Ben on OKRs

How to Fail with OKRs: Start with a List of KPIs One of the fastest ways to mess up your OKRs program is to start with a list of KPIs and then try to decide which ones should become Key Results. It sounds logical. And many smart teams (including me in my early days!) can fall into this trap. This episode explains why starting with KPIs can deraily your OKRs program and how the right way is to start with values and critical thinking rather than a list of metrics. Early in my own OKR journey, I made this exact same mistake! I began sessions by showing teams standard industry KPIs and asking them to choose which ones should be their Key Results. I thought I was adding value, but in reality, I was limiting their thinking. This episode introduces the distinction between alternative-focused thinking and value-focused thinking and shows how this concept applies directly to drafting OKRs. To make this practical I share a simple example from everyday life involving how we choose something as ordinary as salad dressing. Do we begin with the available options or do we begin with what really matters to us You will learn how starting from existing metrics can trap teams into maintaining what they already measure instead of improving what truly matters. I describe two clear warning signs that your OKR drafting process may be broken and driven by alternative thinking rather than value driven clarity. I also share a real coaching example with a marketing team that illustrates the shift from focusing on existing email metrics to identifying what truly mattered improving the return on investment of major marketing events. By stepping back from the list of available metrics the team realized they needed to establish a new baseline measure rather than rely on existing dashboards. This led to a more meaningful and strategically aligned Key Result. The core message is simple. KPIs are useful but they should not drive your OKRs. OKRs should begin with vision priorities and values then identify the right Key Results to measure progress. If you want your OKRs to drive real improvement rather than simply track activity this episode will help you rethink how you begin. As always, contact me via [email protected] or post a comment here.

From Agile to Aligned: CareerBuilder’s OKR Shift CareerBuilder was already Agile. Teams were delivering. Work was moving. So why introduce OKRs? Part 4 of this Real OKR Implementations explores how organizations actually deploy OKRs in practice. Previous episodes showed how TaxSlayer built accountability through scoring and cadence, how GoNoodle launched OKRs in just 18 days, and how Zalando scaled OKRs by developing in-house experts. This episode explores a different question: What happens when a high functioning Agile organization uses OKRs to strengthen alignment and shift conversations from execution to impact? CareerBuilder is one of the largest online job platforms in the United States and has served 24 million monthly visitors and worked with 92 percent of the Fortune 1000. Andy Krupit Manager of Agile Development shares how the company introduced OKRs to sharpen priorities improve cross team alignment and create real accountability. CareerBuilder adopted OKRs for three reasons. Greater focus on what matters most. Better alignment across teams. And accountability through what Andy described as positive tension from the business. Rather than rolling OKRs out across the organization at once CareerBuilder started at the team level. Through workshops drafting sessions alignment checks and refinement conversations teams shifted from tracking tasks to measuring outcomes. One of the biggest breakthroughs came from asking why. Using the five why technique teams pushed past activity and into strategic intent. They also learned a key lesson. Fewer objectives improve clarity and execution. The result was cultural. Teams discovered shared objectives and began collaborating in new ways. If you are leading OKR implementation, this episode offers practical lessons from a real world journey. As always, post a comment with questions, or better yet: email [email protected] to get your OKRs 1:1 consult!

How to optimize team-level OKR workshops. Avoid the common pitfalls that can inadvertently increase silo effects and learn how to embed alignment into all aspects of your OKRs program. Ben walks you through how to get your teams going on OKRs by starting with a top-level OKR presentation as context along with OKR theory. Here's a sample agenda: Here is a sample agenda that we used with one of our clients: 8:00–9:00 am: Introductions, CEO briefing on OKRs journey 9:00–10:00 am: OKRs theory/refresher and review of top-level OKRs 10:00–11:00 am: Draft team-level OKRs 11:00–12:00 pm: Report backs and idea sharing 12:00–1:00 pm: Lunch 1:00–2:00 pm: Refine OKRs, participants interact outside their team to align on dependencies 2:00–2:45 pm: Report backs 2:45-3:00 pm: Next steps and key takeaways Takeaways for Team-Level Workshops Schedule team-level workshops after defining OKRs teams Include members from multiple functional teams to foster cross-functional alignment Begin with an overview of top-level OKRs to create context Please comment or post questions in this post or even better, request a free 1:1 consult with Ben via Ben@OKRs  Thanks for listening!

TaxSlayer’s OKR Implementation: From SMART Goals to Results Most companies set annual goals. Very few build a system that actually drives measurable results. In this episode, Ben breaks down how TaxSlayer, a tax preparation and software company serving millions of customers, moved beyond traditional SMART goals and implemented OKRs to create real accountability, alignment, and execution discipline. Like many organizations, TaxSlayer relied on annual goal-setting. But leadership realized that yearly planning alone wasn’t enough to create urgency or sustained focus. They needed a framework that connected strategy to execution and forced better conversations about what success truly meant. Enter OKRs! Devin Sherman, Director of Corporate Planning, introduced OKRs after researching the model and seeing how companies like Google and Intel used it to drive performance. What followed was a structured rollout starting at the corporate and division levels, supported by workshops, executive preparation, and disciplined scoring. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why SMART goals weren’t enough — and what OKRs changed How upfront scoring “rocked their world” and elevated accountability The breakthrough moment in distinguishing tasks from true Key Results How consistent check-ins turned OKRs into a management system Lessons learned about alignment and cross-functional execution Why OKRs must evolve beyond activity tracking to drive real impact One of the biggest realizations? They had been “run over by tasks and actions” instead of focusing on measurable outcomes. OKRs changed that, not just by clarifying goals, but also by reshaping how leaders managed execution. If you’re implementing OKRs or trying to strengthen execution discipline in a growing organization, this episode offers practical insights from a real case study. To learn more about strengthening your OKR program, including the OKRs Expert Workshop and 2-Cycle Deployment model, take a look at visit OKRs.com. As always, for a 1:1 OKR consult send a note to me via [email protected]

OK, so the last episode was a big "negative" as we explored why even smart, capable teams struggle with OKRs. Today, let's shift the focus to what high-performing teams actually do differently to make OKRs work in the real world. You’ll learn how successful teams stay relentlessly focused on outcomes instead of activity start small and build capability before scaling keep OKRs alive through a consistent execution rhythm run structured check-ins do fewer things, but do them well. OKRs are simple, but they require discipline. This episode breaks down the execution patterns that turn OKRs from a planning exercise into a real system for driving focus, alignment, and measurable progress. For more, check us out www.okrs.com Thanks for listening!

OK, thought this would be 5 reasons, but we ended up adding 2 more in the end! Find out what those other two are by listening to this episode. Here are the "TOP 5"... 1. Turning Key Results into a To-Do List The most common failure mode is incredibly human. Teams turn key results into a checklist: Launch feature Hire two engineers Run campaign Build dashboard Great work "to do" but none reflect outcomes/KRs. 2. Rolling Out OKRs Too Fast This is one of the biggest killers of OKR programs. A leadership team runs OKRs successfully, then decides: “Let’s deploy OKRs everywhere....Now!” 3. “Set It and Forget It” Arguably the most common reason why OKRs projects fail. Teams get excited after publishing OKRs (like New year's resolutions) and then just go back to work. Near the middle or end of the OKR cycle, people are like "Oh, yeah we should look at our OKRs..." 4. No Standard Check-In Cadence Even teams that care about OKRs often lack a structured rhythm. Check-ins are: Inconsistent Unstructured Status-heavy Or skipped entirely Without a set cadence, your OKRs program is close to worthless. 5. Setting Too Many OKRs Ambitious teams often believe more goals mean more drive. In reality, more goals dilute execution. Common pattern: Too many objectives Too many key results Everything is a priority! When everything matters, nothing moves. The highest-performing teams consistently do fewer things, but do them well. For more, check us out at www.okrs.com Thanks for listening!  

Ben introduces the 9 roles you'll need to launch and sustain your OKRs program. OK, so you might not need an EXTERNAL OKRs COACH, but Ben is going to push for that and not just because that's his job! It's super-valuable to get an outside perspective from someone with deep experience both 1) launching OKRs, 2) improving OKRs, and even 3) training internal OKR coaches so you can sustain your OKRs program without external support.  Here are the 9 roles along with when you'll need to identify a person to fill each:  In addition to "external coach" as optional, some of the other roles may not be required. For example, if you're launching top-level OKRs only, you don't need "TEAM LEAD"). If you don't have a performance management or review system in place yet, then you also don't need an "HR Lead") For more on OKRs, check out our site: www.okrs.com Best of luck filling those roles! Thanks for listening!  

Ben covers the 5 things you must keep in mind to succeed with OKRs. And he even gets into the 6th mantra which was added recently, after his OKRs book came out in 2022. You'll learn how to leverage these 5 mantras to make your OKR program a success: 1.Less is more. Define a small set of OKRs. 2.Crawl-walk-run. Deploy OKRs piecemeal. Scale it then nail it. (2 cycles) 3.Outcomes, not output. Write key results that mostly reflect outcomes (results) rather than output (amount of work delivered). 4.OKRs are not everything. Write OKRs that reflect the most important areas to make measurable progress. Distinguish OKRs from tasks and health metrics. 5.The only way to learn OKRs is to do OKRs. Allocate most of an OKRs project to drafting, refining and reflecting on OKRs rather than discussing theory. 6.Embed Alignment. Listen in to learn more about Ben's latest mantra! For more info check out www.okrs.com Thanks for listening and see you next time!  

At the end of your OKR cycle, it's time to "reflect and reset." Many skip this step. Others do a retrospective that just looks back. You'll want to document your learnings and use them to inform your OKRs for the upcoming next cycle. When you apply learnings to make your next set of OKRs better, you are building your GOAL SETTING MUSCLE. This is Ben's favorite part of the coaching program since this is where he holds your KR Champions accountable. Here is the sample KR that Ben walks you through in this episode along with the 3 columns you'll need to include in your OKR Tracker (1-Final Score, 2-Learning, and 3-Keep/Modify/Remove):    Here is a Sample Email you can use to announce Step 3 of the OKRs Cycle --- Reflect and Reset: When to Send: Two to three weeks prior to the end of an OKRs cycle Email Subject: Preparing for our upcoming OKRs reflect and reset sessions From: OKRs Project Lead To: In this case, it was sent to 12 team leads setting OKRs. However, an email like this may also be sent to an entire group of attendees from the initial OKRs workshop or the entire list of key result champions who will reflect and reset on their key result during the session. [Email Body:] All, As you recall, our OKRs coach helped us get through Step 1: set and align OKRs and Step 2: check-in and monitor. As we prepare for the end of our first OKRs cycle, it is time to for Step 3: reflect and reset. In this last step of the cycle, we document learnings and draft OKRs for the upcoming quarter. Timeline for creating OKRs as we enter our next cycle in Q4: By Oct 1: Reflect and reset with [COACH NAME] By Oct 8: Review draft OKRs with CEO to confirm direction By Oct 15: Refine OKRs with [COACH NAME] By Oct 22: Publish to the OKRs tracker Instructions: At the end of each cycle, we take an hour to reflect on the prior period’s OKRs and apply what we learned. The outcome of a reflect and reset session is that each key result: (1) gets final scoring, (2) has a documented learning, and (3) is classified into one of three buckets: Keep: The key result’s final score is not where we want it to be. We need to KEEP focused on moving this metric forward. Modify: The key result needs to be adjusted based on learning. For example, we may have set a key result: “$5 million in new customer revenue” and achieved $10 million with a single customer only to learn that we need a more diverse set of customers. In this case, we might MODIFY to “five customers with $1 million+ revenue each.” Remove: The key result is no longer worth pursuing or is best monitored as a health metric. All key result champions attend reflect and reset sessions. Other interested team members are encouraged to join as well. Thanks, [OKRS PROJECT LEAD NAME]   The 3 Tips for Success with Reflect & Reset are: Purpose: (1) Agree on final scores for key results, (2) capture learnings from the OKRs cycle, and (3) apply these learnings to the next cycle. Duration: Thirty to sixty minutes, depending on the number of key results. Limit the time per key result to ten minutes. If more time is required, agree who will meet after the group discussion to resolve. Attendees: Key result champions must attend this session; ideally, the entire team attends. Consider conducting a reflect and reset coaching session with two teams to optimize learning. To request your free 1:1 OKRs Consult, contact [email protected] Thanks for listening and best of luck closing out your OKR cycle!   

After you publish OKRs and complete step 1 of the OKR cycle, you're excited and ready to go! But then, reality hits and it's time for step 2 - check in and make progress on OKRs. Here's where the rubber meets the road: The #1 reason OKR projects fail is called "set-it-and-forget-it" and it could happen to you. This episode is about EXECUTION and how you can avoid the set-it-and-forget-it pitfall so that you make progress on your most important goals at work. Here's the 2x2 template we use at OKRs.com with our clients to standardize the check-in process: Please post a comment about your OKR check-in process! Is it working well? If not, contact [email protected] for your free 1:1 OKR Consult... Bonus: Video overview of OKRs Cycle Step 2 - Check In Thanks for listening!    

This episode is long, but VITAL! It kicks off your OKRs journey with the most critical step: setting and aligning effective OKRs. Many teams try OKRs to gain focus, but fall into common traps like: Defining too many objectives Writing key results as task lists Working in silos without clear alignment. This leads to "busy teams but no progress"  You’ll learn how to avoid these pitfalls by focusing on 1-3 objectives, distinguishing outcomes from activities, and clearly defining why each objective matters now. Ben also walks you through the importance of mission and alignment to  ensure your OKRs connect vertically to strategy and horizontally across teams. Using real client examples, you’ll see how strong objectives, measurable key results, and cross-functional collaboration come together to create clarity, focus, and impact. If your organization has struggled with OKRs before, you’re not alone, this episode shows you how to get them right from the start. Sample OKR from today's episode for a marketing team: Marketing Team Mission: Provide tools to enable our sales team to sell and beat the competition  Alignment Check: We depend on sales, product, and customer success. Sales and finance depend on us.  Objective: Increase the quality of leads, cost effectively  Why Now? We are not measuring the return on investment (ROI) of major marketing spend at events, and our new CEO wants visibility now to create an ROI-based marketing plan next year. Cost per lead at $105 is not viable as we scale and is a key driver in the financial plan. The sales team reports that the quality of leads we deliver is poor.  Key Results: Obtain baseline ROI of marketing as measured by reporting  revenue/cost for 5 conferences where we spent $50,000 or more Reduce overall cost per lead from $105 in Q4 to $75 in Q1  Double the quality of leads as measured by an increase in leads that  convert to opportunity within six weeks of creation from 20% to 40%  Team-Level Mission Exercise:   Characterists of Effective Key Results: “Key” not “all” – Is the key result just “business as usual” or is it a “key” result Specific –  Using specific language improves communication and avoids ambiguity Measurable – Progress should not be subject to opinion Results not tasks –  Key results are results/outcomes, not tasks Clear – Use High School English with only standard acronyms Aspirational –  You achieve more when you set the bar high Scored – Use 0-1 scores to clearly communicate targets, manage expectations Owned – All KRs have an owner who agrees to update progress and ensure the KR does not slip through the cracks Further Reading: Team-Level OKRs in 7 Steps For your free 1:1 OKR consult, contact [email protected] Video Training of OKRs Cycle Step 1 Video Training featuring 3 Steps of OKRs Cycle Thanks for listening and see you next time!  

Ben's favorite workshop - this is the one his clients ALWAYS LOVE! The OKRs Expert Workshop is designed to help organizations build the internal capability to sustain and scale their OKRs program long after the external coach is gone. First developed in 2014 with Zalando, this workshop pioneered a structured approach to developing internal OKRs coaches—leaders who can guide teams, strengthen alignment, and keep the OKRs process alive quarter after quarter. Unlike introductory OKRs sessions that focus on writing OKRs, the Expert Workshop focuses on coaching skills. Through highly interactive breakout groups, participants rotate through three roles—coach, coachee, and observer—learning how to ask powerful questions, clarify outcomes, and support teams in drafting effective OKRs. The emphasis is simple: the only way to learn OKRs is to do OKRs. Ideal for organizations running team-level OKRs, this 6–8 hour onsite workshop works best with 12–18 cross-functional participants and is built around hands-on application, shared learning, and real coaching practice. This workshop is also for smaller groups of 6-12 trainees via remote delivery over two mini-workshops of ~2 hours each. Key Takeaways • Build internal OKRs coaches • Practice structured coaching in small groups • Strengthen long-term OKRs sustainability and scale Sample Agenda for an Onsite OKRs Expert Workshop (Idea for large group of 12-18, max 24 trainees) 9:00–9:30 am: Welcome and introductions 9:30–10:00 am: OKRs theory 10:00–10:45 am: Group exercise: Draft key results for a top-level OKR 10:45–11:00 am: Break 11:00–11:30 am: Creating team-level OKRs in 7 steps 11:30–12:30 pm: Breakout round 1: A coaches B, C observes 12:30–1:30 pm: Lunch 1:30–2:00 pm: Share backs 2:00–2:30 pm: Rapid breakout round 2: B coaches C, A observes 2:30–3:00 pm: Share backs 3:00–3:30 pm: Wrap-up: feedback, next steps, and key takeaways Contact [email protected] to learn more or for a free 1:1 OKR consult. Thanks for listening!

OKRs are failing everywhere I look, not just according to Reddit! That's because "IDEAS are EASY, EXECUTION" as Doerr declares is spot on. And once your OKRs are in place and everyone is excited, things fall apart for many of you. Your execution is weak, for 3 reasons: PROBLEM 1: Zero OKRs review = “Set-it-and-forget-it” OR introducing ad-hoc “OKRs-specific” meetings & processes. SOLUTION: Integrate OKRs into existing team meetings & processes* PROBLEM 2: Inconsistent scoring (historical, predictive, color-coding). SOLUTION: Apply standard scoring system during the cycle; use 4-column check-in update template (progress, predicted score, blockers/risks, action items) PROBLEM 3: Not clear about who’s accountable for updating key results. SOLUTION: Each KR has a champion (can be 2 champions, max 3) who updates progress But there's more to this. You'll learn how the KR Champion workshop stacks the deck in your favor that you'll make real progress on your KRs! In other words, you'll execute, you'll get what John Doerr calls "EVERYTHING" And as a bonus, Ben gets into how coaching KR champions right before check-ins during your first cycle can create more accountabilty, focus, and progress so you move the needle on your OKRs. This episode features new content that was not included in Ben's 2022 OKR book. To learn more about how to deliver a KR champion workshop in your organization, contact [email protected] to get your 1:1 consult.    

This is the second episode in a series of "Real-OKR Implementation" stories that I hope you find super-useful. When organizations adopt OKRs, the early excitement is usually high. Executives align around strategy. Teams draft, refine, and publish their OKRs.  Then comes the hard part: Scaling across departments Structuring OKR check-ins that add value, at a set cadence Maintaining quality after that initial set of solid OKRs  Sustaining momentum beyond the initial rollout One of the clearest examples of how to scale OKRs the right way comes from Zalando, Europe’s leading online fashion platform for women, men, and children, founded in 2008 in Berlin. Their journey illustrates why scaling OKRs isn’t about better templates or better software. It’s about building internal capability. And that insight ultimately shaped what we now offer at OKRs.com as the OKR Expert Workshop, our Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program. The Scaling Challenge: From Pilot to Enterprise Zalando began using OKRs within a single department with roughly 80 employees, Brand Solutions, before rolling them out more broadly across the company. Like many fast-growing organizations, they wanted: Greater alignment across teams Increased transparency Clearer articulation of strategy A system that encouraged stretch and collaboration They adopted a version of the Google model which was super-popular when they first got started with OKRs which features: KRs are scored on a 0-1.0 scale 0.7 as the “sweet spot” or “target” Public grading No linkage to bonuses or compensation That last decision was critical. By keeping OKRs separate from compensation, they protected stretch thinking and avoided sandbagging. The pilot phase allowed teams to learn: What a great objective looks like How to write measurable key results Why scoring KRs is critical How transparency can enable alignment But after the pilot, a major challenge emerged. While it is easy for most teams to draft objectives, coaching people to develop measurable and impactful KRs that represent achievement of their objective at scale is quite a challenge. The Turning Point: Build Internal OKR Experts As OKRs expanded beyond the initial department, Zalando recognized that central oversight wouldn’t scale. Reviewing every OKR from the top would create bottlenecks and slow execution. Instead, they invested in building in-house OKR expertise. They invited Ben Lamorte to develop a program to create internal OKR coaches so that they could embed OKR expertise throughout their organization. We co-developed a workshop to effectively train OKR coaches with Zalando. Managers and selected team members (often agile coaches and HR business partners) were trained to: Facilitate OKR drafting sessions Identify KRs that look like a task on a to-do list Guide alignment conversations across teams Run structured quarterly check-ins Support peers in refining KRs This approach laid the foundation for what became known as the OKR Expert Workshop, and later evolved into a formal Train-the-Trainer (TTT) model. The lesson learned from our work with Zalando is obvious: if you want OKRs to scale, you must build internal capacity to support and sustain the OKR program. A small group of trained OKR facilitators can sustain quality across hundreds or thousands of employees. Without that layer, OKRs often degrade into: Restatement of roadmaps into KRs that look like a “to-do list” Compliance exercise that is at best a waste of time “Set it and forget it” documents that fail to deliver value What the OKR Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Model Teaches The OKR Expert Workshop, which we now call our Train-the-Trainer program, goes far beyond theory. Participants practice: Shifting from an output to outcome-mindset to define KRs that reflect results not tasks KR scoring criteria defined upfront for alignment and expectation management Facilitating alignment sessions across functions Running OKR development workshops to move from draft->refine->publish Coaching leaders by asking clarifying questions that improve OKR quality Challenging the action plans proposed by KR champions to focus on impact The goal is distributed capability and when done well, OKRs become a shared operating language, not a compliance exercise. Alignment Week: Designing Alignment Into the Process One of the most powerful scaling mechanisms Zalando implemented was an “alignment week” at the beginning of each quarter. Instead of hoping cross-functional conversations would happen organically, they designed time for them. During alignment week: Calendars were intentionally lighter OKR owners met with dependent teams Cross-functional buy-in was secured before finalization This simple structural choice prevented downstream conflict and strengthened shared ownership. Alignment isn’t accidental. It must be designed, or “embedded into every element of your OKRs program” (See the 6th OKR mantra) Transparency as an Alignment Multiplier Zalando reinforced transparency through: Quarterly company-level OKR presentations Department all-hands meetings Public grading Broad visibility into team OKRs Ongoing training and education Transparency created: Clear direction Shared accountability Faster resolution of dependencies Stronger cross-team convergence When OKRs are visible, alignment improves naturally. Critical Insight: Tools Alone Do Not Create Maturity Interestingly, Zalando operated successfully for an extended period using simple Google Docs/Sheets prior to implementing a dedicated OKR platform. This reinforces a fundamental principle about OKR implementations: Tools can make a process more efficient and even amplify the effects of a system, but they cannot create that system. The early priorities in an effective OKR program must be: Quality of objectives and key results Coaching capability Alignment behavior Check-in discipline Leadership sponsorship Software becomes powerful once those foundations are strong. Results: From Framework to Operating System As OKRs matured, Zalando experienced: Greater cross-team alignment Clearer company direction each quarter Stronger strategic conversations A self-sustaining OKR expert community Reduced dependency on centralized oversight Most importantly, OKRs became embedded in how the organization operated. They were no longer a “program.” They were part of the culture. Lessons for Organizations Scaling OKRs If you’re implementing or scaling OKRs, here are the key takeaways: 1. Pilot Before You Scale Start in one department, learn quickly, and refine the approach before broad rollout. 2. Build Internal OKR Experts Train a cohort of leaders to facilitate drafting, alignment, and check-ins. 3. Protect Alignment Time Create structured windows (like alignment week) for cross-functional coordination. 4. Separate OKRs from Compensation Preserve stretch, learning, and honest scoring. 5. Focus on Behavior Before Software Strengthen capability and cadence before investing heavily in tooling. Why the Train-the-Trainer Model Works Many OKR rollouts fail because organizations underestimate the human component. OKRs change: How teams prioritize How leaders communicate How tradeoffs are resolved That requires facilitation skill, not just documentation. The OKR Expert Workshop, now offered as a formal Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program at OKRs.com, exists to build that internal capability. And some of our clients who already have an OKRs program in place but feel it is not scaling well benefit from our TTT program which can add exponential value even in just one month! It ensures OKRs scale through people, your people. Scaling OKRs successfully can happen in your organization so long as you build the internal capability to make the framework your own. To explore TTT for your organization, contact [email protected] Thanks for listening! 

Armed with your deployment parameters, it's time to get going with OKR training! A great OKRs workshop has two essential parts. First comes theory, where leaders align on why OKRs matter, how they work, and how the organization will deploy them. Then comes application, where teams actively draft and refine real OKRs through interactive exercises and discussion. Ben explains how to structure both parts for maximum engagement, alignment, and real outcomes. And it all starts with the top-level workshop, the first in a series that details the four most valuable OKR workshops OKRs.com has delivered over the years! To make the theory section more engaging, here is a sample 10-minute exercise that Ben mentions in this episode to get your group involved right from the start! Instructions for Sample Workshop Exercise Present a slide like the one shown above Ask participants to share several metrics that they are currently tracking Classify each metric as a health metric or a key result Duration: five to ten minutes Key points to reinforce: Just because you measure it, does not mean it is a key result Health metrics often take priority over key results if they move out of their ‘healthy range’ A given metric may shift from a key result to a health metric over time and vice versa Ben introduces 3 of the 4 OKR Training Workshops in THIS VIDEO Want to run your own OKRs workshop Contact [email protected] to get a sample agenda, a complete OKR workshop slide deck, and even a ready to use email you can send ahead of the workshop to prepare participants.        

Ben once chanted mantras as he stretched his arms and legs. He repeated these mantras hundreds of times and internalized them as a student of yoga. The OKRs Field Book introduced the first five mantras for OKRs coaches. You should internalize these mantras! But Ben introduces the sixth mantra for OKRs coaches based on a recent interview in as a guest on another podcast. The sixth mantra for OKRs coaches is to “build alignment into the fabric of your OKRs coaching engagement.” If you are looking to take your OKRs coaching skills to the next level or contribute to a future edition of The OKRs Field Book, here are THREE things you can do now: Get your copy of The OKRs Field Book Join The OKRs Coach Network Request a free 1:1 OKR Consult via [email protected] Thanks for listening, see you next time! PS Here's my initial post announcing the 6th mantra

The long awaited sequel to the first 20 reasons. Ben breaks down reasons 21-40, so you can learn from the others who've gone before you.  In case you missed it, here are the first 20 reasons why OKRs fail. And if you encountered one of these 40 reasons why OKRs fail, let us know in the comments. If you you failed with OKRs for a reason not included in these 40, please do share so others can benefit from your lessons learned! Good luck with OKRs. To learn about how we can help you succeed and and make progress on our goal... Key Result: Increase reported OKRs success rate from ~60% to 80% (stretch = 90%), Check us out at: www.okrs.com   Thanks for listening! -Ben   Note: This complete list of 40 is based on Ben's 15 years + experience and the team at OKRs.com. Shout out to Ana Venosa, Peter Kerr, Padmini Sathish, Nash Billimoria, Manos Koumantakis, Yuval Yeret, and Roger Longden for their input as well.

Top 10 Reasons OKRs Fail (Executive Summary) Why do OKRs fail? It is rarely because of the framework itself. After 15 years helping organizations implement structured performance systems, one pattern is clear: Execution systems fail for predictable reasons. You may have seen the full breakdown of the 40 Common Reasons OKRs Fail. That's a lot! This Executive Summary focuses on the Top 10 patterns that derail OKRs -- and strategy execution in general. Because these mistakes are not unique to OKRs. They show up in: OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) OGSM 4DX (Four Disciplines of Execution) EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Balanced Scorecard This episode is not about defending an acronym. It is about understanding what actually drives alignment, focus, and measurable results. The Top 10: Ben walks through the Top 10 reasons execution systems fail: No CEO buy-in Unclear why the organization is using OKRs Confusing OKRs with strategy Rolling out to too many teams too quickly Too many OKRs Key Results that are vague or read like a to-do list “Set it and forget it” behavior No internal OKR capability Inconsistent Key Result scoring Skipping Reflect and Reset For each failure pattern, Ben provides a clear and practical fix you can apply immediately. Key Takeaways OKRs are not strategy. They are a vehicle for executing strategy. Execution discipline must be modeled by the CEO. Focus requires trade-offs. Measurable outcomes matter more than activity. Cadence and reflection turn a framework into a performance operating system. No execution system works without leadership ownership and internal capability. Why This Matters If your organization struggles with alignment, inconsistent performance, or stalled strategic initiatives, the issue may not be the framework you chose. It may be how it is being implemented. This episode gives you the executive-level clarity needed to diagnose execution breakdowns quickly. Learn More To explore the full list of the 40 common reasons OKRs fail, structured performance systems, OKRs consulting, or strategy execution workshops, visit OKRs.com.

When team members help define key results, engagement rises, ownership increases, and alignment becomes real AND you get more progress on those KRs! But how do you balance leadership direction with team driven input without going too far top down or too far bottom up? Ben explores how successful organizations strike the right balance. You will hear why a purely top down approach often disengages teams, why a fully bottom up approach can become inefficient, and how the most effective OKR programs combine clear leadership context with team driven thinking. You'll learn about a practical approach in which leaders introduce objectives and strategic intent while team members take the lead in defining most key results. Ben also gives an example of when it can make sense to begin with a more top down first cycle so leadership becomes comfortable with OKRs, and how organizations gradually shift toward stronger team participation in later cycles. You will learn how this evolution increases ownership, strengthens alignment, and turns OKRs into a shared framework for driving meaningful progress. If you want your teams to feel true ownership of their goals while maintaining strategic clarity, this episode provides practical guidance to help you build a balanced, engaging, and effective OKR development process. For your 1:1 OKR Consult with Ben, just email [email protected] with subject "Free 1:1 Consult" and let Ben know if you're already using OKRs, about to launch, or just exploring.     

Alignment is one of the most important goals of OKRs, yet many organizations misunderstand how alignment actually works. In this episode, Ben explains why the common idea of a strict top down cascade often fails, and how real alignment comes from conversation, clarity, and shared understanding rather than diagrams and arrows. The Wrong Approach: The Direct Cascade The direct cascade begins with OKRs at the top level, which is a good starting point. However, it requires lower level OKRs to be subsets of higher level OKRs. In practice, this approach rarely works.   Why it fails: It turns higher level key results into lower level objectives, which violates the distinction between objectives and key results It discourages critical thinking and ownership at lower levels Teams copy and paste instead of creating meaningful OKRs It often reinforces silos rather than cross functional alignment While cascading may look clean in theory, organizations that rely on strict cascading almost always struggle.   How Real Alignment Happens True alignment does not come from structure alone. It comes from shared understanding and conversation. Instead of cascading, teams should: Use higher level OKRs as context, not constraints Clearly explain why their objective matters now Discuss objectives with leadership to confirm alignment Collaborate horizontally across teams where needed In many cases, alignment is confirmed through discussion rather than visual mapping. A team’s objective can be fully aligned even if it does not directly map to a higher level OKR. Using Why Now to Confirm Alignment Each team should articulate why their objective is important now and how it supports strategy or cross team priorities. This explanation becomes the foundation for alignment. Alignment occurs when leadership and teams agree on the importance of the objective, not when arrows connect boxes in a chart. A Practical Three Step Alignment Approach Inspired by practices used at leading organizations: Leaders review prior results and set direction for the next period while teams draft and refine OKRs through discussion Teams align their OKRs with higher level goals where appropriate, while allowing room for important work that may not directly connect All OKRs are published in a shared tracker so everyone can see, comment, and strengthen alignment across the organization Practical Guidance Do Use higher level OKRs as context for lower level thinking Explain how each objective connects to strategy through Why Now Confirm alignment through leadership discussion Do Not Use strict cascading to force alignment Turn key results into lower level objectives Copy and paste OKRs instead of creating them through critical thinking Strong alignment is not created by structure alone. It emerges through conversation, clarity, and shared commitment, enabling teams to work together toward meaningful outcomes. For your 1:1 OKRs Consult, just email [email protected]

Why do OKRs fail? Not because the framework is flawed, but because organizations repeat the same predictable implementation mistakes over and over. If you are about to launch OKRs, this episode could save you months of frustration. You’ll learn the most common mistakes companies make when introducing OKRs, so you can avoid them from the start. If you are already using OKRs, this episode helps you diagnose what may be limiting impact and suggests how to optimize your program for stronger focus, alignment, and execution. Ben breaks down the first 20 of the 40 most common reasons OKRs fail, based on experience working with hundreds of organizations. You’ll learn: The early warning signs your OKRs are drifting off course Why CEO modeling matters more than templates How alignment breaks down across teams The difference between activity tracking and measurable progress Practical ways to strengthen your next OKR cycle Whether you’re launching OKRs for the first time or refining an existing program, this episode will help you avoid common mistakes and build a stronger, more effective OKR system. Learn more at www.OKRs.com Note: This complete list of 40 is based on Ben's 15 years + experience and the team at OKRs.com. Shout out to Ana Venosa, Peter Kerr, Padmini Sathish, Nash Billimoria, Manos Koumantakis, Yuval Yeret, and Roger Longden for their input as well.

Many organizations already track KPIs and wonder whether OKRs replace them, duplicate them, or conflict with them. In this episode, Ben explains why this is a false choice. OKRs and KPIs work together. The key is understanding how they differ and how they connect. High Level Overview KPIs do not have a universal definition. Some companies call every metric a KPI. Others use KPIs only for performance evaluation or compensation. Some track a few KPIs, others track thousands. Key results, however, do have a clear definition. A key result answers the question: How will we know we have made measurable progress on a specific objective by a certain date OKRs focus attention. KPIs monitor performance. How OKRs and KPIs Work Together A KPI becomes a key result when it is the focus for near term improvement. A KPI becomes a health metric when it is important to monitor but not the focus right now. Metric key results typically move a KPI from X to Y within a timeframe. Milestone key results may not directly move a KPI but are designed to influence one in the future. Example: Objective: Achieve financial targets Key Results: Double revenue from 5M to 10M Increase gross margin from 20 percent to 25 percent Increase recurring revenue from 400K to 600K Each key result moves a KPI. Metric Versus Milestone Key Results Metric key results directly move a KPI. Milestone key results create future impact on a KPI. Example: Objective: Make growth more sustainable Key Results: Launch marketing automation system Reduce marketing cost per lead from 100 to 95 The first is a milestone. The second is tied directly to a KPI. Key Differences Between KPIs and Key Results Defined in context of an objective Key results are always tied to an objective. KPIs often appear as standalone metrics. Linked to compensation KPIs are often tied to bonuses. OKRs should not be used to calculate compensation. Visibility KPIs are sometimes private. OKRs are typically visible across the organization to promote alignment. Maintenance versus improvement KPIs monitor performance. Key results drive improvement. Timeframe KPIs may be ongoing with no deadline. Key results always include a timeframe. Cross functional alignment KPIs often measure a single team. OKRs often align multiple teams toward shared outcomes. Controllability KPIs are often fully controllable by a single team. Key results may involve dependencies and stretch beyond direct control. Origin KPIs often come from leadership. Key results often emerge through collaboration between leadership and teams. Practical Guidance OKRs and KPIs are complementary not competing A KPI is a key result when it becomes the focus for near term improvement A KPI is a health metric when it is monitored but not actively improved Use clear training examples to help teams distinguish KPIs from key results Contact Ben@OKRs for a free 1:1 OKR Consult!

One of the most sensitive and important decisions in any OKR implementation is how OKRs relate to performance reviews and compensation. Get this wrong and you risk undermining trust, discouraging stretch thinking, and weakening your entire OKR program. Ben explains how OKRs and performance management should be distinct but related and why finding the right balance matters. Two Wrong Answers to Avoid Wrong Answer 1: OKRs are the performance management system OKRs are designed to encourage stretch thinking and learning. If OKRs determine compensation or performance ratings, employees will naturally set safer goals and avoid stretch outcomes. This weakens the entire purpose of OKRs. To prevent confusion, avoid starting with individual level OKRs and be cautious when using HR tools that combine OKRs and performance reviews in one system. Wrong Answer 2: OKRs have nothing to do with performance OKRs should not be isolated from performance discussions. They should inform coaching, reflection, and development. The goal is not separation but alignment. OKRs and performance management should be distinct but connected. Principle 1 Include OKRs in performance discussions through structured coaching questions OKRs help individuals focus, learn, and improve. Many organizations incorporate OKRs into performance conversations using structured reflection questions such as: Impact — Which key results did you most influence Focus — How did OKRs help you prioritize your work Communication — How did OKRs improve alignment and collaboration Learning — What did you learn and how will you apply it Some organizations hold separate OKR and performance conversations. This separation often strengthens clarity and increases meaningful manager employee dialogue throughout the year. Principle 2 Do not use key result scores to calculate bonuses Compensation should not be based on whether a key result is scored commit target or stretch. Linking scores to compensation encourages low targets and weakens stretch thinking. However, the value of a metric may still influence compensation. For example: Revenue growth may impact bonuses based on actual results not the score Some key results may not connect to compensation at all but remain critical for learning and improvement The distinction is subtle but essential. Scores guide learning and expectations not compensation. Practical Guidance Do Engage HR leadership and executive sponsors early Understand the current performance management system Incorporate OKRs into performance conversations through structured questions Do Not Use key result scores to calculate bonuses Launch OKRs and a new performance system at the same time Begin with individual level OKRs which can blur the distinction between OKRs and evaluation Done correctly, OKRs strengthen coaching, learning, and alignment without becoming a performance rating system. This balance enables teams to pursue ambitious goals while maintaining trust, clarity, and long term execution strength. Request your free 1:1 Consult via [email protected]

If you want a practical simple and proven approach to drafting publishing and tracking OKRs this episode will help you build the foundation for a successful and scalable OKR program. Many teams jump straight into OKR software expecting it to solve everything. Ben explains why the most effective OKR programs begin with a simple clear process before introducing tools and automation. You will learn why many successful organizations draft OKRs in one environment such as Word or Google Docs refine them collaboratively and then publish final OKRs in a single shared location often a spreadsheet. Ben explains how separating draft OKRs from published OKRs improves clarity alignment and accountability and why jumping into software too early can create confusion rather than progress. You will also discover the importance of creating a single visible OKRs tracker that becomes the source of truth for your organization helping teams stay aligned focused and accountable throughout the cycle. And here is the best part You can get the exact OKR Tracker that Ben and his team uses with real organizations. Simply email [email protected] with the subjet "OKR TRACKER" and we will share the sample file so you can start building your OKR system right away.

So many OKR coaches will tell you that Milestones need to be avoided at all costs. KRs must have a number or they are terrible! But hold on, what does Ben think? Learn about the 3 types of Key Results and think through whether or not you should allow Milestones! There are three types of key results: metric, baseline, and milestone. Metric key results are the most common. They look like “move metric A from X to Y.” Baseline key results are used when X is not being measured and your client seeks a metric to reflect progress on a given objective. Your client should only put in the effort to establish a baseline if they expect to use that baseline as the starting point for a metric key result in a future OKRs cycle. Most leadership teams define a solid set of metric key results for top-level objectives. However, many teams struggle to define metric key results. Dozens of teams send us their OKRs for feedback each year. Their key results often look more like a list of tasks that reflect work output rather than measurable outcomes. Unlike metric key results, milestone key results tend not to include numbers. Milestones are binary—they are either achieved or not. Given that milestones are notorious for reflecting work output rather than outcomes, should milestone key results even be allowed? Some OKRs coaches advise avoiding milestone key results entirely. On page seven of his OKRs book, John Doerr credits Marissa Mayer with her observation, “it’s not a key result unless it has a number.” However, in this same book, Doerr provides examples of milestone key results such as “develop a demo.” (SEE NOTE AT END) Marissa might not be happy with this key result! As an OKRs coach, you work with your client to transform draft key results that often look like a to-do list into refined key results that reflect measurable outcomes. Here is a hypothetical OKRs coaching conversation to make this concrete: Client: My key result is to develop a demo. Coach: What is the intended outcome of developing this demo? How will we know the demo is a success? Client: Well, the demo is a success if we can get positive customer feedback, but all I can commit to is developing the demo this quarter. It will be quite a stretch to get feedback. Coach: OK, what will be demo’d and how will we know it is developed? Client: We’re developing a demo for product X and our sales team decides if it’s developed and ready to be used. Ultimately, it is our customers that will decide if it’s a valuable product. Coach: Are you committing to presenting the demo to the sales team or to customers? Client: I can’t commit to showing it to customers. That is the decision of the sales team. I can commit to presenting the demo to our sales team. A bit more OKRs coaching might lead to the following refined key result that (1) focuses on outcome, (2) distinguishes between a commitment and a stretch outcome, and (3) specifies what is being “demo’d” and who decides it is “developed.” type="example" Key Result: 3 customers sign an agreement to purchase product X after viewing the new product X demo Commit = present product X demo to our sales team for feedback in our test environment Target = present product X demo to five prospects with feedback on likelihood to purchase In this hypothetical coaching conversation, the draft key result, “develop a demo,” becomes the commit level of progress. However, the stretch key result now reflects customer interest in the product. It is the number of customers interested in the product that reflects the needle the client is ultimately trying to move. Marissa would likely approve now that the key result has a number. As an OKRs coach, you help your client translate milestone key results like “produce a demo of product X” into aspirational outcomes like “three customers sign an agreement for product X” that move a metric rather than simply represent completion of a task. Therefore, we might conclude that all key results should be metrics. However, while we recommend defining mostly metric key results, our clients often choose to define milestone key results as well. Rather than declaring all milestone key results are bad, we invite you to consider the possibility that milestone key results can be used to reflect outcomes not output. Consider the following two milestone key results one of our clients drafted: (1) Present requirements to obtain a permit to build houses in Portland to leadership team and (2) Obtain a permit to begin new construction in Portland. The first milestone is a task that reflects work output. One person should be able to research required documentation for a permit and schedule a meeting with leadership. However, the second milestone is not a task; it is a potential key result that reflects a binary outcome. Ask questions to guide your client to move from task-like milestones that reflect work output to key results that reflect outcomes. Coaching Takeaways Help your client define mostly metric key results (i.e., move metric A from X to Y). If your client is not already measuring the right metric to capture progress on an objective, consider defining a baseline key result. In other words, “find X” so your client can define a metric key result to improve from X to Y in the future. Not all milestone key results are bad! Ask questions to help move your client further down the value chain to translate tasks and work output into outcomes. Use scoring to convert output milestones to outcome milestones or metrics. As inspiration, use the hypothetical coaching conversation that translated the output milestone, “develop a demo,” into the metric key result, “3 customers sign an agreement to purchase product X after viewing the new product X demo.”   Note: In reviewing John Doerr’s book, Felipe Castro, an OKRs expert and good friend of mine, notes: “Out of the 60 Key Results listed, 32 (53%) lack numbers. They include things such as “Create a retirement plan for all legacy technology,” and “Focus on hiring player managers/leaders.” Even John Doerr’s own OKRs from his days at Intel lack numbers (e.g., “Develop a Demo”).  

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring "Real OKR Implementation" stories. Many organizations adopt OKRs because they want focus, alignment, and execution discipline. But small and fast-growing companies face a unique challenge: They must move quickly They cannot afford bureaucracy They cannot rely on heavy process Yet they still need clarity and coordination GoNoodle, a company focused on helping kids stay active and engaged, successfully launched OKRs in a growth-stage company in just 18 days! The Situation: Growth Created Urgency After raising new capital, GoNoodle entered a period of aggressive growth. Leadership knew that without a clear system, the organization could quickly lose focus. As their co-founder described: “The growth plan was aggressive. We knew it would introduce a new level of complexity and potential chaos. How would we stay focused on the right things? How would we define and measure our most important work?” They discovered OKRs and immediately saw the potential — but also understood the risk: “Failure to launch OKRs well could jade the staff and undermine the whole effort. We had to get it right.” So they moved quickly — but intentionally. A Fast Start, With Structure GoNoodle launched OKRs in just 18 days. But speed alone wasn’t the secret. Structure and cadence were. They began by defining company-level OKRs, then worked closely with each department to translate strategy into measurable team-level outcomes. Along the way, they discovered: “Writing good key results is an art. In theory it’s simple, but it was much more difficult than expected.” They also recognized the value of defining success upfront: “We set the scoring criteria for every key result at the time of creation. This was difficult — and extremely valuable.” Within weeks, OKRs were visible across the company and supported by a regular execution rhythm. The 2-Cycle OKR Launch Model The GoNoodle experience closely mirrors what we now formalize at OKRs.com as a two-cycle launch model, designed to build both clarity and capability. At GoNoodle, this included defining company OKRs first and ensuring each team’s objectives directly supported the company’s direction. They reinforced this through leadership reviews and shared visibility. As their co-founder explained: “We review every OKR weekly at the executive level to make sure we are focused on what matters most.” “The connecting nature of OKRs, linking company goals to the work of each team, was one of the most compelling parts of the framework.” “We now have a level of operating rigor that we never had before.” “Clarity of our most important work, more focused execution, transparency around what we are doing, and improved culture.” GoNoodle reinforced OKRs through: Weekly executive OKR reviews Mid-quarter team check-ins Quarterly company OKR reviews Shared visibility of all OKRs OKR onboarding for new employees “OKRs became part of our operating DNA.” What GoNoodle Achieved Following the OKRs.com structured approach, GoNoodle experienced: Clearer definition of their most important work Stronger alignment across teams Improved focus and execution Greater transparency and accountability A disciplined operating rhythm Cultural adoption of OKRs Implications for Small/Growing Organizations If you are launching OKRs in a smaller or growth-stage company: Move fast, but take a structured approach leveraging the 3 phases over 2 cycles. Define commit/target/stretch levels of each KR upfront to ensure alignment. Make OKRs visible to all! Build cadence early. Expect improvement with each cycle.; commit to 2 cycles from the start. Launch Your OKR Program the Right Way! How to Launch Your OKR Program If you’d like to learn how to launch OKRs using our 3-Phase approach over 2 cycles, contact: [email protected] Thanks for listening!  

Are you suffering from OKR planning fatigue? Are you feeling like you're always behind? Before 2019, most teams set OKRs each quarter by default. That's just how it's done. But is that what's best for you? One of the most practical decisions in any OKR implementation is determining the length of the OKR cycle. Should it be quarterly, four months or longer? Ben explains why cycle timing matters and how the right cadence can strengthen focus alignment and execution across your organization. You learn why most organizations begin with a common cycle length typically quarterly and why very short cycles often fail to provide enough time for meaningful progress. Ben also explores when a four month cycle can be more effective how cycle timing may vary across different levels of the organization and why strategic OKRs often remain stable throughout the year while operational OKRs evolve more frequently. Drawing on real world examples including multi tier OKR structures used in large organizations this episode provides practical guidance for choosing a cycle length that balances learning execution and adaptability helping teams build a sustainable rhythm for long term OKR success Request a free 1:1 OKR consult via [email protected]  

Why do OKRs in the first place? You MUST be clear on the answer to this question BEFORE deploying OKRs. Do you know YOUR answer? And it should not be just because "Google does it" or "My CEO read a book and she loved it so now we're all doing OKRs" The Benefits include 5 General Ones: 1-Shorter Cadence 2-Focus 3-Transparency/Alignment 4-Engagement 5-Stretch Thinking + 2 More that Ben has identified: 6-Common Goal Language 7-Learning Culture If you're using OKRs, please share why you chose to deploy OKRs in the comments. Was it one of the 7 benefits covered in this episode? If not, please share your "why" so we can all benefit:) Progress Principle TedTalk demonstrating how okrs can drive engagement: https://youtu.be/XD6N8bsjOEE?si=IWbrRMwZyeQDQxgY As always, get your free 1:1 OKR consult with Ben via [email protected] Thanks for listening

Are your KRs stretch? Are they commitments? Are you using Radical Focus? Measure What Matters? Ben's Stretch-Target-Commit model? Are you not even sure what approach you are taking? You need to know how key results are scored and how progress is tracked during the OKR cycle. Without a STANDARD, clear approach, teams can misjudge success, create confusion, or miss early warning signs that execution is off track. This episode explores how the way you define and measure the level of “stretch” and "commitment" in your key results can shape behavior, expectations, and ultimately outcomes. You’ll learn why objectives should not be scored, and why the real focus belongs on key results. Ben walks through the three most common scoring systems used in practice: 1) Radical Focus, 2) Measure What Matters, and 3) Stretch-Target-Commit. He explains how each approach influences how teams set goals, interpret progress, and learn from results. He also shares why aligning on scoring criteria upfront can spark critical conversations that prevent misalignment and unrealistic expectations later in the cycle. Beyond end-of-cycle scoring, this episode dives into how to track progress during execution. You’ll discover the difference between historical progress (“what has happened”) and predictive progress (“what is likely to happen”), and why predictive scoring can serve as an early warning system for leaders. Ben also explores how numerical scores alone don’t tell the full story — and how adding a qualitative “health” signal can surface hidden risks, unintended behaviors, and opportunities for course correction. This episode reframes scoring as a tool for communication, expectation management, and learning (not performance evaluation of individual staff) and will help you design a scoring and progress approach that drives clarity, better conversations, and stronger execution throughout the OKR cycle. Request your free 1:1 OKR consult with Ben via [email protected]  

How Many OKRs Should You Set? And Should You Include an Internal Objective? One of the most practical questions in any OKR implementation is simple: How many OKRs should we set? Too many, and focus is lost. Too few, and important priorities may be missed. In this episode, Ben Lamorte explains why the modern OKR approach favors fewer, more focused objectives. And he introduces the mantra “less is more” to drive better execution. You’ll learn when teams should start with a single objective, why most teams benefit from limiting themselves to two or three objectives, and when it may actually make sense to capture most of your work inside OKRs. Ben also explores the important distinction between external objectives (impacting customers and growth) and internal objectives (improving processes, teams, and capabilities), and how balancing the two can strengthen your OKR system. Whether you're just starting with OKRs or refining your approach, this episode provides practical guidance to help you create sharper focus, clearer priorities, and more effective execution. Post a comment and let's get a discussion going... Ben introduces all 10 deployment parameters in THIS VIDEO TRAINING Request a free 1:1 OKR consultation via [email protected]    

At What Level Should You Set OKRs? Company, Team, or Individual One of the most important decisions in any OKR deployment is where OKRs should be set. Should you start at the company level? Roll out to teams immediately? Require individual OKRs? Get this wrong, and even well-designed OKRs can fail. Your decision to this question can dramatically impact the type of culture you're creating.   In this episode, Ben Lamorte explains how to thoughtfully introduce OKRs across organizational levels over time. You’ll learn when company-level OKRs make sense (and when they don’t), to structure effective team-level OKRs beyond the org chart, and why mandating individual OKRs can lead to an OKR failure. Through real-world examples, Ben explores three powerful approaches to defining OKR teams: merging highly dependent teams, leveraging cross-functional squads, and forming teams around strategic priorities. The episode concludes with practical coaching guidance to help leaders build alignment, avoid common pitfalls, and create a scalable, sustainable OKR system. Ben introduces all 10 deployment parameters in THIS VIDEO Contact [email protected] to get your free consultation now!

You get the context for why Ben created "10 universal deployment parameters" (the questions you must answer BEFORE deploying OKRs) as context for the next 10 episodes! Ben shares a pivotal moment early in his OKRs coaching journey, a training workshop in Paris that did not go as planned. What seemed like a straightforward workshop quickly turned into hours of debate about alignment, KPIs, performance reviews, and how OKRs should actually be deployed. On the long flight home, Ben reflected deeply and identified a powerful insight: before any OKRs training begins, organizations must first align on a clear set of foundational decisions. He later named these decisions deployment parameters. You will learn why every successful OKR program begins with clarity on how OKRs will be implemented, and why skipping this step often leads to confusion, misalignment, and weak execution. The episode also explores one of the most critical starting points: Why OKRs? You will hear why imitative answers (like "Google did it" or "Our CEO read Measure What Matters and lots of successful companies do OKRs" fail. And more importantly, how strong OKR deployments begin with a clear understanding of the ONE BIG PROBLEM leadership is trying to solve with OKRs. Request your free OKRs 1:1 Consult via [email protected] 

Ineffective vs. Effective Use of AI in OKRs Many teams are using AI to automate the drafting of OKRs in order to “save time.” But what if this shortcut is causing you to miss the most valuable part of the OKR process: the conversations that create clarity, ownership, and commitment? In this episode, Ben explains why simply using AI to write OKRs can weaken your strategy and execution. You’ll hear why OKRs are not just about defining goals, but about the thinking and alignment that happen along the way which automation alone cannot replace. Then Ben explores the real opportunity: using AI to drive 10x improvement in execution, not just efficiency. Through real examples including how an AI-generated idea led directly to a new client, and how teams used AI to dramatically improve billing, you’ll learn how AI can transform KR action planning and accelerate measurable progress. If your organization already uses OKRs but wants faster, more meaningful results, this episode will challenge how you think about AI and where its true power lies. To learn about how you can leverage AI to 10x your OKRs, contact Ben via [email protected]  

What Is OKRs Coaching? Why Is It So Important Now? In this episode, Ben explores the rising global demand for OKRs coaching and explains why the 2020s are a pivotal time to develop this skill. You’ll learn what OKRs coaching really is, and how it differs from traditional consulting along with the critical balance between inquiry and advice that defines effective coaching. Ben walks through the evolution of OKRs, how coaching demand accelerated worldwide, and the three phases of OKRs coaching: deployment, training, and cycle coaching. Here is the Definition of "OKRs" Here is the Definition of "OKRs Coaching" OKRs coaching: Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking, creative, and structured process over three phases.  Phase 1: Deployment coaching to align on the answers to the questions that define an OKRs program and define the roles and resources that will support the OKRs program.  Phase 2: Training to ensure a shared understanding of OKRs.  Phase 3: Cycle coaching, inquiry that enables a client to critically reflect throughout the three steps of an OKRs cycle to (1) align on where and why to focus effort to make measurable improvement, (2) communicate and monitor progress, and (3) document and apply learnings to the next OKRs cycle.  Thanks for listening! Get your OKRs Field Book Preview!  Check out Ben's Video: 3 Phases of an OKRs Coaching Program For a free 1:1 OKR Consult, contact [email protected]