Should You Repeat a Key Result Just to Maintain Performance?

Achieving a Key Result (KR) is always worth celebrating.
But what happens when your team hits the target — and you want to keep that level of performance going?

A common question arises:
Should we carry the same KR into the next OKR cycle just to maintain what we've built?

Let’s break down when it makes sense to repeat a KR — and when it’s better to evolve your focus.

Success vs. Sustaining: What's the Goal Now?

The first thing to clarify is your intent.

If your last quarter’s Key Result was about improving performance (e.g., raising customer satisfaction from 65 to 80), then simply repeating the same KR might not be the most strategic use of your OKRs.

Why?

Because OKRs are designed to drive change, not just track the status quo.

So unless there’s a risk of regression, your focus should shift toward what’s next, not just maintaining past achievements.

When Repeating a KR Does Make Sense

There are a few situations where it’s valid to repeat a KR:

• The improvement is still fragile. If the process or system that got you to your target isn’t fully stable yet, a repeat KR can help reinforce behavior and embed habits.
• You want to confirm it's sustainable. One quarter of strong performance might be a fluke. Repeating the KR with the goal of proving consistency can validate success.
• The metric is business-critical. In areas like uptime, compliance, or security, maintaining a high threshold is non-negotiable — and deserves continued attention.

In these cases, it’s best to reframe the KR slightly to reflect that the goal is stability, not growth.

Example:

“Maintain NPS at 80 or above for 3 consecutive months”
Instead of: “Increase NPS to 80” (which was your KR last quarter)

When to Move On to New Key Results

If your system is mature, your processes are solid, and your team knows how to deliver consistent performance — repeating a KR could lead to stagnation.

Instead, consider:

• Building on that momentum with a new objective
• Shifting focus to a different area that needs attention
• Challenging the team with refined or more advanced metrics

The best OKRs create forward motion. So if you’re only keeping the old KR out of habit or caution, you might be wasting an opportunity for growth.

Alternative Approaches to Consider

If maintaining performance is important, but you don’t want to use up a valuable KR slot, try one of the following:

• Monitor the metric as a health indicator, not a KR. Keep it in your dashboard, check in regularly — but don’t attach it to this quarter’s OKR unless necessary.
• Include a “maintenance KR” under a broader Objective. For example:Objective: Strengthen our customer experience foundation
  KR1: Maintain NPS ≥ 80KR2: Launch new onboarding touchpointsKR3: Reduce average first-response time to under 2 hours

This way, you’re combining stability and progress under one umbrella.

Final Thoughts

OKRs are about creating momentum — not just holding the line.

If you're confident that your team can sustain past performance without the pressure of a formal KR, challenge yourself to focus on what's next.

But if there’s real risk of backsliding or a business-critical need to maintain that level, repeating a KR is not only acceptable — it’s smart.
Just be intentional about it.

Need Support Evolving Your OKRs?

Whether you’re deciding which metrics to keep, drop, or transform, we can help you build OKRs that drive real business outcomes — not just track old wins.‍

Book a strategy session now and keep your momentum going in the right direction.

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