The basics of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is a goal-setting framework that was developed by Intel in the 1970s and has since been adopted by many successful companies, including Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter. OKRs are designed to be a simple yet powerful tool for aligning and focusing the efforts of an organisation, setting clear goals, and measuring progress towards those goals.

The basic structure of OKRs consists of two parts: objectives and key results.

  1. Objectives are qualitative statements that describe what an organisation or team wants to achieve. They should be inspiring, ambitious, and actionable, and they should be aligned with the overall strategy and values of the organisation.

  2. Key results, on the other hand, are quantitative measures that track progress towards the objectives.

One of the key benefits of OKRs is that they provide a clear and concise way to communicate goals and priorities to the entire organisation. By setting clear objectives and key results, everyone in the organisation knows what they are working towards and how their efforts contribute to the overall goals of the organisation. This helps to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same objectives, rather than pursuing their own agendas or working in silos.

OKRs also encourage a culture of continuous improvement and learning. By setting challenging but achievable key results, organisations can encourage their employees to stretch themselves and take on new challenges. This can foster a culture of innovation and experimentation, as employees are encouraged to think creatively and try new approaches to achieve their goals.

In addition to setting and tracking progress towards specific goals, OKRs can also help organisations to identify areas for improvement and make course corrections as needed. By regularly reviewing and adjusting key results, organisations can ensure that they are on track to achieve their objectives and make any necessary changes to stay on track.

Overall, OKRs are a powerful tool for aligning and focusing the efforts of an organisation, setting clear goals, and measuring progress towards those goals. By setting inspiring and actionable objectives and tracking progress with specific, measurable key results, organisations can foster a culture of continuous improvement and ensure that they are working towards their overall strategy and values.

At Lithe Transformation we organise special invitation only masterclasses, for which you can register your interested by contacting us via the contact page.

Previous
Previous

“Kanplexity” – Kanban for Complexity

Next
Next

What is Kanban and how can it work for me?