FAQ–Goals & OKRs

Owned by Michael Cannon (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 12, 2023
4 min read

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is the ideal timeframe for OKRs?

Although you might explore the same company-wide OKRs for longer, we recommend quarterly team-wide and individual OKRs. Quarters are an excellent match for OKRs because a 13-week timeframe allows you to aim for 10% progress each week, with a 2-3 week grace period to get going and adjust your route.

Do you ever change key results during an OKR cycle?

If necessary, yes. The OKR-setting process should be thorough enough only to be changed if new information becomes available or if circumstances change. Yet, reevaluating objectives and key results during an OKR cycle has nothing to do with failure. 

If key results prove unrealistic, you may have to dial back. Or, if an OKR cycle has just begun and your team is already about to reach 100% of the key results, you might want to take them a step (or two) further.

What’s crucial to success is closely tracking progress and staying aligned with your team by scheduling OKR check-ins.

Should OKRs be linked to compensation? 

Coupling OKRs with compensation is not a best practice.

Achieving results is part of good performance and should be considered when evaluating raises and promotions, but making OKRs a decisive compensation factor will likely keep your company stuck.

Why? Objectives should be audacious. And the sweet spot for OKRs will be between 60% and 80% of critical results.

So what happens when OKR results directly impact team members’ livelihood? The answer is that, understandably, your team might be more conservative when setting up an OKR cycle — which is likely to hinder individual development. 

Shooting for the moon demands commitment and excitement, not fear.

What are the biggest mistakes in OKR implementation?

Common OKR mistakes are: 

  • Not frequently tracking progress.

  • Not aligning OKRs with the company’s vision.

  • Not working with your team as you define OKRs for a cycle.

  • Not communicating with all stakeholders.

  • Setting unrealistic OKRs.

  • Setting too-conservative OKRs.

  • Setting too many objectives.

  • Setting too many key results.

  • Not defining ownership for key results.

  • Only working towards OKRs at the very end of a cycle.

  • Not aligning OKRs of different teams.

  • Unmeasurable key results. E.g., to “increase quality,” you need to measure it.

‍What’s the difference between OKR and KPI?

KPIs are an abbreviation for Key Performance Indicators. While KPIs evaluate how effectively your company performs a particular activity, the key results in OKRs are guided by objectives anchored in an overarching mission.

KPIs and key results should be quantifiable and might speak to the same achievements (e.g., the number of qualified leads in a quarter). However, unlike OKRs, KPIs aren’t necessarily guided by a broader vision–and it’s this vision that will help you keep your team aligned and focused.

What are the similarities and differences between OKRs and SMART goals?

SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

The SMART framework is conducive to elaborating a single goal but doesn’t tackle the organizational alignment and interconnectedness offered by OKRs. The good thing is that you can combine these frameworks, making your key results the most granular part of OKRs, SMART.

You can apply the SMART methodology for goals that don’t connect with your company’s overarching vision, such as individual development goals.

What to do if we’re not moving forward with an OKR or specific key results?

Look for roadblocks and think of solutions as a team. If needed, schedule a deep-dive session to consider further actions. And don’t beat yourself up. It’s up to you to turn a perceived failure into a meaningful learning experience. Recalibrating and determining where to allocate your team’s time and efforts better is OK.

What happens if we don’t meet the key results set?

The first step is to discuss the targets:

  • Do they need adjusting?

  • What were the roadblocks?

  • Are these OKRs still aligned with your overall vision?

  • Will they help you get there?

The outcomes of this conversation will help you determine if you should take unmet OKRs to a new cycle or leave them behind as learning opportunities.

How often should I schedule an OKR check-in?

The most impactful recurrence for OKR progress review meetings is a quick check-in every week and a more thorough review once a month.

Why should I have weekly OKR check-ins?

Weekly OKR check-ins enable your team to view present circumstances, identify blockers before it’s too late, keep the team aligned, and focus on actions that will make a difference.

Who should take part in weekly OKR check-in meetings?

Each manager and their team.

In-depth OKR review meetings with senior management should have a different structure and recurrence.

In monthly meetings with senior management, stakeholders can decide how to course-correct. This may mean canceling an OKR or changing its execution strategy altogether. The notes taken during weekly OKR check-ins will benefit senior management reviews.

You may also find that other formats work well, such as monthly meetings between department heads to exchange ideas and see how they can support each other’s teams in achieving their OKRs.

What are the goals of an OKR check-in?

OKR progress review meetings can achieve several goals. Besides helping your team reach their goals more efficiently, strategize, and know where to allocate their time better, OKR check-ins support team member engagement by helping teams stay aligned, exchange learnings, not lose sight of how meaningful their work is to the organization, and encouraging them to document progress and be creative.‍

Should the OKR check-in/progress review be a standalone meeting?

That’s up to you and your team. For some, a separate meeting will work better, while 15 focused minutes before or after department meetings are the best option for others.

What are frequent mistakes people make during OKR check-ins?

Some common OKR check-in mistakes are:

  • Not following the agreed-upon duration and agenda.

  • Excluding team members.

  • Spending too much time on specific discussions that aren’t pertinent to all meeting participants.‍

  • Not allowing everyone to express themselves.‍

  • Not investing in a culture where people feel psychologically safe to seek help and share bold ideas.‍

  • Being unprepared and not documenting progress.‍

  • Not documenting the decisions made during the meeting.

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