Business Blog - OKRs and Goal Setting

OKR Myth #9: OKRs are a top-down management philosophy

OKR Myth #8: Committed OKRs and Aspirational OKRs are graded on the same curve.

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are becoming the go-to goal-setting system for many modern companies. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the components of OKRs and review best-practices.

OKR Myth #7: If you are doing OKRs, you don’t need to do CFRs

In the What You Need to Know series, we’ll be addressing many of the most commonly asked questions regarding OKRs. In this first installment, we’ll discuss how OKRs differ from KPIs, and how they’re complementary.

OKR Myth #6: OKRs only work well in a tech environment

OKR Myth #5: You must divorce compensation from OKRs

OKR Myth #4: You can easily implement OKRs with Excel or spreadsheets

OKR Myth #3: OKRs have many requirements, and you must learn many new rules.

You’ve read “Measure What Matters,” John Doerr’s New York Times bestseller. Perhaps you’ve also viewed Rick Klau’s YouTube video, “How Google Sets Goals.” You’ve researched companies such as Google, Intel, Intuit, and LinkedIn to see how they use OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to drive superior execution.

With the recent popularity of the OKR goal-setting methodology, many companies have opted to “test drive” the principles before engaging with a dedicated OKR Software provider.

OKR Myth #2: You must write and word OKRs perfectly, and make sure your OKR process is perfect on day one.

What do companies like Google, Intel, Intuit, and LinkedIn all have in common? Their structured goal-setting methodology, OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).

Why have OKRs become the modern-day goal setting methodology of choice for so many companies? The system has been in place at Intel since the mid-1970’s under Andy Grove.

OKR Myth #1: OKRs should be “Aspirational” – if you get to 70% then that’s good.

For many companies, the failure to align represents the single greatest challenge to strategy execution. In an HBR study, over ninety percent of employees do not fully understand the company’s goals, or what’s expected of them.

In his New York Times bestseller, “Measure What Matters,” author John Doerr defines OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as “a management methodology that helps to ensure that the company focuses efforts on the same important issues throughout the organization.”

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) have become the modern-day goal-setting methodology of choice for many companies today. Even more companies are contemplating the protocol to improve strategy execution.

OKRs, in and of themselves are never enough. In his New York Time bestseller, “Measure What Matters,” author John Doerr, the “godfather of OKRs,” introduces CFRs as the logical adjunct to OKRs, “Together they (OKRs and CFRS) capture the full richness and power of Groves innovative method.

There are times in the life of every organization when the CEO needs to mobilize the workforce, to get everyone focused, pulling in the same direction, working together collaboratively, executing flawlessly.