{"id":13341,"date":"2020-09-13T07:47:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-13T11:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=13341"},"modified":"2020-09-17T15:21:33","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T19:21:33","slug":"okr-superpowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/okr-superpowers\/","title":{"rendered":"OKR Superpowers: 4 Ways to Boost Your Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the OKR<\/a> superpowers? Why do you need them? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four OKR superpowers are the four main OKR skills that help guide you through the OKR process<\/a>. You can use the four OKR superpowers to create the best OKRs, and implement your plans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to find out about the four OKR superpowers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Four OKR Superpowers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The primary benefits of OKRs<\/a> come from their four superpowers: focus, align, track, and stretch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superpower #1: Focus<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

First of the OKR superpowers is Focus. OKRs clarify your focus by limiting you to 3-5 objectives at a time. Remember that every time you commit to something, you make yourself unavailable to commit to something else, so choose your commitments wisely. Once you\u2019ve chosen where to put your focus, commit to those objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OKRs also clarify your focus by limiting you to 3-5 key results<\/a> per objective. Because the success of your key results must <\/em>result in the success of your objective, you need to create key results carefully. For example, the three sets of key results (KRs) below are all proposed paths toward the objective of winning the Indy 500, but only one set is focused enough to get you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weak KRs<\/strong><\/td>So-So KRs<\/strong><\/td>Strong KRs<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Objective: <\/strong>Win the Indy 500.KR #1: Achieve a faster lap speed.KR #2: Decrease time during pit stops.<\/td>Objective: <\/strong>Win the Indy 500.KR #1: Achieve a lap speed that\u2019s 2% faster.KR #2: Decrease time during pit stops by an average of 1 second\/stop.<\/td>Objective: <\/strong>Win the Indy 500.KR #1: Achieve a lap speed that\u2019s 2% faster.KR #2: Decrease time during pit stops by an average of 1 second\/stop.KR #3: Decrease pit stop errors by half.KR #4: Spend 1 hour\/day practicing pit stops.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the example above, the weak key results aren\u2019t specific enough. The so-so key results are better because they\u2019re measurable and<\/em> specific, but they don\u2019t specify how to decrease pit-stop time the way the strongest key results do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superpower #2: Align<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Second on the list of Measure What Matters<\/em> superpowers is Align. OKRs are<\/a> good at aligning companies because OKRs are always public.<\/strong> CEOs can look at the goals of their executives, managers, and junior staff, and junior staff can (and should) look at the goals of their bosses and the CEO. This allows people to coordinate their goals with those of the company and their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Both Top-Down and Bottom-Up Alignment<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Generally, there are two approaches to alignment: top-down and bottom-up. In the top-down approach<\/strong>, directives start with the CEO and cascade down through the ranks to the junior employees. In the bottom-up approach<\/a><\/strong>, junior employees working on the frontlines, the people who have the most access to customers and product issues, identify pressing needs and relay them up the chain of command to the CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most effective companies are aligned in both directions<\/strong>, with half of an employee\u2019s objectives coming from the top and half set by the employee herself. If you\u2019re assigning an objective to one of your employees, make sure you clearly demonstrate how the objective connects to the company\u2019s top priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees should set most of their key results themselves. People who choose their goals take more responsibility for reaching them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superpower #3: Track<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Third on the list of Measure What Matters <\/em>superpowers is track. OKRs are always measurable, and at the end of each OKR cycle you score them. These scores help you track your progress<\/a>, and they indicate when you need to double down on a particular goal or when you should revise or abandon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the OKR cycle, check-in with your manager weekly or monthly to discuss your OKR progress and decide among four options for each goal:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #1: Continue <\/strong>the objective or key result\u2014If everything\u2019s going well and you\u2019re making progress, keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #2: Revise <\/strong>the objective or key result\u2014If changes in your environment or workflow have caused the goal to get off track, update it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #3: Start <\/strong>a new objective or key result\u2014As conditions change, you may need to add new goals. If you already have five objectives, put one or two on the backburner to make room for the new goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #4: Stop <\/strong>an objective or key result\u2014Some goals become irrelevant or impractical. Don\u2019t stubbornly cling to a goal just because you set it. If it no longer serves your larger purpose or the company\u2019s, toss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superpower #4: Stretch<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the last of the OKR superpowers is stretch. Some of your OKRs should be especially challenging. Expect \u201cstretch OKRs\u201d to score between 0.4 and 0.6. Setting challenging goals allows your company to continue innovating<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how Google distinguishes between regular objectives (\u201ccommitted objectives\u201d) and stretch objectives<\/a> (\u201caspirational objectives\u201d):<\/p>\n\n\n\n