An Objective describes where you want to go. It is qualitative, inspiring, and ambitious.
- Short and memorable (max. 1 sentence)
- Motivating — it should give energy
- Not measurable! (that's what Key Results are for)
- Time-bound (usually 1 quarter)
Key Results are the measurable success indicators for an Objective. They answer: "How do we know we've achieved it?"
- Always quantitative and measurable
- Outcome-based (not: "hold a meeting" but: "NPS from 30 to 50")
- Ambitious but achievable (70% goal attainment = good)
- 2–4 Key Results per Objective
Initiatives are the concrete actions that contribute to Key Results. They are the link between strategy and daily operations.
- Projects, tasks, or experiments
- One initiative can contribute to multiple Key Results
- Can be adjusted during the quarter (OKRs cannot!)
KR1: Increase NPS from 32 to 50
KR2: Avg. Response Time from 4h to 1h
KR3: First-Contact-Resolution to 80%
KR1: Implement new ticket system
KR2: Conduct 3 trainings
KR3: Weekly team meetings
KR1: Time-to-Hire from 45 to 25 days
KR2: Offer-Acceptance-Rate from 60% to 85%
KR3: Glassdoor rating from 3.8 to 4.3
KR1: Hire 20 new employees
KR2: Attend 5 job fairs
KR3: Launch LinkedIn campaign
💡 Remember: Output vs. Outcome
Output = What we do (conduct training, buy a tool, set up a meeting)
Outcome = What changes as a result (customer satisfaction increases, error rate decreases)
Key Results always measure Outcomes. Outputs belong in Initiatives.
🚫 The 5 Most Common OKR Mistakes
3–5 Objectives max. Less is more. Focus is the core of OKR.
"Implement new CRM" is an initiative, not a Key Result. KRs measure results.
OKRs are for change and growth, not for daily operations. "Deliver reports on time" is a KPI.
OKRs need regular check-ins (weekly/bi-weekly). Otherwise they become a paper tiger.
OKRs ≠ Performance Review. If KRs are tied to bonuses, no one will set ambitious goals anymore.
Monthly: Deeper review — Are we on track? Do initiatives need adjusting?
End of Quarter: Scoring and retrospective — What did we learn?
🏗️ OKR Levels verstehen
OKRs can exist at different levels. The art is cascading them cleanly — so that team goals contribute to company goals without becoming 1:1 copies.
Company OKRs
Strategic goals that set the overall direction. Set by the leadership team.
KR: Market share from 12% to 20%
Team OKRs
The team's contribution to company strategy. The team defines how it contributes.
KR: Retention Rate from 80% to 92%
Individual OKRs
Personal development goals. Note: Not every org needs this level!
KR: Close 3 Enterprise Deals independently
⚠️ Common Mistakes bei den Ebenen
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Small company (<50 employees) | Nur Company OKRs. Teams sind klein genug, direkt dran zu arbeiten. |
| Mid-size (50–500 employees) | Companys + Team OKRs. Der Sweet Spot für die meisten. |
| Enterprise (500+ employees) | All three levels possible, but individual OKRs only if the culture is ready. |
| OKR Newcomer | Start mit Team OKRs only! Company OKRs erst im 2. oder 3. Cycle dazu. |
Step 1: Who are you writing for?
Choose the level where your OKR is situated.
Step 2: Context
Tell me about the current situation.
Your OKR Suggestion
Based on your input — adjust what doesn't fit!
✅ Quality Check
✍️ The Formula
Objective: "We will..." + inspiring goal (qualitative)
Key Result: "[Metric] from [Current] to [Target]" (quantitative)
Example:
O: We become the best onboarding experience in the industry
KR: Reduce Time-to-Value from 14 days to 5 days
📋 OKR Health Check
Enter your OKR and we'll check it for the most common quality issues.
💡 Why OKR?
"If you tell everyone where you're going and what success looks like — let them surprise you with how they get there."
— Frei nach John Doerr, "Measure What Matters"
😵 Without OKRs
- Every team works in its own direction
- "We're busy" ≠ "We're productive"
- Priorities unclear — everything is important
- Success = feeling instead of measurement
- Strategy stays in PowerPoint
🎯 With OKRs
- All teams pull in one direction
- Focus on few, important goals
- Transparency: Everyone knows what others are working on
- Measurable progress instead of gut feeling
- Strategy is lived, not just presented
Has been using OKRs since 1999 — then 40 employees. Today 180,000+. OKRs helped maintain focus during explosive growth.
Spotify
Combines OKRs with their Squad model. Each Squad sets its own OKRs that contribute to Tribe OKRs. Autonomy + Alignment.
Booking.com
Uses OKRs to guide experimentation culture. Instead of "test 100 features", they measure which experiments truly contribute to goals.
Lufthansa Group
OKRs in transformation: Moving from traditional goal agreements to dynamic, quarterly goals in selected areas.
🤝 How Both Complement Each Other
Learn, Understand, Generate
= The Coach
Document, Track, Report
= The Tool