How do I prepare properly for OKR?

In the right hands, OKR’s can be the most effective target management method to simultaneously achieve your company’s goals and new levels in your industry. But before you introduce your OKR method, you should make sure that your company is prepared for OKRs. Use the following questions to assess whether your organization is ready to introduce OKR.

Is your organization ambitious?

A key aspect of the effectiveness of the OKR method is the ability to overcome the boundaries and expectations of the teams and the organization. The goals and objectives are created in line with the capabilities of your teams and aligned to be ambitious and aspirational.

OKRs may seem simple at first glance. Nevertheless, you should not forget the effort your teams have to make to achieve them.

Is your management team ready for OKRs?

As with any new system, your first OKR rollout is likely to be met with skepticism and perhaps a little pushback. While many will immediately understand the need and benefits of OKR, others may react with concern, doubt or even rejection. It is therefore crucial that you have the support of management in all departments. This support is particularly important if you want to roll out OKRs company-wide.

Is the purpose of your company clearly defined?

The purpose of OKRs is to define goals at all levels – from the smallest to the largest. Without a clearly defined mission or vision, OKRs can turn out to be ineffective simply because there is no frame of reference. So use the clearly defined purpose of your company to inform your employees about the goals you have set yourself with OKR.

Are you ready for the effort, resources and time that OKR will require?

The OKR method is designed to be simple and practicable. However, it is also a perfect example of the fact that simple and easy are not the same thing. OKRs will require a great deal of time, energy and resources – from you and your teams. Before introducing OKR, you should therefore assess whether your employees are prepared to make this major commitment. With dedicated employees and a little patience, you will achieve impressive results with OKRs.

Do you already have an OKR Ambassador?

To be successful, every major project should have strong leadership, and OKR is no exception. To be able to roll out OKRs in your company, you should define a single point of contact for each OKR. This means that your employees know exactly who they can turn to if they encounter problems or hurdles in achieving the objectives and key results. Also consider appointing an OKR Ambassador or Ambassador with expertise in OKR. Our OKR course turns your employees into OKR professionals!

Does your company have KPI tracking methods?

Metrics are the driving force behind your OKRs. The real purpose of OKRs is to define, structure and manage measurable progress. If your organization does not have a way to create meaningful reports based on these metrics, your organization may not be ready to implement OKRs. However, the introduction of OKRs can also motivate the development and introduction of KPI tracking methods.

Are you ready to deal with the reality of full transparency of OKRs?

While it’s true that just about every organization claims to provide complete transparency across all teams, OKRs require a new level of transparency that many employees and organizations aren’t quite prepared for. Are you really prepared to openly and regularly share key figures such as revenue, losses, market share and KPI progress with every member of your entire organization? Definitely keep this question in mind when assessing whether your company is ready for OKRs.

Summary

We hope that this article has given you an insight into the questions you should ask yourself before introducing OKRs to find out whether your company is ready for OKRs. You can find many more articles on the subject of OKRs in our OKR expert magazine.

Are you planning to introduce OKRs in your company? We will be happy to advise you!