Frequently Asked Questions About OKRs
Who should own our OKRs? Should one person be in charge of OKRs in our organization?
Several roles are involved in an effective OKR program. An OKR executive sponsor to support the program and accomplish the objectives identified, an OKR program manager who is responsible for working with leadership and OKR champions to support the successful implementation of the methodology.
What is the difference between OKRs and KPIs?
KPIs are focused on action plans whereas OKRs are driven towards outcomes. While KPIs focus on individual aspects of a team’s duties, OKRs allow for teams to solve bigger issues, extend past existing practices, and take moonshots without losing sight of the minutia.
Should executives write OKRs for the entire organization?
There should be multiple layers of OKRs, including team-led OKRs, company-wide OKRs, and possibly OKRs from each department thrown in for good measure. Executives should set top-level goals to align the organization, but support teams at every level in defining OKRs.
Should my OKRs be realistic or should they be difficult to achieve?
Your OKRs should be set with the intent of pushing your team to solve a problem or advance your position. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and what might work well for one company might not end up working out for another. Important questions to ask are, “What could we do in the next quarter that would have the biggest impact on our company?” or “What are the big, hairy, audacious goals that we need to set in order to have an outsized impact on the direction that you’re headed in?
Can we change our goals after we set them?
Sometimes, key results aren’t set correctly, or an emergency requires a shift in focus. This is a common occurrence, and OKRs shouldn’t be chiseled in stone.
How many OKRs should I create?
Too many OKRs divert the mind of the team and organization on too many objectives that are less focused and the ones that really matter are often ignored, therefore it is suggested to have 2-4 Objectives and 3-5 Key Results per Objective.
What’s the best way to make sure everyone is on the same page and knows how to use OKRs within the organization?
In order to ensure that everyone in the organization is on the same page it is important to develop a playbook and share OKRs publicly to create visibility across the implementation. Transparency in OKR will help in building accountability or alignment.
Should I have individual OKRs?
Individual OKRs can either promote personal growth and distract from an otherwise-healthy OKR process. On their face, there’s nothing wrong with setting individual OKRs but the problem comes when individual OKRs get tied to performance reviews. Tying individual OKRs to
compensation or advancement causes team members to set goals that they know they can hit. Unless your individual OKRs are set for self improvement, it’s best to avoid them.
Can I have non-quarterly goals?
Absolutely. Annual goals are good aspirations that can set the tone for an entire year but are difficult to track progress over such a long period of time. Monthly goals can work well, although there might not be enough time to fully see progress. That said, we recommend sticking with a quarterly cadence so that you have time to both see the impact of your initiative and to course-correct when things aren’t going well.
Is it important to use software to track OKRs or can I do this in a spreadsheet?
OKRs can be set in a spreadsheet and tracked there. However, spreadsheets prevent your teams from deeply aligning their goals. They also don’t scale well and can get messy or forgotten about. Dedicated tracking software makes it easy for each team to see what the rest of the company is working on, ultimately increasing accountability and alignment.