Fix Your OKRs — Back to First Principles
Context
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) have become the latest management framework to suffer the fate of becoming popular too quickly, to the point where in many organizations, OKRs are a theater/charade with little useful substance or benefits. That’s a shame because OKRs have huge potential if used effectively. So let’s go about fixing your OKRs!
Why OKRs
Let’s start with the basics. What are OKRs even about?
OKRs aim to help you execute effectively on what matters most (your strategy), while overcoming silos, politics and turf wars, the ongoing grind (aka whirlwind), and other management challenges. To face all of these challenges, OKRs provide organizational alignment and focus.
As defined by WhatMatters.com:
OKRs — an Alignment Framework — a collaborative goal-setting methodology used by teams and individuals to set challenging, ambitious goals with measurable results. OKRs are how you track progress, create alignment, and encourage engagement around measurable goals.
Let’s now dive into HOW OKRs (used well) set you up for success and what might go wrong.
