What are OKRs?

A brief introduction to Objectives & Key Results

OKRs are both a tool and a mindset that help teams stay focused on their most important goals. First developed in the early 1970s by Intel co-founder Andy Grove, the method has since been adopted by leading companies worldwide. Today, organizations of all sizes use OKRs to make measurable progress on their top priorities.

Below, you’ll find a video in which Andy Grove explains the system in a clear and practical way:

The OKR basics

OKRs are a simple system that combine a qualitative Objective with quantitative Key Results that indicate success. Objectives are inspirational and directional; Key Results are specific, measurable outcomes that prove whether progress has been made. The period for achieving an OKR is usually three months.

• Objective: The direction — describing what success looks like in the future. Objectives should be inspiring, memorable, and easy to communicate.
• Key Results: A success driver with a number. They act like milestones, showing whether we have made progress toward our objective.

OKR Example – Marketing Team:

• Objective: Increase brand visibility and engagement among our target audience.
• Key Results:
  1. Achieve 50,000 organic website visits this quarter.
  2. Increase LinkedIn followers by 2,000.
  3. Generate 300 qualified leads through content marketing campaigns.

An OKR set for a team typically includes 1 to 5 objectives per quarter, with 2 to 4 key results for each objective.

Why Organizations Use OKRs

Companies adopt OKRs for three main reasons:

Clarity and Focus on the Next Three Months
OKRs help teams concentrate on what matters most in the coming quarter.
Example: A company commits to just three priorities to avoid spreading resources too thin.

Alignment Across Teams
When each team’s OKRs connect directly to company-wide goals, efforts become unified.
Example: Marketing OKRs align with product launch milestones.

Measurability and Learning
By turning vague goals into measurable Key Results, OKRs make progress visible.
Example: “Improve onboarding” becomes “reduce time-to-productivity to 14 days.”

How Google Uses OKRs in Practice

In this classic talk, Rick Klau from Google Ventures explains how OKRs help Google set ambitious goals, stay aligned across teams, and measure real progress. Watch to discover the principles and routines that make OKRs work at one of the world’s most innovative companies.

Key Takeaways – How Google Uses OKRs

Ambitious, Not Easy – Objectives at Google are designed to be challenging and stretch the team beyond comfort. Achieving 60%-70% of a Key Result is considered success.

Transparency – OKRs are public across the company. Anyone can see another team’s OKRs, creating visibility and alignment.

Regular Check-ins – Progress is reviewed weekly or bi-weekly, with updates on Key Results to stay on track.

Quarterly Rhythm – Most OKRs run on a three-month cycle, with annual OKRs for longer-term priorities.

Simple Scoring – Key Results are graded on a scale from 0,0 to 1,0. The goal is learning and improvement, not perfection.

Why It Works at Google

• Forces clarity on what’s important.

• Encourages focus and prioritization.

• Enables cross-team collaboration and alignment.

• Builds a culture of measurable progress and continuous learning.

How Can an OKR Coach Help?