OKRs for All

PART IVGetting Started with OKRs

Implementing and benefiting from OKRs in your organization is not a “set it and forget it,” one‐time process. It requires a phased approach to build a program at the heart of your business and organizational culture. You will continue to iterate and grow over time.

I talk about this phased approach in terms of your organization’s “OKR maturity” which is represented visually on the following page.

Any strong OKR program that empowers a team to move the needle for the business has several characteristics in common:

• Organization‐wide adoption of OKRs

  When only a part of the team is aware of and using OKRs, you cannot reap the benefits of organization‐wide alignment and transparency that makes the OKR framework so powerful. The entire organization should be aware of OKRs, how the company is using them, and how they can participate.

• OKRs underpin culture of the organization

  OKRs should never be an afterthought, and instead should be a part of daily life at your organization. OKR terminology and concepts should be a normal part of conversation, and employees should use OKRs as a guide for what to prioritize.

• Executive sponsorship

  One of the most important parts of organization‐wide OKR adoption is getting senior executives on board. Executives should model the proper use of OKRs and encourage employees to do the same. What does this mean in practice? ...