Quick Insight
Objectives are where you want to go (i.e., what you want to achieve), and key results say how you will get there (i.e., what you will do to achieve the objective). The key results are both what you will do to achieve the objective and the criteria for determining whether the objective is achieved.
Objectives and Key Results, also known as OKRs, have become very popular for improving company performance. What are OKRs?
Let’s say you’re driving to a business you’ve never visited. You open up your maps app, enter their address, and the app gives you the directions to get there. You tell the app where you want to go, and it tells you how to get there.
Like a 30-minute drive or a three-year strategic plan, OKRs provide your destination and directions for the next three months. Objectives are where you want to go (i.e., what you want to achieve), and key results say how you will get there (i.e., what you will do to achieve the objective).
With OKRs, the key results are both what you will do to achieve the objective and the criteria for determining whether the objective is achieved.
This simplicity and clarity attract many people to OKRs. It’s what also allows rapid iteration and ease of communication. OKRs are an excellent choice for small businesses and companies in dynamic industries.
I wish you clear goals and the path to achieve them. I wish you well.
- Rob Stephens
Further Insight
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