A successful company is always purposeful and innovative to consistently render the best performance their clients deserve. And one of the best ways to develop and enhance work culture is through Objectives and Key Results or OKR.
Organisations that are new in the OKR scene may struggle with rolling out the concept. Similar to any other management strategy, it is a learning curve and takes time before achieving perfection.
To kickstart the new journey, here are some tips to make the path bearable and smooth.
Be Aligned
A fruitful tree is a result of resilient and healthy roots. In this case, a prosperous company is the outcome of a unified core team. Before considering OKR implementation, make sure that everyone in the leadership team is on board with the idea. They must align their values and prepare themselves to commit to executing the strategy.
To do this, consider calling in a meeting and discussing resources that can help build the team foundation to plan a good OKR. Here, present success stories of companies that have used OKR to demonstrate the advantage of implementing this strategy and understand how it can help boost the organisation.
Craft a Framework
All plans need a blueprint to seal their success. Keeping this in mind, it is time to develop 5 to 7 objectives with 3 to 5 key results to guide the team. This includes all the company’s priorities, structure, demands, and challenges.
In the framework, it is important to identify the OKR cadence. Ideally, tracking should be done quarterly, but it depends on the organisation’s schedule and can be done half-year or annually. Alongside the review frequency, determine the tools to manage OKR, the people who will overlook it, and the review process. There is no wrong answer as these details largely depend on the company’s preference.
But one thing is for sure: do not implement the Objectives and Key Results strategy without a framework that the core team can communicate with the staff.
Run a Pilot Test Among the Leadership Team
Running a pilot test is crucial to troubleshooting the plan before rolling it out for the rest of the staff to follow. Let the core team work with the OKRs for the first quarter and learn the ropes. There are still a lot of discoveries during this stage and consider tweaking the framework when necessary.
Assign OKR Advocates
The ability to influence people is the greatest superpower one could have. To build trust towards organisational change, secure OKR advocates through piloting and express their confidence in applying OKRs.
To build a case study for future references, note milestones and areas of improvement that will be the most reliable resource to other teams and organisations.
Plan the Implementation
Implementing organisational change is undeniably overwhelming for the staff. To establish the company’s transformation, socialise the idea to the team for approximately 6 to 8 weeks before the implementation and consider:
- Begin with a brief introduction to OKRs. A simple 10-minute primer can explain the strategy, why the company chooses to adopt it, and the organisation’s goals.
- Run a book club. For a smaller team, allow everyone to read a book about OKRs. You can also curate 3 to 5 articles and informative videos to become familiar with the concept.
- Conduct an orientation explaining the framework and how it will be implemented.
- Document the company’s OKR framework in the internal database to allow staff to refer to it as needed.
Conclusion
No matter the company’s size, it is vital to open the doors to change and improve its system. Embracing new concepts and practices requires a lot of work, but all will be well with proper planning and tools.
Change isn’t magic. So, if you’re seeking transformative and long-term movement to increase morale and grow your business, SKILLFIRE is here to create the best leadership team. We integrate the best of psychology, Silicon Valley, and the latest strategic thinking to improve quality of life. Contact us today!