Ever set ambitious goals at the start of the year, only to find them gathering dust by the end? You’re not alone. Most of us have been there—full of good intentions but struggling to bridge the gap between strategy and execution. It’s like planning an awesome road trip, but never actually hitting the road.
Enter the 4DX and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework, two powerhouse methods that can help you move from dreaming to doing. These aren’t just another set of productivity hacks or motivational mantras—they are battle-tested systems for translating lofty goals into tangible results. In this post, we’ll explore each framework in detail to help you figure out which is best for you and your team.
Understanding the 4DX framework
If you’re unfamiliar with it, 4DX stands for the four disciplines of execution. It may sound a bit intimidating, but at its core, 4DX is all about simplifying the often overwhelming process of achieving important goals.
Here’s a breakdown of the four disciplines:
1. Focus on the wildly important
The first discipline is all about narrowing your focus to one or two *wildly important goals* (WIGs)—those critical objectives that, if achieved, will make a significant impact. The idea here is straightforward: by concentrating your efforts on a few key priorities, you can avoid spreading yourself too thin and increase your chances of success.
2. Act on the lead measures
Most of us are used to tracking lag measures—things like revenue, customer satisfaction, or project milestones. While these are important, they represent outcomes rather than actions. Lead measures, on the other hand, are the actions you can take now that will directly influence those outcomes. Think of it as focusing on the number of customer calls made each week, rather than waiting to see the sales figures at the end of the month.
3. Keep a compelling scoreboard
In 4DX, having a clear and visible scoreboard is crucial. It allows you and your team to see, at a glance, whether you’re on track to achieve your goals. This scoreboard is about motivation and ensuring that everyone stays focused on what matters most.
4. Create a cadence of accountability
The final discipline is all about regular accountability. Whether it’s through weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly check-ins, these meetings are essential for reviewing progress, addressing challenges, and making necessary adjustments. This is where you ensure that everyone stays committed and that the momentum continues. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate successes and re-align efforts as needed.
So, why is the 4DX framework worth your attention? Because it’s a proven method for turning strategic goals into tangible results. By focusing on what truly matters, taking consistent, meaningful actions, and maintaining accountability, 4DX provides a clear path from planning to execution.
Introduction to OKRs
Now that we’ve covered the 4DX framework, let’s talk about OKRs. OKRs offer a straightforward, flexible way to define and track your goals, making them a favourite among companies like Google, Intel, and of course our team at Tability.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how OKRs work:
1. Objectives
Objectives are the big-picture goals you want to achieve. They should be clear and inspirational. Think of them as the “what” you’re aiming for. For example, an objective might be to “increase customer satisfaction to industry-leading levels.” It’s ambitious, motivational, and sets the direction for your efforts.
2. Key Results
Key results are the specific, measurable outcomes that indicate you’re making progress toward your objective. These are the “how” you’ll achieve your objective. Each objective typically has three to five key results that serve as benchmarks along the way. Using the previous example, key results might include “achieve a customer satisfaction score of 90%,” “reduce customer support response time to under 2 hours,” and “implement a customer loyalty program by the end of Q3.” These are quantifiable targets that show whether you’re on track.
The beauty of OKRs lies in their simplicity and flexibility. They provide a clear framework that keeps everyone aligned on what needs to be accomplished, while also allowing room for adaptation as circumstances change. Unlike traditional goal-setting methods, OKRs encourage setting ambitious goals—often called “stretch goals”—that push teams to go beyond the status quo.
So, why should you consider using OKRs? Because they help ensure that your team is focused on the right things, making it easier to track performance and adjust course as needed. If you’re looking for a goal-setting method that’s both structured and adaptable, OKRs are definitely worth exploring.
Comparing and contrasting 4DX and OKRs frameworks
The 4DX and OKRs frameworks both aim to help organisations achieve their goals, but they do so in different ways.
4DX focuses on four key disciplines: prioritising important goals, working on lead measures, keeping a visible scoreboard, and maintaining accountability. For example, if a company's main goal is to improve customer satisfaction, they might set a lead measure, such as reducing response time to customer queries by 30%. Progress would be tracked on a scoreboard, and regular meetings would ensure accountability for these lead measures. It is action-oriented and helps prioritise the execution of key initiatives.
OKRs centre around setting clear objectives and defining measurable key results that indicate progress toward those objectives. For instance, an objective might be to "become a market leader in customer satisfaction," with key results such as achieving a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 70, increasing customer retention by 15%, and reducing average support response time to under 1 hour.
To make it easier to understand the similarities and differences between 4DX and OKRs, we’ve put together the following table:
Choosing the right framework
4DX
Best for:
- Achieving specific, critical goals that need focused execution.
- Driving action in environments where daily tasks (the whirlwind) can easily distract from key objectives.
- Teams that need continuous accountability and motivation to stay on track.
Who should use it:
- Teams or organisations that struggle with execution and need a disciplined process to focus on achieving results.
- Teams working on operational improvements or specific projects with well-defined targets.
- Middle management or functional teams with defined outcomes that require weekly progress tracking.
When to use it:
- When there is a need to execute on a few critical, short-term goals amid a busy environment.
- When consistent action and accountability are required to drive success on key initiatives.
- When teams are overwhelmed by the whirlwind of daily tasks and need to narrow their focus to critical priorities.
OKRs
Best for:
- Setting and tracking ambitious, long-term strategic goals.
- Aligning teams and organisations around common objectives to drive overall growth.
- Encouraging innovation and growth through setting stretch objectives that push boundaries.
Who should use it:
- Leadership teams that need to align multiple departments or teams toward a common vision.
- Teams or organisations looking to set and achieve higher-level, aspirational goals.
- Organisations prioritising growth and long-term strategic outcomes.
When to use it:
- When you want to set ambitious goals and track measurable outcomes over a defined period (e.g., quarterly or annually).
- When aligning the entire organisation towards shared objectives that drive strategic initiatives.
- When performance needs to be measured through specific key results that track progress toward significant outcomes.
Why we prefer OKRs
Our team at Tability is all about using OKRs because they're great for setting big goals and ensuring we're making real progress. OKRs push us to think outside the box and go beyond what's comfortable. By setting clear goals and tracking them with key results, we can stay on top of our progress, find areas to improve, and adjust our plans as needed. This flexibility is essential in a startup environment.
OKRs also help us all stay on the same page. They connect everyone's goals to the company's overall strategy, which gives us a shared sense of purpose. This alignment helps us work together and keeps everyone moving in the same direction. It's all about holding ourselves accountable and being open about our goals. It also makes it much easier to see how we're doing and celebrate our victories as a team.
The wrap
Both 4DX and OKRs are solid frameworks for helping teams set and achieve goals, but they each work best in different situations. 4DX is great when you need to focus on executing a few key goals and keeping everyone on track with weekly accountability. It’s particularly helpful when day-to-day tasks tend to take over, as it ensures that the team stays locked in on what really matters.
OKRs offer more flexibility and are ideal for setting big, ambitious goals while tracking clear outcomes. They work well when you want everyone on the same page, driving towards the same objectives, but with the freedom to adjust as things change. OKRs help teams push boundaries, stay aligned, and create a sense of shared purpose across the organisation.
While both frameworks have their place, OKRs are a better fit for companies where long-term growth, alignment, and measurable progress are key. OKRs give you the clarity you need to stay focused on your biggest goals, while still being adaptable enough to evolve as you grow.
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