Measure What Matters

Stretch OKRs are an intense exercise in problem solving.

I tried to be thoughtful and systematic and not too emotional, and I think that helped.

“No, we didn’t reach the goal, but we are laying the foundation to break through this barrier. Now, what are we going to do differently?”

Engineers struggle with goal setting in two big ways. They hate crossing off anything they think is a good idea, and they habitually underestimate how long it takes to get things done.

It took discipline for people to narrow their lists to three or four objectives for their team, but it made a huge difference. Our OKRs became more rigorous.

In other words, the most important things need to get done first or they won’t get done at all.

the most important things need to get done first or they won’t get done at all.

In a world where computing power is nearly limitless, “the true scarce commodity is increasingly human attention.”

Stretch goals can be crushing if people don’t believe they’re achievable.

Maybe the best thing about OKRs is how they track your progress to a target, especially when you’re behind schedule.

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

A manager’s “first role,” Drucker said, “is the personal one. It’s the relationship with people, the development of mutual confidence . . . the creation of a community.”

“If a conversation is limited to whether you achieved the goal or not, you lose context. You need continuous performance management to surface the critical questions: Was the goal harder to achieve than you’d thought when you set it? Was it the right goal in the first place? Is it motivating? Should we double down on the two or three things that really worked for us last quarter, or is it time to consider a pivot?

For companies moving to continuous performance management, the first step is blunt and straightforward: Divorce compensation (both raises and bonuses) from OKRs. These should be two distinct conversations, with their own cadences and calendars.

What are you working on? How are you doing; how are your OKRs coming along? Is there anything impeding your work? What do you need from me to be (more) successful? How do you need to grow to achieve your career goals?

But when goals are used and abused to set compensation, employees can be counted on to sandbag. They start playing defense; they stop stretching for amazing.

But when goals are used and abused to set compensation, employees can be counted on to sandbag. They start playing defense; they stop stretching for amazing. They get bored for lack of challenge.

Google is careful to segregate raw goal scores from compensation decisions. Their OKR numbers are actually wiped from the system after each cycle!

key point about a one-on-one: It should be regarded as the subordinate’s meeting, with its agenda and tone set by him. . . . The supervisor is there to learn and coach.*

Today’s workers “want to be ‘empowered’ and ‘inspired,’ not told what to do.