Effective Strategies for Setting Team Objectives Using OKRs
The success of a team lies in setting clear objectives. Lack of clear goals, teams often:
- Get easily lost
- Use resources inefficiently
- Fail in effectively evaluating the process
That is where Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) help. They ensure that an organization:
- Has an aligned vision and action
- Everybody is working on the same priorities with specific results
However, to achieve real outcomes, it is not just setting OKR framework but essential to set them properly.
Why OKRs Matter for Teams
OKRs are not just a goal setting framework, but a communication tool. As the objectives and the success measures are clearly outlined, the teams become focused and accountable. The beauty of the OKRs is that it helps to tie the big business goals with the day-to-day operations by ensuring each contribution has an impact. It is this combination of long-range thinking and practical output that makes them effective with any team on any level.
Alignment of OKRs to the DNA of Your Organization
Organizations do not all work in a similar fashion, which is why using a cookie-cutter approach to OKRs can be rather ineffective. This is where Wave Nine, one of the best OKR consultants dealing with custom OKR processes, becomes involved. They are good at developing a framework that is organic to your DNA and your structure. A scaler, a complex matrix or cultural changes, a customized OKR process can make a team goals realistic, motivating, and aligned with long-term strategy.
Engage the Whole Team in the Process
Top-down goal setting might seem effective but can frequently backfires. Once goals are pushed without consultation, the team members lose the sense of purpose of the work. All levels must be bought in to an effective OKR planning.
Key results should be drafted with teams, questions should be asked and assumptions challenged. Not only does this lead to engagement but also the revelations that leaders are likely to overlook. Coupled with effective leadership guidance, a bottom-up approach creates the appropriate balance.
Keep Objectives Simple and Inspiring
Goals must be challenging but not extreme. A powerful objective answers the question: What is the meaningful impact that we would like to accomplish this quarter?
As an illustration, rather than having the objective to increase customer satisfaction scores, a more refined objective would be to provide a world-class customer experience. The wording is important – it must be motivating action as opposed to outlining a parameter. The quantifiable information is found in the key results.
Make Key Results Specific and Measurable
Objectives help in motivation, but key results bring the desire to reality. Good key results are measurable, time-oriented, and outcome based.
An example of this is, launch three new product features with a customer adoption rate of 70 percent is stronger than, work on new product features. The transparency here removes speculation and enables the team to follow-up without confusion.
Review and Adjust Regularly
OKRs are not to be composed and left behind. Checking-in should be regular.
The weekly or bi-weekly reviews can assist in:
- Tracking the progress
- Eliminating blockers
- Keeping the motivation high
A retrospective at the close of a cycle should point out what worked, what did not and what can be improved. This constant process cultivates strength and flexibility.
Effective team objectives using OKRs need planning, teamwork, and regularity. When done properly, OKRs can be more than a model; they can be the force that improves successful team performance.
