Rolling Out OKRs for the 1st Time

Many companies struggle to roll out OKRs for the 1st time. It is very normal for it to take two quarterly OKR cycles before your company really embraces and adopts them fully. Here are a few tips to help smooth the path and make it a little easier.

1. Be AlignedBefore you roll out OKRs make sure your leadership team is truly sold on the idea. If they aren’t, do the work to get aligned first. Consider reading a book as a team, and sequestering away for a few hours to discuss and plan how you will use OKRs.
2. Soft Launch With LeadershipConsider using OKRs only for your leadership team (Perhaps even directors and above) for the 1st month or quarter so you can work out the kinks together and get your feet under you before rolling them out to staff. A little experience with OKRs will help work out the kinks.
3. Decide on the Overall OKR FrameworkWhat’s your OKR cadence going to be? Ideally, quarterly, but you may have annual or half-year OKRs you want to roll out as well. Will you use an online OKR tool to manage them? Select your tool. Who will have OKRs? Company? Departments? Teams? Individuals? There’s no wrong answer, it’s just what is right for you. Who will determine OKRs? Managers? Directors? Executives? Individuals? When you decide who will have OKRs you need to also determine who creates the OKRs at each level and what type of review process there will be. Decide on these important fundamentals before you move forward. You can (and will) adjust after a couple of quarters once you have learned more about what works well and what needs to be tweaked. But don’t roll out OKRs without a framework you can communicate to staff.
4. Plan Your Roll OutEven if some of your team has used OKRs in the past, every company has their own nuances to how they use them. The 1st time you roll out OKRs you need to really plan how you bring it to your staff. Socialize the idea that the company will be using OKRs at least 4 weeks in advance and consider:
   • Start with a brief introduction to OKRs at an all-hands. Just a 10 minute primer that covers what they are, why you are going to adopt them, and what your goals are. See our OKR presentation example for inspiration: OKR Staff Presentation
   • Conduct a book club. If your company is small you can have everyone read a book on OKRs. For a larger team make the book club optional, curate 3-4 articles and videos for everyone to read to get them more familiar with the concept.
   • Hold an orientation. Hold a meeting for staff explaining how you be rolling out and using OKRs, provide a glimpse into company OKRs (even if they are still in draft format), and answer questions ahead of time.
5. Gather Feedback and AdjustGather staff feedback at the conclusion of your first OKR quarter to help improve how your company is leveraging OKRs. Make adjustments as needed and begin again!

OKR Tips and Tricks

OKR implementation is where companies fall down. Here are some tips & tricks to help with a successful implementation.

• Use a Quarterly OKR CadenceOccasionally there may be a specific reason to use one main thematic (or campaign) objective for 6-12 months as well.
  • Consider using one company OKR that spans 6-12 months that is more like an internal rallying cry or campaign that will inspire everyone. “Operation Crush” is a great example of how this was done under Andy Grove’s leadership at Intel. There is so much power in this type of company objective! Make it memorable and meaningful to your company.
  • A good rule of thumb is 1-3 quarterly objectives for a company, and 2-3 quarterly objectives for each department, team, and individual. Each objective should have 2-3 key results. It’s okay to repeat important evergreen objectives, you don’t need to come up with new OKRs every quarter.
• Objectives Should Be Short and Easy to UnderstandOne of the most frequent mistakes we see is overly wordy objectives. Write an objective the way you would say it, so it is easy to understand and remember.
• Key Results Must Be MeasurableA key result is not a task or an initiative. A common OKR mistake is creating a set of key results that are really a to-do list. In an OKR system, the “How” part of getting there is not contained in the OKR. Sometimes a key result has to be a task but try to make each key result measurable whenever possible.
• Remember AlignmentOnce the company OKRs are determined, a department leader will set OKRs for their department that are aligned with the company’s OKRs. A team within the department will do the same, and a manager & team member will as well. This creates cascading alignment where everyone is working on things that ultimately help to achieve the company’s OKRs.
• Use a SystemSome companies use spreadsheets or slide decks. However, there are fantastic online tools purpose-built for OKR management. Some even have best practices built in to give you a head start.
• Make OKRs Totally TransparentAll OKRs should be visible across the organization.
  • Occasionally a leadership team, or a person, may need a private OKR when extreme confidentiality is needed. But one of the benefits of OKRs is the visibility and alignment they create, so avoid private OKRS as much as possible.
• Use Joint OKRs to Help Further AlignmentSome OKRs, by their very nature, are interdisciplinary. OKRS that are owned by more than one department or person create opportunities for true collaboration.
• Consider How OKRs May Conflict and Cause Competing PrioritiesThis is where OKR trouble happens. If you have OKRs that create competition for resources or are unintentionally at cross-purposes with others it can create incredible organizational strife. Think through the implications of OKRs, what the dependencies will be, what the available resources are, and how they are all woven together.
• Don’t Overcomplicate Your OKRsWrite simple OKRs. Just a few each quarter. Make sure you can measure the outcomes for the key results in a reliable way. Think about what you need to achieve and how you will know if you have done it. That’s it.