Objectives as a North Star
Guiding Your Team Towards Success
If you want to achieve clarity and accountability in your work, you might benefit from OKRs. Here you’ll learn how to great craft objectives and discover why writing great objectives is crucial when implementing the OKR framework. First, it’s important to create objectives that inspire and guide us, because that then also gives us clarity and accountability. Objectives help us understand the broader impact of our work and hold us responsible for our actions. Think of objectives as the North Star. They guide us, no matter where we are in the organization or what’s happening around us. They keep us on track towards our business goals. Writing objectives from an OKR standpoint involves more than just measuring success and achieving our business goals, though. Writing good objectives is about finding our purpose, focusing on what’s important right now, and crafting strong objectives that really get us excited.
Strong Objectives in OKRs: The Key Ingredient for Success
Objectives serve as the compass that guides us through our workdays, answering the important questions: “What is our purpose? What are we striving to achieve?” They provide clarity and direction, aligning our efforts with the overarching business goals. When setting objectives, it’s important to remember the principle of “less is more” within the OKR framework. We recommend developing 3 to 5 objectives per quarter per team. By keeping the number manageable, we can maintain focus, prioritize effectively, and ensure that each objective receives the attention it deserves. With well-crafted objectives, we can stay on track and work towards meaningful outcomes that drive success.
A powerful objective is more than a success statement
A good objective in OKRs: Is inspirational & directional – Increases accountability provides clarity on our impact, are our North Star . To write a great objective ask yourself: What are you trying to achieve? Why does it matter? Does the statement inspire you? Is it your double shot of espresso? Is it in your own nouns and verbs? When you read it out loud, is it clear and concise? Does it align?
