responsibilities can't be clearly defined, or are constantly changing, that's a signal of organizational dysfunction. I will agree that if you're in an org like that, it will be difficult to judge people's accomplishments objectively.