OKRs, short for Objectives and Key Results, is something all businesses need to have, but, unfortunately, not all companies know how to use them. In fact, those that do make OKRs even sit down and ask themselves whether it will work.

If you are such a business owner, understand that there are two types of OKRs: ones that work and ones that do not. There aren’t necessarily bad or good OKRs simply because different companies have different goals, work in different environments, and more. However, there are characteristics of an OKR that anyone can see to understand whether it will be effective.

That said, here’s how you can create effective OKRs for your business that reflect characteristics of effective OKRs:

Effective Objectives

An Objective is an achievable goal. It is your end goal, the mission that you are working towards. The Objective of your OKR must be something that you can tell if you’ve done it or not. If you can’t tell if your Objective is done, then you’ve created a goal instead. A goal describes what you’re working toward, but it doesn’t tell you if you’ve achieved it or not. If you are writing a goal, you should be able to answer the question: “What do I need to do to achieve it?” So, you have to make your Objective clear, concise and measurable. It should be something that you can tell whether you’ve done it.

It is also crucial that when you are making your goals and objectives, it’s critical to make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). Of course, if you’re not familiar with SMART, we’ve mentioned in the past that it means that you’ll need specific goals and Objectives, measurable goals and Objectives, goals and Objectives that are achievable and relevant, and goals and objectives that are time-bound.

Effective Key Results

A Key Result is exactly what it sounds like: it is a result that is a part of your objective that you will focus on to achieve your objective. Key Results should be specific, measurable, time-bound, and relevant to the objective (just like Objectives also have to be SMART). They must be achievable, and you have to have a plan in place to achieve them.

When creating your Key Results, your goal is to focus on the most critical parts of your objective. What is the most crucial aspect of your objective that you have to focus on to achieve it? What you have to present is a step-by-step action plan on how you are going to achieve that objective. All of these elements are crucial for an effective OKR.

Conclusion

Using OKRs is a good way to stay on track with your goals and Objectives, but only if you have the right goals and objectives in the first place. You can’t use them if your goals and Objectives aren’t effective. We’ve discussed what makes effective objectives and effective results, so do apply them when you create your OKRs. If you still need help, feel free to reach out to agencies that can help you align your leadership capability with what you want your goal to achieve.

SKILLFIRE helps businesses maximise customer outcomes by guiding companies towards what matters. If you are looking to grow your business by capitalising on OKRs, let us help you!