You've probably read Measure What Matters, maybe watched a Ted Talk,
maybe that famous Google OKR video, or even Perdoo's own OKR crash course right here on YouTube.
So you've got the basics of OKR covered and then it's time to put that knowledge into action.
Implementing OKR may be daunting at first but it's actually where the magic begins.
At Perdoo we've helped thousands of organizations successfully implement OKR.
We've seen what works and what doesn't.
So today I'll share seven requirements for a successful organization-wide OKR implementation.
Our first requirement is to get senior leadership's backing.
They act as a role model for the rest of the organization.
And since OKR requires a shift in how everyone in an organization approaches work
if senior leadership lacks consistency and commitment to that change the rest of the
organization will likely not follow. And that means the OKR will fail.
So, in order to roll out OKR across your entire organization, backing from the senior leadership, the CEO especially
is an absolute must.
To get senior leadership onboard it's critical to convey the value OKR brings to an organization.
Some initial steps could be to provide an introductory OKR presentation, clearly outlining the benefits and business impact for your organization.
Or present case studies to give leadership an idea on timing, budget, and impact.
And once they've expressed a clear commitment to the framework, the next step is to ensure they're actually walking the walk.
So, are they putting OKRs on the agenda for all-hands meetings and leadership meetings?
Are they regularly approving company and quarterly team OKRs?
It's also important that they speak the OKR language, and by that I mean they know the difference between say a Key Result and a KPI.
While getting senior leadership buy-in is critical,
your people are the ones actually driving execution.
So, the second requirement for a successful OKR implementation is to get buy-in from the rest of the organization.
Some people will embrace OKR with open arms, but you might face resistance from others.
They either don't see the benefit of using such a framework or see it as just one more thing to do,
and that is a fair concern.
But at this point, it's important to highlight what's in it for them and the organization as a whole.
If you're working with a software like Perdoo, your people have full access to the organization's strategy
and the goals — both OKRs and KPIs — that'll deliver it.
They'll now have complete transparency on the priorities of each area of the business.
Plus they'll have clarity on what's expected of them and how they can have the biggest impact.
To strengthen that buy-in even further, consider scheduling an all-hands meeting
to kick off the OKR implementation and outline the benefits of the framework.
You could also share stories of other organizations, and there are plenty of those on the Perdoo website.
The third requirement for a successful implementation is to define your rollout approach.
And this depends a lot on your organization's characteristics culture and your
prior experience with OKR.
But before you start, it's good to have a rough understanding of how you'll approach it.
There are two approaches that we see have the most success.
The first is to have an organization-wide rollout from the very beginning.
And this works best if your organization is already familiar with the OKR framework.
Or if you've got a culture that's particularly open to change.
Younger companies, regardless of their size, do qualify more easily for such an approach
than more mature companies as they tend to have more flexible structures and processes.
Do note that if you're using a dedicated software, like Perdoo, we're still not suggesting
that everyone should have access to this software immediately.
It's best to first set up the accounts and OKRs of senior leadership
and then roll out to all the department heads and team leaders.
And from there to the rest of the organization.
It does mean that all of this is done in a very short time span, for example under 30 days.
And that ensures that you don't lose momentum.
The second approach is then to have a step-by-step rollout.
Here you typically begin with a pilot group, for example, the senior leadership, a specific team, or a department.
And that way this group has the opportunity to fully get the hang of OKR and collect necessary learnings
to establish the best approach for the rest of the organization.
Once this group is up and running eg after one quarter's OKRs,
it'll be clear what the next steps are for the rest of the organization.
You could then either roll it out to the rest of the organization or roll it out to a few groups gradually.
If you feel uncertain or experiencing resistance, the latter is likely the best option.
Other groups and individuals lead by example, increasing the likelihood of others buying in.
Always remember, there's no right or wrong way of rolling out OKR,
it depends on what fits your organization best.
The fourth requirement is to appoint an Ambassador and this one's a biggie.
By implementing OKR you're driving positive change within your organization.
And whether you're new to OKR or are seasoned users, we recommend nominating an Ambassador to spearhead that change.
The Ambassador takes on the role of an internal OKR expert with responsibilities that revolve
around mentorship and management.
OKR isn't a set it and forget it type of framework, instead, it needs to stay front and center at all times
to be able to yield success for your organization.
Plus in the beginning it will take time to get right
so having a dedicated person overlooking that process can make a world of difference.
The fifth requirement: define your program's rhythm.
A well-designed OKR program provides clarity on what's expected and when you expect it to happen.
That means defining cadences and time frames, as well as how often you'll check in or review progress.
Just getting started with designing your OKR program?
We actually have this neat template you can use to create the perfect OKR program for your organization.
Once it's ready you can then share it with your organization to ensure they know what's expected of them and when.
Educate everyone on the OKR framework is the sixth requirement of an effective implementation.
OKR is a new language and to avoid any confusion and ensure everyone is speaking that same language,
the entire organization should receive training on the framework.
Such training can be delivered online as it's more scalable and cost-effective,
but some organizations also opt for in-person workshops.
And we've seen both methods work really well.
And the good news is that Perdoo offers both free and paid resources to support your needs,
and we've shared some resources in the description of this video.
The final requirement for a successful OKR implementation is to really train your OKR muscle.
Once your teams and people are up to speed with the OKR framework, it's essential to put
that knowledge into practice.
Writing great OKRs can be challenging, especially if no one in the organization has defined OKRs or goals for their work before.
But look at it as a muscle, train it, and you'll quickly get better.
To increase the pace at which you're able to deal with this learning curve,
we'd recommend letting teams and departments sit together to review their OKRs
and give feedback to each other.
And to further embed OKR within your organization's culture,
leadership and teams should discuss OKR outcomes in team and all-hands meetings.
And managers should discuss their people's OKR-related behaviors in one-on-ones.
So the key theme here is to keep it simple.
These requirements may feel like a lot to take in at one go but we can guarantee that the OKR framework
is simple, flexible, and forgiving.
It comes with a set of best practices to ensure its success, but once you get the hang of it
and you make it your own, it'll become second nature and will only get better.
If anything remember this:
Get that buy-in, assign an Ambassador, and plan your process and program.
Then introduce and educate and put OKR into practice.
Best of luck with your implementation!