Introduction to OKRs

Chapter 1. Introduction

Why is there so much interest in Objectives and Key Results, or OKRs? After all, OKRs are just a goal-setting methodology. When Silicon Valley startups discovered OKRs were behind the meteoric rise of companies such as Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Zynga, company after company decided to adopt OKRs, hoping to catch even a fraction of that success. But they struggled. The knowledge of how to use OKRs effectively was lore, passed on from employees who often had a partial understanding of how and why they worked. Many companies failed to use them successfully and then abandoned them with the same alacrity with which they adopted them.

There is no question that OKRs work. The mystery is why they don’t work for everyone. This report will share how the best companies use them to create focus, unity, and velocity.

OKR is an acronym, and like most acronyms, the words behind the letters are often forgotten. This is a deadly mistake. The words behind the acronym are where the power of the simple system lies. O stands for objective. What do you want your company to achieve? KR stands for key results. How would you measure that objective if you made it? What numbers would move?

Is your objective to create a thriving business? What do you mean by thriving? Growing your user base? By how much? Revenues climbing? By how much? Retention? For how long? The combination of the aspirational objective and quantitative results creates a goal that is both inspiring and measurable. ...