Your OKRs Aren’t OKRs

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the common challenges teams face when setting Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and provides guidance on how to effectively implement OKRs.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Problem with OKRs

1. What are the common issues teams face when setting OKRs?

• Teams often treat OKRs as a corporate chore, resulting in vague goals and targets that make the process seem useless
• OKRs are not properly understood or implemented, leading to a "vicious cycle" of ineffective goal-setting

2. What are the key differences between "OKRs" and true OKRs?

• Objectives are the big, ambitious goals that can lead to business success, not just any goals
• Key Results are the specific, measurable metrics that track progress towards the Objectives

3. What are the key characteristics of well-defined OKRs?

• Specific, Metric-driven, Ambitious, Relevant, and Value-based (SMARV)
• Focused on driving value, not just completing a to-do list

[02] Examples of Good vs. Bad OKRs

1. What are examples of "OKRs" that are not true OKRs?

• Vague, non-specific goals not tied to measurable outcomes
• High-level business metrics not actionable for individual teams
• Overly ambitious or unrealistic goals that are demotivating
• Generic goals that don't clearly identify the responsible team

2. What are examples of well-defined OKRs?

• Product team focused on end-user value, such as making data instantly accessible
• DevOps team aiming to achieve elite-level performance metrics
• New hire onboarding process streamlined for faster productivity
• Customer support team revolutionizing the industry's support experience
• Website team establishing the company as the definitive online resource

3. What are the key differences between good and bad OKRs?

• Good OKRs are Specific, Metric-driven, Ambitious, Relevant, and Value-based (SMARV)
• Bad OKRs are vague, not tied to measurable outcomes, unrealistic, or not clearly owned by a team

[03] Implementing OKRs Effectively

1. What are the common mistakes teams make when implementing OKRs?

• Setting OKRs at the end of the quarter, making it difficult to measure progress
• Failing to revisit and measure OKRs throughout the quarter

2. What is the recommended approach for implementing OKRs?

• Set OKRs at the start of the quarter and measure progress throughout
• Continuously iterate and improve the OKR process over time