OKRs
Objectives and Key Results
Objectives and Key Results
Impacting your entire operating model from strategy to results
OKRs are a very powerful way of making a strategy clear and measuring it. Although it looks like a simple technique there is hidden complexity and a lot of anti-patterns. Consider the following:
How to scale OKRs
When to use stretch or committed key results
How to use leading and lagging indicators
You may be looking to deploy OKRs for the first time or simply aren’t seeing much value from them.
Links to strategy
It is important to understand the link between strategy and OKRs. You don’t try and create OKRs without a strategy. This is a common failure point for OKRs where brainstorming objectives to put into the OKR format means a poor result. If you need additional support for your strategy please see this page.
Weaknesses OKRs solve
When OKRs are deployed they solve many issues, below are just a few. See if these occur in your organisation:
Lack of objectives
Work items don’t have a clear objective leading to confusion. For example, one person thinks the work item is meant to lower costs, another to increase speed.
No baseline
The current state metrics aren’t understood typically due to a lack of research
Lack of measurement
When the results of a change aren’t measured this leads to a lack of learning when outcomes are poor
Lack of alignment
Teams are working towards conflicting goals. In larger organisations each department may be creating strategy in a silo
Aiming low
Your expected results are treated as targets and due to risk teams aim low
Measuring output
For example measuring how many documents we rewrite rather than what this does to customer satisfaction
Approach
An initial 1 hour consultation is free. This gives time to explore problems, options and if you see value. You have nothing to lose by reaching out. OKR rollout is typically between 2 weeks to 1 month and can be run part time e.g. 2 days a week.
Train
Starting with a 1 day training course to give people practical experience of how OKRs work
Integrate
Review your current delivery method and integrate OKRs into its process. This includes results review sessions.
Deploy
Assisting the leadership and teams with the creation of high quality OKRs
Support
On-going support as new OKRs are required. This is a part time activity.
Why not just take training?
OKRs are difficult to get right, they include many anti-patterns that can reduce or even remove their value. For this reason support is strongly recommended.
Interested?
If you would like to know more, please reach out for a free discussion
