OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a powerful framework for aligning teams, setting ambitious goals, and tracking progress toward meaningful outcomes. But let’s be honest—OKRs are hard. You won’t get them perfect the first time, and that’s okay. It’s part of the learning process. The challenge lies in balancing ambition with practicality, keeping the team aligned, and focusing on outcomes rather than just checking off tasks.
The good news is, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. There are countless resources available online to help guide you, from OKR templates and best practices to real-life examples of how companies use OKRs successfully. But remember, everyone’s OKR journey is going to be different. What works for one team might not work for another, and that’s why flexibility and iteration are key. The important thing is to embrace the process, learn from each OKR cycle, and keep refining as you go.
For those of you who are visual learners, sometimes an OKR graphic is all it takes to break down complex ideas and make them easier to understand. Whether you're new to OKRs or an expert looking to teach your team, these infographics can help make the learning process smoother. They provide quick, digestible lessons on everything from setting the right number of objectives to focusing on outcomes.
OKR graphics to guide your progress
For those of you who are visual learners, sometimes an OKR graphic is all it takes to break down complex ideas and make them easier to understand. Whether you're new to OKRs or an expert looking to teach your team, these infographics can help make the learning process smoother. They provide quick, digestible lessons on everything from setting the right number of objectives to focusing on outcomes.
(Visual learners? Also see our list of helpful OKR memes 😹)
Use these visuals as handy reminders or as tools to roll out OKRs across your team. No matter where you are in your OKR journey, these infographics can help you reflect, refine, and ultimately achieve success. Let’s dive into the key lessons that will guide your OKR journey:
1. OKRs are about focus: don’t try to track everything
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A common mistake when setting OKRs is trying to include too much. Instead of turning OKRs into a catch-all for every task, focusing only on what you want to improve or change is crucial. Most of your efforts should be dedicated to achieving these specific goals, while routine tasks and business as usual should remain separate. This focused approach ensures that you’re making real progress where it matters most rather than spreading your efforts too thin across many areas.
2. OKRs as a North Star
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OKRs are essential for setting a clear North Star and aligning your organisation. When objectives are well-defined, they provide teams with a common purpose, ensuring that efforts across departments like product, marketing, and sales are all moving in the same direction. This alignment not only helps keep the organisation focused but also fosters collaboration across teams, preventing them from working in silos.
By using OKRs as a guiding force, teams can more easily prioritise their efforts and understand how their work contributes to larger company outcomes. It also creates transparency, so everyone knows how their objectives tie into the bigger picture. This collective focus helps drive meaningful progress and keeps teams motivated to achieve shared goals.
3. Team OKRs, not individual OKRs
OKRs work best when set at the team level rather than for individual roles. Focusing on team-level objectives encourages collaboration and ensures everyone works together toward common goals. When OKRs are divided by individual roles, it can lead to siloed efforts, where teams aren’t fully aligned, and individual priorities take precedence over collective outcomes.
Keeping OKRs at the team level helps promote a shared sense of responsibility. It shifts the focus from personal achievements to team success, ensuring the goals reflect what the team needs to accomplish together. This approach fosters better communication and teamwork while aligning with the broader company objectives.
4. Address stagnation: Don’t let OKRs stay in limbo
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When tracking OKRs, addressing stagnation and identifying when progress is slipping is important. If a key result remains in a “yellow” status for multiple weeks, it signals something isn’t quite right. Your team is either misdiagnosing an issue, or postponing a red check-in to save face. Simply allowing your confidence to stay in the same status without taking corrective action undermines the effectiveness of OKRs as a tool for driving change and improvement.
Teams should actively assess objectives that linger in yellow and decide whether to push harder for progress or deprioritise them. This encourages decisive action, whether reallocating resources, adjusting timelines, or revising the goal altogether. Addressing issues early ensures the team remains focused on meaningful progress rather than being stuck in inertia.
5. The rigidity of cascading OKRs
Cascading OKRs are a popular concept and having a perfect OKR diagram to show your boss can get you brownie points. But more often, cascading OKRs will fail. Cascading OKRs can quickly become complex and create unintended consequences across the organisation. When key results from one team roll into objectives for another, any changes to these key results can ripple throughout the system, affecting multiple objectives and teams. This interconnectedness often results in confusion and misalignment, especially if teams need better coordination.
To avoid the pitfalls of cascading OKRs, it’s essential to ensure that changes are carefully managed and communicated across all levels. Transparency and regular check-ins between teams are crucial to minimise disruption. While cascading OKRs may seem like an efficient way to align teams, the risk of over-complication means they should be used sparingly and with a strong system of communication in place.
6. Aligning OKRs vs. cascading OKRs
Aligning OKRs offers more flexibility and focus compared to cascading OKRs. With alignment, teams work toward shared goals while maintaining autonomy in defining their key results. This approach ensures that all teams are moving in the same direction without the rigid dependencies created by cascading. Teams respect the intent of the parent OKR without having every detail tied directly to another team’s key results.
Cascading OKRs, on the other hand, tightly connect objectives and key results across different levels of the organisation organisation. While this can create a clear line of sight from top to bottom, it adds complexity and can cause bottlenecks when changes occur. Aligning OKRs allows for better adaptability and collaboration across teams, minimising the risk of misalignment or disruption.
7. Balancing stability and flexibility in OKRs
In a quarterly OKR cycle, it’s important to balance what remains stable and where adjustments might be necessary. Objectives, represented at the core, typically don’t change during the cycle—they define the long-term outcomes you aim to achieve. Key results, on the other hand, might evolve as progress is tracked and adjustments are needed based on performance or external factors.
Initiatives, which represent the specific actions or projects that support your OKRs, are the most flexible layer. They are expected to change and adapt as the quarter progresses, reflecting the dynamic nature of executing your goals. This layered approach ensures that while the overall direction remains constant, teams can pivot as needed to achieve success.
8. MBO vs OKR: Understanding key differences
MBOs (Management by Objectives) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) aim to drive organisational success, they differ significantly in their approach. Most often MBOs are seen as a predecessor to OKRs. When looking back at the history of OKRs, they were very much inspired and an iteration on the MBO framework. MBOs typically follow an annual cycle with realistic and achievable goals often set privately between managers and employees. This structure tends to limit agility, with performance closely tied to reviews and compensation, making it harder to adapt to changes throughout the year.
OKRs, on the other hand, operate on shorter cycles, often quarterly, encouraging ambition with stretch goals and promoting transparency. Objectives are shared openly across teams, and performance isn’t tied to compensation, reducing the fear of failure. This fosters a more collaborative and agile environment where continuous feedback is encouraged, allowing teams to adjust their real-time efforts to stay on track.
9. Output vs. outcome thinking: When things go wrong
When teams face challenges, how they respond can reveal whether they focus on output or outcomes. Output thinking often emphasises immediate tasks or projects that are measured simply by it's completion. This approach centres on completing tasks and meeting deadlines, but it may only sometimes lead to meaningful results.
In contrast, outcome-driven teams will shift the focus to the broader impact and long-term success. This mindset encourages teams to explore new possibilities and prioritise efforts that drive significant outcomes rather than just finishing a checklist. By focusing on impact rather than just output, teams can adapt more effectively and drive meaningful change even when things aren’t going as planned.
10. Same progress, different trends: What your progress tells you
Not all progress is equal, and trends can reveal the underlying story of how you’re achieving your goals. Two teams might reach the same outcome, but how they got there matters. A bumpy or inconsistent trend, with highs and lows along the way, may suggest challenges with execution, changing priorities, or inefficiencies. On the other hand, a steady upward trend often indicates consistent, sustainable progress, showing that a team is on the right track.
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Analysing trends helps teams understand whether their progress is repeatable and scalable. A smooth, upward trend signifies strong processes, while a more erratic trend might highlight areas for improvement or risk. Tracking these trends over time is crucial for making informed decisions on sustaining or adjusting efforts moving forward.
11. OKRs vs. initiatives: Understanding their roles
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Objectives define the direction of where the team needs to go, acting as a guiding compass. They should be inspiring yet specific enough to clarify the end goal. Objectives give teams a sense of purpose and outline what success looks like at a high level.
Key Results, on the other hand, provide the traction needed to measure progress toward those objectives. These measurable outcomes track whether you’re on course to achieve the objective. Regularly evaluating Key Results helps ensure that the team stays on track and can adjust efforts if needed.
Initiatives are concrete actions or projects that drive Key Results forward. These are the tasks teams undertake to achieve their Key Results. Not all initiatives will succeed, and that’s okay—what matters is testing and adapting as needed to keep the objective in focus.
12. Objectives should inspire direction, not dictate actions
A strong objective clarifies the desired outcome but allows flexibility in how that outcome is achieved. Instead of focusing on specific tasks like “Integrate with Stripe,” a good objective sets a broader goal, such as “Successfully monetise our app.” This opens up possibilities for different approaches while ensuring everyone works toward the same result.
By setting clear Key Results, such as “Reach $1,000 MRR,” teams can measure progress toward the objective while remaining open to various initiatives or projects that help achieve the goal. This approach promotes innovation and ensures that teams are focused on outcomes, not just tasks.
13. The relationship between outcomes and outputs
Outcomes and outputs are deeply interconnected, but it’s important to understand how they drive one another. Outputs are the tangible actions or tasks your team completes, such as product releases or marketing campaigns. These outputs, however, are only meaningful if they drive desired outcomes—measurable results that impact your goals, like increased revenue or user engagement.
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Once outcomes are achieved, the team should refine their outputs, using insights from those outcomes to improve continuously. This cycle ensures that outputs are aligned with long-term success, constantly adapting and evolving to drive meaningful results. Teams should always remember that while outputs are necessary, the ultimate focus should remain on the outcomes they produce.
14. The benefits of OKRs are perceived differently by leadership and teams
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The first step in rolling out OKRs across your teams is convincing everyone that this is the right thing to do. Everyone needs to be on the same page about wanting OKRs. Doing this first, will help you avoid difficulties later.
OKRs provide clear organisational benefits, but leadership and your teams perceive OKRs differently. For leadership, OKRs increase visibility, foster department alignment, and help the organisation become more data-driven. Leaders appreciate how OKRs clarify goals and shift the focus from outputs to outcomes, ensuring that efforts are impactful and strategic.
OKRs might initially feel like extra reporting for teams, but when used effectively, they enhance traceability and empower teams by increasing their impact and ownership over projects. OKRs foster a sense of accountability and trust, giving teams the autonomy to find creative solutions while maintaining alignment with the organisation’s objectives.
Make sure that your team is clear on the benefits they will get so that you get full buy-in as soon as possible.
15. Start simple: Less is more when setting OKRs
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The #1 most common mistake is having too many OKRs. Tracking too many objectives and key results can dilute focus and make it harder to measure meaningful progress. It’s essential to start simple—limit your OKRs to a manageable number, such as three objectives per plan with three key results per objective.
By keeping things straightforward, teams can focus on the most critical goals and ensure they are making real progress. This clarity helps teams stay aligned, reduces overwhelm, and increases the likelihood of achieving the desired outcomes.
16. Good vs. bad OKR check-ins: Why details matter
Regular check-ins are critical for tracking the progress of OKRs, but not all updates are created equal. A bad check-in might state that things are “on track” without providing context, leaving the team without a clear understanding of the factors behind the progress. It lacks depth and actionable insights, making it harder to address potential issues early.
A good check-in, on the other hand, goes beyond surface-level updates. It includes specific data points, highlights trends, and discusses ongoing initiatives or experiments contributing to success. This kind of detailed update provides transparency and opens the door for feedback and collaboration, ensuring that the team remains aligned and can make informed decisions.
17. Anatomy of a good weekly OKR check-in
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A good weekly check-in isn’t just about reporting numbers—it’s about providing meaningful context and setting your team up for continued progress. By addressing key questions such as what happened last week, how it happened, and what blockers may exist, teams can focus on reflection and forward planning. This level of transparency helps everyone stay aligned on progress while offering an opportunity to address any potential issues before they become bigger problems.
In this template, we see an effective check-in that shares achievements and insights while flagging improvement areas. The team celebrates progress, acknowledges the SEO efforts that contributed to the success, and clarifies the next steps, such as addressing a few missing CTAs on popular posts. This approach keeps the team informed and invites collaboration, ensuring everyone is aware of successes and areas that need attention moving forward.
If your team struggles with check-ins that are too short, send them this rubric!
18. Why you should not score OKRs like Google
Google’s OKR scoring system celebrates success at 70%, which can confuse or frustrate teams unfamiliar with the approach. While Google promotes a culture of stretch goals and sees 70% as an achievement, most organisations are used to celebrating success when they hit 100%, especially regarding KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
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Trying to apply Google’s scoring system can result in misalignment, where teams either feel discouraged for not reaching 100% or don’t fully understand the reason for celebrating at 70%. OrganisationsOrganisations must establish a scoring system that fits their culture, where goals are challenging but still clear, and achievements are celebrated consistently across the team.
20. Balance eading vs. lagging indicators
When setting OKRs, it’s important to balance both leading and lagging indicators to ensure you're tracking progress effectively. Leading indicators, such as the number of emails sent or demos booked, provide early signs of whether you’re on track to hit your goals. These are especially useful in slow sales cycles where immediate results aren’t visible but early actions can predict success.
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Lagging indicators, like churn rate or MRR growth, are outcomes that measure the impact of your efforts but often come later in the process. In faster sales cycles, lagging indicators can help gauge performance, but relying solely on them can cause delays in course correction. By combining both types of indicators, you get a fuller picture of how your initiatives are progressing and can make more informed adjustments along the way.
20. The four stages of OKRs: From output to outcome-driven success
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Organisations often undergo four stages of OKR maturity in their OKR implementation. Stage 1 focuses on outputs, with top-down directives, where goals are dictated without input from teams. This stage often lacks shared ownership or visibility into the “why” behind tasks.
In Stage 2, companies shift to outcome-driven, but directives are still primarily top-down. Goals are recognised as important, but collaboration and input are limited.
By Stage 3, organisations achieve greater balance, incorporating both top-down directives and bottom-up contributions. This fosters more ownership across the team, with goals becoming a shared responsibility.
In Stage 4, the most mature stage, teams are fully outcome-driven, with clear goals and fast feedback loops. There’s a mix of top-down alignment with bottom-up contributions, ensuring goals are set collaboratively and tracked efficiently for maximum impact.
No matter what stage you’re at, understand it’s a long journey!
Conclusion: Embrace the Challenge of OKRs
The truth is that OKRs are hard. They require focus, discipline, and a willingness to adjust continuously. No matter how well you prepare, there will be moments when your team feels off track or when it seems like you’ve set goals that are too ambitious (or not ambitious enough). That’s part of the journey. The key is to recognise that OKRs are not about getting everything right the first time—they’re about creating clarity and making progress, even if that progress comes with some missteps.
I hope these infographics provide small, digestible lessons you can reflect on as you roll out your OKRs. Use them as reminders to stay focused, keep things simple, and prioritise outcomes over outputs. Whether it’s avoiding common pitfalls like setting too many objectives or learning how to handle a bad check-in, each lesson will help you navigate the inevitable bumps in the road. Don’t be afraid to experiment; more importantly, don’t be afraid to fail. That’s the point—learning from what didn’t work and using that knowledge to adjust your approach.
Ultimately, OKRs are a tool for growth, not perfection, and the more you embrace the challenge, the more meaningful your progress will be.
(If you need a more comprehensive guide to rolling out OKRs effectively, make sure to check out our OKR implementation guide.)
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