What Is an OKR Initiative?

Your organization has written OKRs to reach ambitious goals, but now what? How do you actually achieve the objectives and key results you've set? 

Just as you wouldn't head to a new city without GPS, you shouldn't expect your teams to work toward a key result without guidance. OKR initiatives are the actions that will bring the key result to completion. Now, fill up your tank because we're heading out to explore this additional stop along the OKR journey. 

OKR initiatives explained

So, what exactly is an OKR initiative? If an objective is the destination of your road trip and the key results are the necessary pit stops, the OKR initiatives are the car that gets you there. They are the vehicle that turns your plans into action and keeps you moving forward. Without them, your objectives would remain distant ideas without the means to reach them. 

An OKR initiative is the specific, tactical plan you put in place to achieve the objectives and key results you've set. 

Here's a quick example to bring it to life. Let's say your objective is to improve the customer satisfaction rating to 90% by the end of Q4. One of your key results might be, "Reduce average customer support response time to under 5 minutes." The OKR initiatives, then, could include: 

• Implement a new customer service chatbot that handles common queries instantly.
• Conduct training for the customer support team to ensure they provide accurate and helpful responses more quickly.

These initiatives form an actionable plan that helps you reach that key result, bringing you closer to your objective.

How to develop effective OKR initiatives

Developing effective OKR initiatives involves thoughtful planning and alignment with your overall strategy. Here's how to ensure your initiatives are not only feasible but also impactful.

Step 1: Start with clear, ambitious objectives

Your objectives should challenge your team and align with the broader organizational goals. When setting objectives, ask yourself: Will this objective drive a significant impact? If the answer is yes, you're on the right road.

Step 2: Define measurable key results

Key results are benchmarks that tell you if you're on your way to reaching your objective. Make them specific, time-bound, and quantifiable. For example, instead of saying, "Improve sales," a key result could be: "Increase new customer sign-ups by 25% in Q3."

Step 3: Map out your initiatives

Your trip starts here. You're packing your bags, buying the snacks, and hitting the road. Your initiatives are the concrete actions you'll take to achieve your key results. Break them down into manageable tasks, assign responsibilities, and set deadlines. Make sure each initiative directly ties back to your key results. If it doesn't, you might find yourself veering off course rather than driving toward your destination. 

Step 4: Involve your team

An OKR initiative isn't a solo mission, and who wants to go on a road trip alone anyway? Involve your team from the get-go. Encourage collaboration, ask for input, and make sure everyone knows how they contribute to the overall goal. That way, everyone feels more invested and motivated. Also, try to agree on a road trip playlist everyone tolerates.

Step 5: Review and revise regularly

OKRs are meant to be adaptable, not carved in stone. Regularly review your initiatives and your progress towards them to stay on track. Don't be afraid to take a different route if you're stuck. Flexibility is essential in adapting to shifts in market conditions, evolving customer demands, or changes in organizational priorities.

Common challenges and solutions in OKR initiatives

OKR initiatives don't always go off without a hitch. Common obstacles can pop up along the way, but being prepared can keep you from looking like that deer in the headlights.

It's natural to want to aim high, but setting goals that are too lofty can lead to burnout and frustration. By setting challenging yet realistic goals, you can keep your team motivated and engaged without pushing them beyond their limits.

Resource constraints can also pose a challenge. Insufficient resources—whether it's time, budget, or personnel—can derail even the most well-intentioned plans. Before beginning any initiative, take a close look at what's available. You might need to adjust your approach or allocate resources more strategically if resources are limited.

Organizations can stumble if the initiatives don't align with broader goals, which leads to wasted effort and missed opportunities. Just because you drove your team to Portland on time and on budget, it doesn't matter if your boss meant for you to be in Maine, not Oregon. Ensuring that every initiative supports the company's strategic direction maximizes the impact of your work. 

Change, even when necessary, can be met with hesitation or pushback, particularly if team members feel overwhelmed. Navigate resistance through clear and frequent communication when introducing the OKR framework and deciding on your first OKR initiatives. By articulating the OKR benefits, providing adequate training, and offering ongoing support, you can help ease the transition and foster a more receptive environment.

Measuring the success of OKR initiatives

Tracking progress is where the rubber meets the road. Knowing if your OKR initiatives are hitting the mark is impossible without proper measurement. Here's how to stay on top of it:

1. Regular check-ins:

Set up regular check-ins to review progress. Whether it's weekly team meetings or bi-weekly reports, these touchpoints help you stay on course. They also offer a chance to make any necessary adjustments in real time.

2. Use the right tools:

Tools like Asana, Jira, or dedicated OKR software can be invaluable in keeping everyone on the same page and making progress visible. Pick a tool that suits your team's workflow and use it consistently.

3. Measure what matters:

Prioritize the metrics that actually reflect your progress toward the objective and avoid getting caught up in vanity metrics. Whether you're driving a 4-cylinder or a V8, it's the route you take and how you drive that determine when you arrive. Focus on what genuinely matters, such as the increase in customer satisfaction, the growth in revenue, or the reduction in churn rate, rather than getting sidetracked by extraneous stats.

4. Celebrate wins and learn from losses:

Celebrate when your initiatives succeed—no matter how small the win. Stopping to recognize accomplishments will boost morale and keep the momentum going. And when things don't go as planned? Don't brush over; use it as a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong, and adjust your GPS.

5. Continuous improvement:

OKRs are all about continuous improvement. At the end of each cycle, reflect on what worked and what didn't. Use these insights to refine your approach in the next round. Remember, OKR initiatives are iterative—they get better with each cycle.

Craft compelling OKRs

Are you feeling ready to craft OKRs? Check out Agile OKRs, a microcredential course from Scrum Alliance. Whether you're new to OKRs or looking to fine-tune your approach, this course offers the insights and tools you need to make a real impact.

Discover Agile OKRs