Qualitative and inspiring
The ambition will make the team pop out of bed in the morning:) A boss or owner might pop out of bed when the company reaches an X% increase in sales, but for us, the increase in sales may not be very inspiring. Here you're going to come up with an ambition that makes sense to you and your team. A sense of progress. Use words that inspire your team.
Timed
A good ambition should be possible to complete during the selected period (e.g. During the quarter). If it takes a year to achieve ambition, it fits into a long-term strategySo let's say that this is the same thing as that.
Executable without relying on others
We want to avoid a situation where we depend on others to implement ambition. No comments shall be made as well. “The other departments did not deliver, therefore I could not deliver.
Examples of good “objectives”:
- Dominate the coffee business in Oslo.
- Delivering 2 concrete success stories.
- Change the user behavior of the web team so we get more data driven!
- Complete the next round of funding so that we can grow next quarter!
And some bad “objectives”:
- Increase sales by 30%.
- Double User Base
- Income over 5 millinos.
Why are these bad objects? Probably because they are “key results”.
Practical tips to help people find good OKR
Start asking people: what are we currently working on? Is there something that burns that needs to be fixed immediately? Are there parts of work that create extra involvement? What's going on to light a spark in this team?
Most teams know what they're working on from day to day even though they haven't thought about why they're working on it. It's important to let people be heard and that there's an arena where people can describe what's important to them.
When you have turned to what is important, you can ask questions like, "Why is this important to us? If we achieve this, what kind of changes can we expect to see? What numbers will move? How does it affect income, volumes or quality indicators?
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: How can you ensure that an OKR is inspiring enough for the entire team, and not just management?
Answer: To ensure that an OKR motivates the entire team, everyone involves in the definition process. Use brainstorming sessions where everyone contributes ideas. The target shall reflect the team's common ambitions and values to increase exposure.
Question 2: How can you measure the success of a qualitative OKR without any concrete numbers?
Answer: Measure the success of qualitative OKRs through feedback from team members, customer satisfaction, and other relevant progress indicators. Configure milestones to show the path to the larger goal.
Question 3: What are the most common faults team does when they put OKRs, and how can these be avoided?
Answer: Common errors include vague or unrealistic targets, no clear follow-up plan, or lack of involvement. Avoid these by using the SMART criteria and having regular meetings to assess and adjust progress.