Measure What Matters

A common error is writing key results that are necessary but not sufficient to collectively complete the objective. The error is tempting because it allows a team to avoid the difficult

A common error is writing key results that are necessary but not sufficient to collectively complete the objective.

Teams are expected to rearrange their other priorities to ensure an on-schedule 1.0 delivery.

Teams who cannot credibly promise to deliver a 1.0 on a committed OKR must escalate promptly. This is a key point: Escalating in this (common) situation is not only OK, it is required.

An OKR that requires no changes to any group’s activities is a business-as-usual OKR, and those are unlikely to be new—although they may not have previously been written down.

A committed OKR that fails to achieve a 1.0 by its due date requires a postmortem. This is not intended to punish teams.

Aspirational OKRs and their associated priorities should remain on a team’s OKR list until they are completed, carrying them forward from quarter to quarter as necessary.

Some simple tests to see if your OKRs are good: If you wrote them down in five minutes, they probably aren’t good.

Some simple tests to see if your OKRs are good: If you wrote them down in five minutes, they probably aren’t good. Think. If your objective doesn’t fit on one line, it probably isn’t crisp enough.

Some simple tests to see if your OKRs are good: If you wrote them down in five minutes, they probably aren’t good. Think. If your objective doesn’t fit on one line, it probably isn’t crisp enough. If your KRs are expressed in team-internal terms (“Launch Foo 4.1”), they probably aren’t good. What matters isn’t the launch, but its impact. Why is Foo 4.1 important? Better: “Launch Foo 4.1 to improve sign-ups by 25 percent.” Or simply: “Improve sign-ups by 25 percent.”

Use real dates. If every key result happens on the last day of the quarter, you likely don’t have a real plan.

Make sure the metrics are unambiguous.

What OKRs do you plan to focus on to drive the greatest value for your role, your team, and/or the company?

How are your OKRs coming along?

Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful?

Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful? Is there anything stopping you from attaining your objectives? What OKRs need to be adjusted—or added, or eliminated—in light of shifting priorities?

Goal Planning and Reflection To help facilitate this conversation, a manager might ask a contributor the following: What OKRs do you plan to focus on to drive the greatest value for your role, your team, and/or the company? Which of these OKRs aligns to key initiatives in the organization? Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful? Is there anything stopping you from attaining your objectives? What OKRs need to be adjusted—or added, or eliminated—in light of shifting priorities?

Goal Planning and Reflection To help facilitate this conversation, a manager might ask a contributor the following: What OKRs do you plan to focus on to drive the greatest value for your role, your team, and/or the company? Which of these OKRs aligns to key initiatives in the organization? Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful? Is there anything stopping you from attaining your objectives? What OKRs need to be adjusted—or added, or eliminated—in light of shifting priorities? Manager-led Coaching To prepare for this conversation, the manager should consider the following questions: What behaviors or values do I want my report to continue to exhibit? What behaviors or values do I want the report to start or stop exhibiting? What coaching can I provide to help the report fully realize his or her potential?

Goal Planning and Reflection To help facilitate this conversation, a manager might ask a contributor the following: What OKRs do you plan to focus on to drive the greatest value for your role, your team, and/or the company? Which of these OKRs aligns to key initiatives in the organization? Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful? Is there anything stopping you from attaining your objectives? What OKRs need to be adjusted—or added, or eliminated—in light of shifting priorities? Manager-led Coaching To prepare for this conversation, the manager should consider the following questions: What behaviors or values do I want my report to continue to exhibit? What behaviors or values do I want the report to start or stop exhibiting? What coaching can I provide to help the report fully realize his or her potential? During the conversation, the leader might ask: What part of your job most excites you? What (if any) aspect of your role would you like to change? Upward Feedback To elicit candid input from a contributor, the manager might ask: What are you getting from me that you find helpful?

Goal Planning and Reflection To help facilitate this conversation, a manager might ask a contributor the following: What OKRs do you plan to focus on to drive the greatest value for your role, your team, and/or the company? Which of these OKRs aligns to key initiatives in the organization? Progress Updates To get the contributor talking, a manager might pose these questions: How are your OKRs coming along? What critical capabilities do you need to be successful? Is there anything stopping you from attaining your objectives? What OKRs need to be adjusted—or added, or eliminated—in light of shifting priorities? Manager-led Coaching To prepare for this conversation, the manager should consider the following questions: What behaviors or values do I want my report to continue to exhibit? What behaviors or values do I want the report to start or stop exhibiting? What coaching can I provide to help the report fully realize his or her potential? During the conversation, the leader might ask: What part of your job most excites you? What (if any) aspect of your role would you like to change? Upward Feedback To elicit candid input from a contributor, the manager might ask: What are you getting from me that you find helpful? What are you getting from me that impedes your ability to be effective? What could I do for you that would help you to be more successful? Career Growth To tease out a contributor’s career aspirations, a manager might ask: What skills or capabilities would you like to develop to