30 Nov Are you serious enough about your business objectives to put your super suit on?
Choosing business objectives is one of the most crucial yet challenging tasks you will undertake as a business leader, especially now during this uncertain time of turmoil.
Get it right and your business survives, get it wrong and you’ll need to re-think and re-assess.
To help you focus on the right priority, John Doerr in his book ‘Measure What Matters’ recommends that you use the OKR method. It’s a system that will help engage your team to focus on what matters the most (the objective) and to be able to continuously measure the progress (key results).
When you remove all the doubt and ambiguity from your team about where you are heading and what needs to be done to get there, you will ensure their support for what your objective is.
Your team will need this now more than ever – they need something to focus on.
OKRs are not a silver bullet and are not going to be a substitute for a strong culture or stronger leadership but when you have those fundamentals in place, they can take you to the top.
So, what can you achieve with OKRs?
Doerr believes you gain 4 superpowers as a direct result of using OKRS, here they are:
Superpower 1 – Focus and Commit to Priorities
Build a list of the things you should or must do to improve the performance of your business. When you have your list choose the ONE priority that will get your full attention for the next 13 weeks.
Superpower 2 – Align and Connect for Teamwork
OKRs allow the entire business to prioritise. With your priority clearly identified, work with your team on the actions and who is responsible for each one.
Superpower 3 – Track for Accountability
OKRs are driven by data. Work out the activities and measures that will help track performance.
OKRs are transparent, and regular check-ins allow employees to discuss progress and see the impact an individual’s work is having on the overall objective, this can often encourage greater collaboration in your team.
Superpower 4 – Stretch for Amazing
Bringing ambition to your quarterly objective creates energy within your team and a striving within their thinking and actions meaning they work harder, can they stretch as far as Bono or Google?