OKR implementation: a complete guide (with checklist and video tutorials)

Implementing OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can present a few challenges when you’re just getting started. Our Head of Customer Success, Wyl Villacres, has helped more than a hundred teams get over that hurdle, and he put together a free comprehensive guide to help.

He has created a thorough OKR implementation checklist that you can duplicate, and wrote 5 different chapters, each having their own tutorial video:

• Implementation planning
• Top-down vs. bottom-up OKRs
• Aspirational vs. committed goals
• Getting good goal updates from your team
• Running a weekly routine

This post is a brief summary of the content that Wyl wrote, and serves more as a bookmark to help you get to the right place.

How to use this guide

1. Duplicate the OKR implementation checklist
2. Read each section summary (this post)
3. Follow the link at the top of each section to get the detailed guide + resources
4. Watch the corresponding lesson
5. Implement the learnings and tick your progress in the implementation checklist

Implementation planning

📘 Read the full Implementation planning guide + watch the lesson

Effective OKR implementation requires thorough planning. There are four main considerations when planning your OKR rollout:

1. Who is leading the OKR process?
2. Who will be working on OKRs?
3. How does your team approach OKRs?
4. What are your OKRs?

Who is leading your OKR process?

Successful OKR implementation requires clear leadership roles. The following positions should be defined:

• Executive sponsor: This leader, ideally the CEO or COO, champions the OKR process and ensures compliance. The executive sponsor is crucial for maintaining the momentum of the OKR process across the organisation. The Chief of Staff may also fill this role if they possess sufficient authority and are regarded as a leader.
• Program owner: The OKR program owner is responsible for overseeing the adoption of OKRs, becoming the go-to expert for the OKR process. This person will collaborate closely with the executive sponsor and develop the OKR playbook, ensuring all teams follow the agreed-upon process.
• OKR champions: These individuals act as liaisons between the program owner and the teams working on OKRs. Their role is to be knowledgeable about the OKR process, particularly in writing and tracking OKRs, and they are tasked with answering team questions or escalating complex issues to the program owner.

Who will be working on your OKRs?

Not every team member should initially be involved in the OKR process. To begin, it's recommended to focus on the executive or leadership team to establish a strong foundation. This creates a clear signal that the leadership is fully committed to OKRs, rather than implementing them as mere busywork for employees.

As the OKR process scales across the organisation, it's essential to involve the right teams gradually. Some teams, particularly those more focused on tasks than outcomes (such as engineering, security, or IT), may resist the process. These teams should be included only once the organisation has successfully adapted to thinking in terms of outcomes, not just tasks or projects.

Avoid scaling the process too rapidly. Just because the executive team has had a successful quarter with OKRs, it doesn't mean the entire organisation will easily follow suit. OKRs require time and experience to refine, and scaling too fast can lead to ill-formed OKRs that are harder to correct.

How does your team do OKRs?

A well-documented OKR process ensures that team members, particularly those new to OKRs, can quickly learn how to contribute. It also helps dispel any concerns that OKRs are merely a tool for micromanagement.

Your OKR documentation, or "OKR playbook," should include:

• A statement on why your organisation uses OKRs: For example, "We use OKRs to enhance transparency and provide our teams with more autonomy by setting clear goals, without focusing on day-to-day tasks."
• Your company’s mission and vision: OKRs serve as a bridge between your daily work and the larger mission of the company.
• A guide on how to write OKRs: Include sections on defining objectives and key results, differentiating between tasks and key results, and determining how many OKRs each team should have.
• An explanation of the OKR writing process: Clarify the steps, such as publishing top-level goals first, and how teams should create aligned objectives.
• A list of key contacts: This should include the executive sponsor, OKR program owner, and OKR champions.

What are your OKRs?

Before individual teams can draft their own OKRs, it is critical that the organisation's top-level OKRs are defined and published. The executive sponsor is responsible for this announcement, which should ideally occur at an all-hands meeting, followed by a detailed email that includes the process and a link to the OKR playbook.

During the announcement, the executive sponsor should explain why the organisation is adopting OKRs, set expectations for who will work on OKRs this quarter, detail how progress will be reported, and reveal the top-level OKRs. It's essential to commit to regularly sharing progress at future meetings.

Top-down vs. bottom-up OKRs

📘 Read the full Top-down vs. bottom-up OKRs guide + watch the lesson

The balance between top-down and bottom-up OKRs has been a point of debate. Initially, companies often perfectly cascaded their OKRs, meaning top-level key results became objectives for the next layer of teams. However, this approach was slow, led to misaligned goals, and left teams feeling that they had no ownership over their objectives.

In response, many organisations adopted a bottom-up approach, where teams set their own goals based on the company’s overall mission. While this was intended to empower teams, it often led to goals that were unfocused or not aligned with broader organisational priorities.

The best approach lies in a middle ground. Organisations should set and publish their top-level goals to provide clear direction. Teams can then write their own OKRs that align with these broader objectives. By asking, "How can we contribute to this goal?" teams can maintain a sense of ownership while staying aligned with the company's overall direction.

Exercise for writing bottom-up goals

Teams can use the following steps to write bottom-up goals:

1. Start by copying a company objective relevant to your team’s function.
2. List the KPIs your team tracks related to that objective.
3. Pick 3-5 KPIs that could be improved and set realistic targets for improving them this quarter.
4. Refine the objective so it becomes more relevant to your team’s work.

Aspirational vs. committed goals

📘 Read the full Aspiration vs. committed goals guide + watch the lesson

When setting targets, consider the distinction between aspirational and committed goals, as well as two additional categories: roofshot and moonshot goals.

• Aspirational goals: These are goals that stretch the team, but it's acceptable if they aren't fully achieved. These goals demonstrate ambition and can help push the team to reach new heights. However, setting too many aspirational goals can lead to demotivation if they feel unattainable.
• Committed goals: These are non-negotiable goals that must be met. They often include outcomes promised to the board or critical to business success. It's important not to overload teams with committed goals, as it can prevent them from prioritising their work effectively.
• Roofshot goals: These are achievable but still require effort. Roofshot goals should make up a significant portion of your OKRs, as they are challenging but attainable.
• Moonshot goals: These are highly ambitious and require significant resources to achieve. They can be transformational but should be used sparingly, as they may demand an intense focus that could detract from other goals.

Getting good goal updates from your team

📘 Read the full Getting good goal updates from your team guide + watch the lesson

To make informed strategic decisions, it's crucial to receive consistent and meaningful updates from teams on their OKRs. A good OKR update includes both leading and trailing indicators of progress:

• Leading indicators: These are factors that will influence whether the goal will be met. Examples include project progress, sentiment about goal achievement, and potential risks that may impact the goal.
• Trailing indicators: These reflect what has already occurred, such as current key result metrics or related metrics like revenue or the number of deals closed.

What should be included in an update?

A strong goal update includes:

• The current metric
• Confidence in achieving the goal (e.g., red/yellow/green status)
• Analysis of the key result: What has been done so far, and what still needs to happen?
• Identification of resources needed for success
• Plans for the next steps in achieving the key result

Creating a culture of transparency

Transparency is essential for OKR success, and creating a transparent culture requires active participation from leadership. Accountability should begin with managers and executives. One way to ensure accountability is by dedicating time each week to discuss OKRs in meetings.

Celebrating progress, even when goals are not fully met, is another way to encourage participation. Celebrate achievements such as completing check-ins, providing honest updates, or collaborating with teammates.

Moreover, goal updates should not just be a formality. They should be documented in a way that encourages reflection and serves as a "living document" that helps guide the team’s progress.

Running a weekly routine

📘 Read the full Running a weekly routine guide + watch the lesson

Building a habit around OKR tracking is essential for success. A strong weekly routine ensures that OKRs stay top of mind. Here's a sample routine:

• Monday: Team members check in on their OKRs, updating metrics, confidence levels, and commenting on their progress, challenges, and resource needs.
• Tuesday: The team reads each other's updates, leaves comments, and discusses common themes, challenges, or opportunities for collaboration.
• Wednesday to Friday: Team members focus on progressing toward their goals, marking tasks as completed and adding new initiatives as they emerge.‍
• Friday: Outcome owners review their progress and ensure nothing has slipped through the cracks.