We help your organizationachieve sustainable success with OKR

OKR consulting, coaching and training

Success is no coincidence. With our award-winning OKR Full Service Agency, you get a partner on board who supports you from the initial inspiration through implementation to the complete transformation – with a comprehensive range of customized and tried-and-tested solutions.

Our OKR Experts® provide practical, targeted OKR consulting, effective OKR coaching and interactive OKR workshops and OKR training to ensure that the OKR introduction, scaling and optimization of Objectives and Key Results leads your organization to extraordinary success.

field-tested. customized. safe.

Top Consultant 2023

Best of Consulting 2023 Award

Best of Consulting 2023
WirtschaftsWoche

5 stars

5,0

Google

Google

5 stars

4,9

ProvenExpert

ProvenExpert

OKR Book - Best Seller

We are the OKR Experts®

9 out of 10 companies fail to implement their strategy

OKR as a solution approach – the benefits of Objectives and Key Results

Focus

Focus

Focusing on what is essential and right and, in particular, on customers.

Cooperation

Cooperation

Networked team dynamics and effective communication across departments.

Performance

Performance

Stable top performance in growth phases and resilience in times of crisis.

Our customers

Companies that have already benefited from our OKR experts – OKR consulting, coaching and seminars

OKR Company References

OKR Company References

as well as numerous other start-ups and SMEs in German-speaking countries.

We work with organizations and companies of all sizes

Startups and
Small companies

Scale-ups

Medium-sized companies

Large companies
and corporations

Customer feedback:

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Benefit from our many years of practical experience

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Turbulent times: Your company’s success put to the test

In this ever-changing world, the stability and success of your organization can quickly be challenged.

  • Resource efficiency: Are you making optimum use of your capacities? Any waste can have serious consequences.
  • Growth challenges: Are you feeling the challenges of a growing organization? Are your communication and processes running smoothly? Can you retain your top talents and attract new ones? Does the quality suffer?
  • OKR hurdles: Have you tried to implement OKR on your own and encountered difficulties, especially in setting optimal targets and key results? Did you encounter any resistance?
  • Consultant quality: Have you worked with consultants who may not have the in-depth practical experience with OKR that our OKR experts have? And you notice that the results do not meet expectations?

Avoid irreversible and costly mistakes. Take advantage of the security offered by the many years of experience of our OKR experts.

We need new approaches

From method to mindset: realignment in a volatile world

Increasing business agility and resilience

In an increasingly volatile, complex and uncertain world, we not only need new methods and approaches, such as OKR, but above all a new mindset.

New business and working models are inevitable. What is needed is a consistent and coherent approach that involves the entire organization in a transformation journey and contributes both holistically and sustainably to increasing business agility.

OKR Consulting

OKR Coaching

Our holistic and sustainable approach

This is not just about adapting or introducing methods, processes and tools. At least as important is a change in thinking, culture, values and possibly even the entire organizational structure. The focus is not only on retaining talent and winning the ‘war for talent’, but also on integrating new technologies in a meaningful way.

OKR Coach

Our aim is to make the world of work as a whole a place that promotes high performance and is meaningful and fulfilling at the same time.

We are happy to support you

We are the renowned and award-winning OKR full-service consulting agency in the D/A/CH region

We are a team of 11 competent and experienced OKR experts. All of us are not only strong communicators and customer-oriented entrepreneurial types, but also well-versed in related areas such as strategy, corporate culture, leadership style, business transformation, innovation and mission statement, to name but a few.

OKR Consultant Team - OKR Expert Team

OKR Consultant Team - OKR Expert Team

Entrepreneurs advise companies. From practice for practice.

Book a free initial consultation nowFree initial consultation

We were named Top Consultant 2023

Top Consultant

We were awarded twice
“Best of Consulting 2023” Award
of the WirtschaftsWoche

Best of Consulting 2023 Award

We are the authors of the OKR bestselling book:

Published by the renowned GABAL Verlag in the 3rd editionInformation about the book

OKR Book

Published by the renowned GABAL Verlag in the 3rd editionInformation about the book

In addition, the authors of the comprehensive OKR work:

Published by the renowned Wiley VCH VerlagInfo about book

OKR Book

Published by the renowned Wiley VCH VerlagInfo about book

Mindset and methods shaped in Silicon Valley – adapted for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Europe

Competence, heart and passion

The founder of OKR Experts is Erno Marius Obogeanu-Hempelvisionary, thought leader and recognized expert in the fields of digitalization, strategy, OKR, business transformation and innovation.

Former C-level executive (e.g. at ProSiebenSat.1), multiple start-up founder (including an exit to DeCarta/Ueber), Silicon Valley expert, keynote speaker, bestselling author and university lecturer.

I got to know OKR in 2012 at Google as part of an M&A project.

Entrepreneurs advise companies. From practice for practice.

Scientific studies show that organizations with professional OKR consulting and OKR coaches have a clear advantage:

Achievement of corporate goals

+49%

More efficient team collaboration

+42%

Introduction and integration of OKR

+82%

OKR Study 2023 by Haufe in cooperation with the HFT Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences

Our offer

Top-class OKR full service

We provide you with individual and customized support during the introduction of OKR, supported by our modular and tried-and-tested introduction process. Our approach is efficient: We put in as much effort as necessary – but also as little as possible – to make OKR a success in your organization and thus contribute to your sustainable business success.

Have you already implemented OKR? Then we will support you with the optimization. Difficulties in the application of OKR often result from a lack of experience, incorrect application or incorrect objectives.

Our competent, experienced and communicative OKR experts ensure successful OKR implementation and improvement through holistic support. This includes expert advice, coaching at eye level, modern training and workshop formats and our bestselling books.

We provide you with practical and needs-oriented advice on publishing and tracking your OKR targets – whether with Excel, a special OKR tool, an OKR software solution or an existing IT tool. Our neutral and independent advice ensures that the focus is always on the people and not the tools.

Our mission is to empower you for agile strategy implementation and operational excellence through OKR. Our goal is your sustainable corporate success, even in turbulent times.

The procedure

4 steps to tailor-made and secure OKR implementation & optimization

1

Free initial consultation

Make an appointment for a non-binding and free initial consultation. Together we will discuss your current situation, your needs and potential approaches for introducing or optimizing OKR.

2

Individual offer

Our team of experts will develop a tailor-made program based on your requirements – whether for the OKR rollout or specific optimization measures. You receive a transparent and fair offer.

3

Offer presentation

In a video call, we will present your individual offer, explain all the details and answer all your questions.

4

Together to success

After your approval, we start with a kick-off meeting or workshop to define the first steps and dates for the OKR implementation.

OKR Seminar FlexTicket

OKR Seminar FlexTicket

Our guarantee promise

We assure you of this – we promise!

Experience
guarantee

You can rely on our team of experts, which consists of tried-and-tested OKR specialists who have already successfully supported numerous organizations.

Individuality
guarantee

Every company is unique. We promise a tailor-made approach that fits your organization and culture perfectly.

Transparency
guarantee

No hidden costs, clear communication. We provide you with comprehensive information right from the start and keep you up to date with any changes.

Communication
guarantee

We promise clear, open and regular communication throughout the entire process.

Guarantee of results

Our consulting services are aimed at achieving optimal results for your organization. Joint collaboration is essential to ensure the best results.

Support
guarantee

Our advice does not end with the introduction of OKR. We remain your partner and are available for questions, further development and support.

Satisfaction
guarantee

If you are not satisfied with our service, we are prepared to work together to find a solution, be it a repair or a refund.

Confidentiality
guarantee

All data and information that you share with us will be treated as strictly confidential and will not be passed on to third parties. We will gladly sign a confidentiality agreement.

Interactivity
guarantee

Our training courses and workshops are interactive, practical and offer participants real added value.

Methods-
guarantee

We rely on proven, modern methods and tools in the field of OKR and always keep our finger on the pulse to offer you the best possible service.

We, the OKR experts, are experienced consultants and coaches who provide you with hands-on and competent support in the introduction and optimization of OKR.

What our customers say

5 stars

5,0

Google

Google

5 stars

4,9

ProvenExpert

ProvenExpert

4.5 stars

4,3

Amazon

Amazon

Hans-Martin Hellebrand

The OKR experts not only provided us with competent and targeted support during the rollout of the OKR methodology, but also raised the effectiveness of OKR in our organization to a new level.

The key success factor here was the consulting approach tailored specifically to our organization and culture based on in-depth expertise and many years of experience in business processes, business models and innovation.

Thanks to their expertise, we were able to develop the OKR framework emergently at our company. This enables us to use the customized OKR method more efficiently and effectively than ever before, for example to open up new business areas.

Hans-Martin Hellebrand, Member of the Board of Management Badenova

Thore Backen

We are very happy with the OKR experts, who have helped us enormously as a scale-up in our challenging growth phase to bring OKR and other tools for our scaling to the next level!

Super fit on a personal level, great workshop methods and lots of practical experience with pragmatic rather than dogmatic implementation.

Thore Backen, Chief of Staff (CoS), SoSafe

Carsten Meinders

The OKR seminar by the OKR experts was enormously informative for me as a manager and for the other participants.

Thanks to the didactically well thought-out structure, we were able to directly apply and deepen what we had learned in group exercises.

The seminar documents provided are comprehensive and valuable.

It was impressive how OKR was presented not only as an isolated method, but in a holistic context in order to understand the interrelationships.

Carsten Meinders, Managing Director of Hermes Einrichtungs Service

Pedram Asadi

In our OKR in-house training courses, the OKR experts not only conveyed the OKR method in a professional and competent manner, but also presented it in a lively way using many concise industry examples.

Their dynamic approaches, including numerous group exercises, made the topic tangible, tangible and perceptible with a lot of fun and enthusiasm.

Pedram Asadi, Product Management ADOIT Team, BOC Group, Vienna

OKR introduction
in Start-ups, Scale-ups,
SMEs and corporations

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OKR optimization –
Health Check and
Next Level

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OKR educationand training
Trainings, seminars,
Video courses, books

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OKR PDF

Free e-book

Find out how you and your organization
can benefit from OKR!

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Book a free initial consultation now

After submitting the contact form, you can view our appointment calendar and make an appointment right away if you wish.

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OKR – More than just a trend: Objectives and Key Results as a sustainable success strategy

Focus – concentrating on the right and essential things – is a problem for many companies. In addition, employees are often dissatisfied and unmotivated. Many are overworked – some are on the verge of burnout. This puts pressure on the mood of the entire company and on the results.

OKR began at Intel and Google – derived from the MbO management method

The OKR framework, the OKR process and the OKR system were once developed by Intel CEO Andy Grove (Andrew Grove) under the name iMbO (Intel Management by Objectives). John Doerr, a former employee of Andy Grove and later investment manager at Kleiner Perkins, introduced OKR at Google and further developed OKR in the process. Today, the OKR method is not just a trend, but a worldwide recipe for success. Companies such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Spotify use OKR.

The first OKR publication in the book “High output Management”

Andy Grove published “OKR” for the first time in 1984 in his book “High output Management” on just two pages.

Setting agile goals with clarity and full transparency

OKR – Objectives and Key Results is a further development of Management by Objectives (MbO). MbO works purely according to the “top-down” approach and relies on extrinsic motivation. OKR, on the other hand, awakens intrinsic motivation through the “bottom-up” approach. A shorter cycle – usually 3 months – also makes the process more agile. There are “ritualized” meetings, such as OKR Planning, OKR Check-In or OKR Weekly, OKR Review and Retrospective – all of which create clarity and promote communication. This does not require completely new meetings to be set up – for example, the OKR Weekly can become part of an already established weekly meeting. The transparency of all targets is a basic principle.

Introduction with a system, modular and customized

Based on our numerous OKR implementations, we have developed a highly effective, customizable implementation process. In this way, we guarantee that OKR is introduced as quickly, smoothly and successfully as possible at companies of any size and in any organizational form. This process has now proven itself in practice many times over in start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs and corporations.

Involving all employees in the corporate strategy and objectives – OKR as the perfect tool for participation

With OKR, you ensure that all employees in your organization are pulling in the same direction. Strategic measures of the corporate strategy are implemented effectively and efficiently on the basis of the top-level objectives (corporate objectives, organizational objectives) at all levels of the company according to the top-down principle. This ensures a focus on the most important measures, the corporate objectives and organizational goals, and all business units, departments and teams understand the strategy much better.

Leading with goals – through servant leadership

OKR is the ideal method for leading teams with meaningful goals and for managers to be able to see at any time where their teams stand and whether they need support, impetus or feedback.

Not just top-down – OKR as the perfect tool for implementing employee participation

In addition to the top-down approach, the bottom-up principle is used to create important division- and department-specific or team-specific targets and negotiate them on an equal footing with the level above. This is participation in action.

The OKR cycle – an iterative process – learning from success and mistakes – the journey is the destination

The OKR cycle is an iterative process that aims to measure the benefits of activities and projects and thus learn from successes and failures according to the motto: the journey is the destination. It consists of an OKR planning phase, an execution phase and a final phase with a review.

OKR cycle – a cycle similar to the PDCA model or Deming circle – the control loop of agile methods for iterative work

Similar to the PDCA cycle is the lean start-up cycle, a model that consists of the phases: “Build, Measure, Learn”. At the beginning, a hypothesis, a mini-vision is created in the form of an OKR set – with the most important goals. The implementation (build), the work on the tasks generates output. Progress and benefits are measured and data is generated (and measured in the key results). We are constantly learning from these (Learn), including what the right goals are. These findings flow directly into the next cycle – a cycle with a beginning and an end that repeats endlessly. Projects with a project duration of more than 3 months (with an OKR period of 3 months) must be divided into phases – this also makes projects more agile. For implementation, teams can also work according to agile methods such as Scrum or Kanban – these complement OKR perfectly.

Does OKR replace Scrum or is Scrum a supplement to OKR? Why another method?

Scrum and Kanban are an ideal complement to OKR – but not absolutely necessary for OKR. The agile methods can be optimally integrated and can work perfectly hand in hand. OKR on a typical cycle duration of 3 months, Scrum on a typical sprint length of 2 to 4 weeks.

Good OKR sets and good key result metrics are critical for a successful introduction of the OKR method – Example OKR sets – Examples from different departments

Creating good OKR sets is not that easy, but it can be learned and must be practiced. We place particular emphasis on this in our seminars – and show participants a system that can be used to systematically develop optimal key results with optimal metrics. This is because 90% of all failed OKR implementations result from poorly formulated OKR sets, especially poor key results, which are often not even quantitative key results, i.e. not measurable. You can find examples of OKR sets here: OKR examples.

With OKR, think strategy not from the perspective of individual departments, but from the perspective of the customer to ensure sustainable success

The application of OKR enables companies to develop their strategy more from the customer’s perspective rather than just from the point of view of individual departments. By focusing on measurable results that reflect the actual value and benefits for customers, OKR aligns the entire company to focus on customer expectations and needs. This promotes a customer-oriented corporate culture and helps to break down silo thinking, as business units and departments are encouraged to act in a cross-functional and collaborative manner in order to achieve common, customer-focused goals.

Achieve operational excellence with OKR – focus on processes – focus on process optimization

“OKR is not only suitable for implementing the strategy (“change the business”), but also for achieving operational excellence (“run the business”), for example by optimizing processes. For example, KPIs are used to identify where there is potential and need for improvement. OKR is then used to focus on a specific topic in a cycle and measure the progress and benefits of the improvement. This allows ambidexterity to be managed – the advantages of OKRs become apparent here through the tracking of OKRs for both strategy implementation and improvement topics.

Difference between the OKR and MbO methods – what are the respective advantages and benefits?

OKR and MbO are both referred to as management methods. In MbO, goal achievement combined with extrinsic motivational factors play a decisive role: bonus, salary increase or promotion as an incentive to achieve the goals. Recent years have shown that annual targets can quickly become obsolete. This was particularly evident in 2020 and 2022. In 2020, the coronavirus lockdown and in 2022, the Ukraine war was already in the spring, meaning that the annual targets were no longer tenable at this point. With OKR, the focus is on the intrinsic motivation of employees to achieve a goal – the target level of goal achievement is 70% (based on the Pareto principle) – with MbO (at least) 100%. OKR targets are published transparently – in contrast to MbO, where the targets are generally treated confidentially between line managers and their employees or are only partially published for interlocking purposes. With regard to Generation Y and Z, as well as the increasingly volatile world of work, OKR has a number of advantages over MbO.

What are MOALs?

MOALs, stands for “Mid-term GOALs”: medium-term goals that form a bridge between a company’s long-term strategies and OKR goals. MOALs therefore have a somewhat longer time horizon, typically one to three years. They help companies to focus on medium-term priorities and ensure that teams are not only fixated on short-term results, but also work towards sustainable progress and longer-term visions.

What is the difference between OKR and KPI or KPIs?

Set OKR or focus targets for an OKR cycle, usually a quarter. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), on the other hand, are metrics that are continuously measured and monitored. The OKR goals created for the OKR cycle, the prioritized, most urgent and most important goals, provide a direction (comparable to a navigation system in a car), while KPIs indicate the progress or status (comparable to the displays on the dashboard, such as the charge level / fuel gauge and temperature; in companies, for example, the KPI sales, fluctuation, the current Google rating, the app store rating or the NPS) or specify operational goals.

Is OKR introduced into the entire organization immediately or step by step?

We recommend starting at top management level and then introducing it step by step, level by level, cycle by cycle. Alternatively, you can start with a pilot department or a pilot team in the first OKR cycle.

The OKR Master or OKR Coach – role, tasks and experience

The OKR Master or OKR Coach is responsible for the application of the OKR Framework in the organization. She/he supports teams in setting objectives and in the correct implementation of OKR events and OKR meetings. Through coaching, he ensures that obstacles are tackled in good time. Her/his leadership promotes a culture of continuous improvement. OKR coaches and masters must have as much experience as possible in the application of OKR.

What is the difference between OKR and BSC?

OKR (Objectives and Key Results) and BSC(Balanced Scorecard) are both management methods for setting and tracking objectives. While OKR focuses on clear, measurable results with a rapid feedback cycle, BSC offers a holistic view of an organization or company through performance indicators from four perspectives: Finance, Customers, Internal Processes and Learning & Growth. OKR tends to be more agile, while BSC offers a more structured approach to strategic planning. This allows the BSC and OKR to complement each other perfectly.

Motivation, satisfaction and confidence

Your employees will gain motivation and satisfaction through clear, meaningful goals – and confidence in times of crisis. This is because they know exactly what contribution they can make to the organization or the company. The “bottom-up” approach also contributes significantly to the commitment and intrinsic motivation of team members.

Further information about OKR – Articles about OKR

On the following page you will find a more detailed article and further information on the OKR method. Further reading: 30 minutes OKR and More focus, motivation and success with OKR – both books by our OKR experts.

 

In this way, you can ensure that your company achieves sustainable success.

Questions and answers about OKR

Is OKR also suitable for small companies, for start-ups?

OKR is ideal for start-ups and small companies. They offer clarity and agility, enable quick adjustments and help to align even small teams with central goals, despite limited resources. Misunderstandings already arise with 2 people – that’s why we also recommend that founders of start-ups start with OKR on day 1.

Why should you choose the OKR experts?

The OKR experts combine in-depth specialist knowledge with practical experience to ensure targeted, measurable and effective results with the OKR implementation, leading to sustainable corporate success.

How quickly can the OKR experts get started with implementation or optimization?

Our OKR experts can be active within a week to tackle your OKR implementation or optimization, depending on your current workload, at least remotely via Teams, Zoom or WebEx.

How does the commissioning of OKR experts work?

After an initial consultation and needs analysis, the OKR experts submit a customized offer. If you agree, the collaboration begins.

How does the billing of OKR experts work?

Billing is based on a previously agreed daily or hourly rate. Only actual person-hours or person-days are invoiced. For open seminars, payment is made when booking online or, in the case of companies, against invoice – but before the seminar.

What does an OKR consultancy do?

OKR consulting supports companies in the introduction, application and optimization of OKR (Objectives and Key Results) in order to achieve strategic goals efficiently, achieve operational excellence and thus ensure sustainable corporate success.

What does an OKR consultant do?

An OKR consultant advises, coaches and trains organizations and their managers and employees in the OKR method and ensures that the method is applied in such a way that it leads to sustainable corporate success.

What are the advantages of an OKR consultation?

OKR consulting avoids errors that may arise due to half-knowledge or a lack of practical experience. Some of these errors can be irreversible and costly. An experienced OKR consultancy offers security through many years of experience.

What tasks does an OKR advisor have?

The OKR consultant analyzes the current situation of the organization, creates a rollout program and monitors progress. He/she continuously optimizes the implementation process and, from a certain point onwards, switches to an optimization process. The most important tasks are to continuously monitor the need for support, whether the teams are on the right track – and then to provide professional support if necessary or to propose a selection of possible measures to the customer, e.g. the OKR Manager, Program Lead, Ambassador.

What should be considered when selecting an OKR consultant?

Look for their in-depth methodological knowledge, proven experience, communication skills and track record of implementing OKR in similar organizations. Industry knowledge can be an advantage – but can also lead to a limited perspective and prejudices.

In what context does the first OKR introduction make sense?

We recommend first introducing OKR at the top level, i.e. in the top management team. Alternatively, OKR can initially be introduced in one or more pilot departments or teams.

When does an OKR introduction end?

OKR is an agile method. Agile methods should be introduced in an agile way. The teams learn to continuously improve the process through retrospectives. New employees are constantly joining the company and need to be trained in OKR. From this perspective, an OKR introduction or the implementation of OKR is never completely finished.

How much time does an OKR introduction take?

We recommend first introducing OKR at the top level, i.e. in the top management team. A further level is then switched on cycle by cycle. In most cases, OKR is introduced at the level below the top level together with the top level. Alternatively, OKR can initially be introduced in one or more pilot departments or teams. The time required for an OKR introduction therefore depends largely on the size of the company and the number of hierarchical levels.

What needs are covered by OKR consulting vs. OKR coaching?

Typically, in OKR consulting, the OKR consultant offers his expertise, experience or perspectives to introduce or optimize OKR. With OKR Coaching, the OKR Coach supports the client in finding their own answers and solutions with the support of the OKR Coach.

What is OKR?

OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results, a framework for goal setting, strategy implementation, increasing operational excellence, a modern management tool, an agile operating system that helps organizations achieve their mission and vision through measurable results.

What does OKR software do?

OKR software is a digital tool for defining, coordinating, tracking and analyzing objectives and key results, promotes team collaboration and visualizes progress and correlations.

Does OKR create many new meetings?

OKR can lead to more meetings when important meetings are missing for an organization to create clarity and promote collaboration. Existing meetings can be redesigned with OKR to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of meetings.

Why should OKR targets be set ambitiously?

OKR targets are set ambitiously, as studies have shown that ambitious targets (stretch targets) are more likely to be met than targets that are too lax. The important thing is to avoid excessive demands or even burnout. And with OKR, according to the Pareto principle (80/20 rule), a target is deemed to have been achieved if 70% of the target has been met. It is important that the key results are measurable (measurable goals) – and that the objectives are qualitative (qualitative objectives / goals), inspiring and intrinsically motivating. If the OKR process is practiced consistently, the teams use the confidence level to constantly measure whether the team still believes in the goal – so action can be taken at an early stage.