OKRs

OKRs have been around for decades and have been used successfully in many businesses, large and small. They were popularised by John Doerr in his book Measure What Matters. Here’s a link to John’s website and a short TED talk by John giving his take on OKRs.

OKR frameworks help organisations implement strategy by aligning employee actions with high level company objectives. The diagram below illustrates how an OKR framework supports the implementation of a business’s strategic plans.

OKRs in a nutshell

OKRs are conceptually very simple:

• create Objectives that will help you achieve your strategic goals

• create Key Results that help you measure achievement of each objective

• create Initiatives that help you achieve your objectives.

An OKR framework helps organisations implement strategy by aligning employee actions with high level company objectives. The diagram illustrates how an OKR framework supports the implementation of a business’s strategic plans.

Making OKRs stick

Here are three key activities that help make the OKR process a habit and maximise the benefits to businesses. Each of these activities is fundamental to the OKR process, and any business that is serious about OKRs should adopt them.

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The OKR cycle

Using OKRs in your business is a continuous process that has three distinct phases and typically takes place over a three-month (quarterly) cycle. Following this cyclical pattern is important for making OKRs an habitual process that drives the way people think and behave in your business.

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How OKRs fuel engagement

There have been literally millions of words written on how to engage and motivate employees. And that’s not surprising given how critical employee engagement is to organisational success. As we move into the 4th Industrial Age, businesses can no longer use access to capital, proprietary knowledge, or market dominance to maintain a competitive advantage. With barriers to entry now so low in many sectors, the ability to attract, retain, and motivate employees is becoming the critical factor in business success.

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Choosing great OKRs

If you are using OKRs, nothing is more important than choosing good objectives and key results. Here are some principles to keep in mind.

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