Sara Lobkovich, J.D., NBC-HWCAlmost all of my engagements start with supporting OKR creation -- often with organizations that started with a DIY approach. It's pretty rare for me to (1) come into an organization after another OKR pro; or (2) to work in a hands-on way with clients during the implementation phase.
But late last year a prospect came to me: they'd worked with another OKR coach to get up and running -- and that person did an undeniably awesome job supporting their OKR creation efforts.
(An aside, I am grateful everyday for finding my way into a specialty where people put so much effort into this craft. People don't wind up OKR "experts" by accident, and I love us so much. 💕)
This team has been struggling with OKR achievement. Their biweekly meetings followed a familiar pattern:
↴
Long, expensive round-robins of people reporting on what they're doing, almost always with the message:
"We're a little behind, but we'll make it up before end of quarter."
(Spoiler alert: rarely do they make it up before end of quarter.)
In just four meetings working together, with small incremental changes each meeting, I've observed remarkable shifts.
↴
Here's a quick data snapshot:
⬇️ Subjective updates dropped 41% (from 85% to 50%)
⬆️ Cross-team questions increased 275% (from 4 to 15)
⬆️ Active engagement up 257% (from 7 to 25)
⬆️ My No-BS OKRs model's assessment of "Accountability Culture" jumped by 5 points: from 3/10 to 8/10
Key shifts:
✅ More honest progress reporting
✅ Building psychological safety
✅ Genuine curiosity about challenges
✅ Focusing on outcomes, not activities
Magic happens when leaders commit to learning, not performing.
#Leadership #IntellectualHumility
↴
Want to learn more about making OKRs actually work -- without the BS?
Follow me here for practical frameworks and No-BS, pragmatic approaches that drive real change ... developed from working with OKR implementors in 300+ organizations globally.
(And -- I love answering questions, so ping me anytime!)