Objectives and Key Results

Objectives and Key Results

by Paul R. Niven, Ben Lamorte
Released September 2016
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119252399

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Book description

Everything you need to implement Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) effectively

Objectives and Key Results is the first full-fledged reference guide on Objectives and Key Results, a critical thinking framework designed to help organizations create value through focus, alignment, and better communication. Written by two leading OKRs consultants and researchers, this book provides a one-stop resource for organizations looking to quantify qualitative goals and ensure each team focuses their efforts to make measureable progress on their most important goals. You’ll learn how OKRs came to be and how leading companies use them every day to help teams and employees stretch their thinking about what’s possible, build their goal-setting muscles and achieve results that reflect their full potential. From the basic framework to a detailed dissection of best practices, this informative guide walks you through real-world implementations to help you get the most out of OKRs.

OKRs help employees work together, focus effort, and drive the organization forward. Key results are used to define what it means to achieve broad, qualitative goals, and imperatives like “do it better” are transformed into clear, measureable markers. From the framework’s inception in the 1980s to its popularity in today’s hyper-competitive environment, OKRs make work more engaging and feature frequent feedback cycles that enable workers to see the progress they make at work each and every day. This book shows you everything you need to know to implement OKRs effectively.

  • Understand the basics of OKRs and their day-to-day use
  • Learn how to gain the executive support critical to a successful implementation
  • Maintain an effective program with key assessment tips
  • Tailor the OKRs framework to your organization’s needs

Objectives and Key Results is your key resource for designing, planning, implementing, and maintaining your OKRs program for sustainable company-wide success.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Introduction
    1. Why We Wrote this Book
    2. How We Got Started with OKRs
    3. How The Book is Organized
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Chapter 1: Introduction to OKRs
    1. The History of OKRs
    2. What Are Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)?
    3. Objectives
    4. Key Results
    5. Organizational Challenges, and Why You Need OKRs
    6. Benefits of OKRs
    7. Notes
  7. Chapter 2: Preparing for Your OKRs Journey
    1. Why Are You Implementing OKRs?
    2. Executive Sponsorship: A Critical Component of Your OKRs Implementation
    3. Where to Develop Your OKRs
    4. Special Cases
    5. An OKRs Development Plan
    6. Key Lessons for Successful Transformation
    7. The Building Blocks of OKRs: Mission, Vision, and Strategy
    8. Roadmap Strategy
    9. Notes
  8. Chapter 3: Creating Effective OKRs
    1. Omaha
    2. Creating Powerful Objectives
    3. Tips for Creating Objectives
    4. Objective Descriptions
    5. Characteristics of Effective Key Results
    6. Tips for Creating Key Results
    7. Types of Key Results
    8. Scoring OKRs
    9. How Often Do We Set OKRs?
    10. How Many Okrs Do We Have?
    11. Do OKRs Stay the Same from Quarter to Quarter?
    12. Can OKRs Change during the Quarter?
    13. The Process to Set OKRs
    14. Notes
  9. Chapter 4: Connecting OKRs to Drive Alignment
    1. A Critical Link
    2. Connecting OKRs
    3. How to Connect OKRs
    4. Creating Alignment
    5. Confirming the Alignment of Connected OKRs
    6. Closing Thoughts on Connecting
    7. Notes
  10. Chapter 5: Managing with OKRs
    1. The Cycle: Monday Meetings, Mid-Quarter Check-Ins, and Quarterly Reviews
    2. Updating OKRs at the End of the Quarter
    3. Software and OKRs
    4. Let's Play 20 Questions!
    5. Notes
  11. Chapter 6: Making OKRs Sustainable
    1. Don't Think of OKRs as a Project
    2. Who Owns the OKRs Process?
    3. OKRs and Performance Reviews
    4. OKRs and Incentive Compensation
    5. Top 10 OKRs Issues
    6. How Not to Implement OKRs…and Where Consultants Can Help
    7. Concluding Thoughts
    8. Notes
  12. Chapter 7: Case Studies in OKRs Use
    1. Flipkart
    2. CareerBuilder
    3. Zalando
    4. Sears Holdings Corporation (SHC)
    5. GoNoodle
    6. TaxSlayer
    7. Note
  13. About the Authors
  14. Index
  15. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Objectives and Key Results
  • Author(s): Paul R. Niven, Ben Lamorte
  • Release date: September 2016
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119252399