Based on the past several years of experience as I’ve been leading business agility transformations, including driving the adoption of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) at-scale in large enterprises, several concepts strongly resonate with me in reading John Doerr’s book Measure What Matters; note: in the bullets below I’ve adapted the corresponding quotes based on my own professional experiences:
- OKRs frame an achievement orientation (p. 22)
- OKRs provide a common language across the organization, where we can ask and answer: What matters most? What provides the most leverage? How will we measure our progress as feedback? (pp. 56-57).
- OKRs are a system that can drive transformation – quickly …. a management tool for rapid implementation … black-and-white criteria for assessment (p. 43).
- If an objective is well framed, three to five KRs (quantifiable Key Results as assessment criteria) will usually be adequate to reach the objective; otherwise, there may not be sufficient clarity and focus yet to drive aligned, effective execution (p. 50).
- OKRs are inherently works in process, not commandments chiseled in stone; therefore, psychological safety is critical for effective adoption and application of OKRs (p. 54, 46).
- An effective goal-setting system starts with disciplined thinking at the top, with leaders who invest the time and energy to choose what counts (p. 47).
- OKRs require a public commitment by leadership, in word and deed (p. 49).
More to come in future posts and subsequent pages on how to effectively leverage these concepts, incorporating my own real-life application experiences, to drive the outcomes referenced in the book Measure What Matters …