I’ll never forget the first time I introduced OKRs to my team.
We were a small startup - scrappy, ambitious, and driven by big dreams (who isn’t?).
I was excited to implement OKRs because I had heard how powerful they could be in helping teams stay focused and aligned. But as I sat down to write them, something became immediately clear:
The process wasn’t as simple as I thought.
I started drafting OKRs that seemed to check all the boxes - specific, measurable, time-bound - but when I shared them with the team, the response was lukewarm at best.
Some of them felt too vague, others seemed impossible, and a few just didn’t resonate with what we were actually working on.
It became evident that writing OKRs wasn’t just about setting goals - it was about setting the right goals that would actually move the needle for our company.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot about how to write OKRs that not only align with company objectives but also drive real, meaningful impact.
Writing OKRs that actually make a difference takes a little strategy, focus, and a solid understanding of what your team needs to succeed.
In this article, I share what I’ve learned about writing OKRs so you can set goals that truly drive progress and align your team for success.
1. Start with Your Company’s Big Picture
Before you write your first OKR, take a step back and ask yourself:
What are your company’s big picture goals?
Your OKRs should be tied to the broader vision of where you want to go - whether that’s growing your customer base, launching a new product feature, or optimizing internal processes.
In my early days, I made the mistake of creating OKRs that felt good on paper but didn’t directly support our long-term mission.
I quickly realized that if the OKRs don’t align with the company’s priorities, they won’t push the team forward. By ensuring that your OKRs are aligned with the company’s core goals, you’ll give your team a clear sense of purpose and direction.
2. Make Objectives Ambitious but Achievable
When you’re writing objectives, it’s easy to either aim too high or too low.
I’ve learned that the key is to strike a balance - make your objectives ambitious, but still achievable. If your objectives are too easy, they won’t inspire your team. But if they’re too far out of reach, they’ll feel demotivated.
For example, in the beginning, I wrote an objective like “Increase sign ups,” which was too broad and non-specific.
Instead, make it concrete and measurable, like “Increase new sign ups by 25% in the next quarter.” This gives the team a challenging yet attainable target to focus on.
(Need some inspiration for OKRs? Try this: 32 OKR Examples for Startups
3. Focus on Measurable Key Results
Key results are where the rubber meets the road.
If your key results aren’t measurable, how will you know if you’ve succeeded?
This was a lesson I learned the hard way early on when I wrote vague key results like “Improve conversion rates.” It sounded good, but it wasn’t clear enough to track progress.
Instead, I started making my key results data-driven and specific.
For example, “Increase conversion rate by 15% over the next quarter.” This key result is measurable and gives the team a clear target to hit, which helps keep everyone accountable.
4. Break Down Big Goals into Actionable Steps
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by big, lofty goals.
In the early days of using OKRs, I set objectives that felt too distant, which made it difficult for my team to know where to start. I quickly realized that breaking down goals into actionable steps is key to success.
For example, if the objective is to “Onboard 10 new teams” the key results might include smaller, more actionable steps - also referred to as Initiatives - like:
- Reach out to 20 potential leads and schedule onboarding calls
- Create a streamlined onboarding process with video tutorials and documentation
- Achieve a 90% satisfaction rate from newly onboarded teams
By breaking down your OKRs into bite-sized, actionable tasks, you make them more manageable for your team and give them clear, achievable steps to follow.
5. Involve Your Team in the OKR Process
One thing I didn’t anticipate was the importance of involving my team in the process.
I initially set the OKRs myself, thinking I had all the answers.
But when I opened up the process and asked for feedback from my team, it made a huge difference. When your team feels ownership of the OKRs, they are more likely to be committed to achieving them.
If you’re setting OKRs for a product team, for example, collaborate with them to define what success looks like. They’re the ones closest to the work, and involving them in the process ensures the OKRs are both realistic and aligned with what’s achievable.
6. Keep Your OKRs Focused and Limit the Number of Objectives
Like many startups, I made the mistake of setting too many OKRs at once.
The result?
My team felt scattered and unfocused. It became clear that trying to focus on too many things at once diluted our efforts and made it harder to prioritize.
Now, I keep the number of OKRs limited - usually 3 to 5 objectives that are most important to the company’s success. This helps my team stay laser-focused on what truly matters, without feeling overwhelmed by a long list of competing priorities.
7. Review, Reflect, and Adjust Regularly
Finally, I learned that OKRs aren’t set-and-forget goals.
It’s important to review and reflect on progress regularly. At the end of each OKR cycle, I make it a point to evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and where we can improve. This continuous reflection helps refine the process and make future OKRs more impactful.
By regularly reviewing your OKRs, you ensure that they remain relevant and adaptable to changing circumstances, which is especially important in a fast-paced startup environment.
Conclusion
Writing OKRs that actually move the needle isn’t about setting goals for the sake of setting goals. It’s about defining objectives that align with your company’s vision and drive meaningful progress.
By involving your team, focusing on measurable results, and consistently reflecting on your progress, you’ll be able to set OKRs that not only move the needle but propel your startup forward.
Take the lessons I’ve learned along the way and apply them to your own OKR process. With the right OKRs, you’ll have a clear roadmap for success that keeps your team aligned, focused, and motivated to achieve what truly matters.
