Whether you are already in your own “Upskilling” journey or looking for new job opportunities, having a systematic method to ensure your focus over time will be crucial, and that’s why I’m here to talk to you about OKRs (Objectives and key results).
What are OKRs ?
OKRs are a management methodology used to establish and communicate the objectives and key results of an organization, team, or individual. It was popularized by Andy Grove, one of the co-founders of Intel, and later adopted by leading companies like Google, Intuit, and Amazon, thanks to John Doerr’s influence. Andrew Grove’s new methodology was based on the revolutionary idea that teams perform better when they focus on outcomes, not procedures. Instead of telling Intel employees exactly what to do, Grove set clear goals and allowed them to figure out how to achieve them.
The “FACTS” Benefits
The FACTS Benefits of Implementing OKRs
- F – Focus: OKRs help to concentrate efforts and resources on the most important and strategic objectives. By setting clear and measurable goals, it avoids dispersion and drives precise focus on what truly matters.
- A – Alignment: OKRs help you align your goals with your core values and long-term vision. By setting objectives that are in harmony with your purpose and priorities, you ensure that you are working towards a future that truly matters.
- C – Commitment: By defining your personal OKRs and sharing them with people close to you, such as friends or family, you increase the sense of responsibility and commitment towards their achievement. Just like in the workplace, personal commitment drives you to take action and strive to reach your goals.
- T – Tracking: Using OKRs allows you to effectively monitor your progress towards your objectives. You can measure your advancements and assess if you are on track to achieve your goals. Tracking provides valuable information to adjust your focus or adopt new strategies as needed.
- S – Stretching: Setting ambitious yet realistic OKRs allows you to push your limits and explore new opportunities for personal growth. Stretching your objectives challenges you to develop new skills and gain new experiences, which can enrich your life and take it to new levels of fulfillment.
How to implement the OKR methodology
The flexibility of the OKR method allows for expressing and implementing OKRs in various ways. Like any objective, OKRs must be measurable and verifiable. You should see OKRs as the pillars of your strategy for the upcoming period. However, to create good OKRs, you must connect them to your daily work.
I’ll give you an example of OKR applied to the personal upskilling process.
Objective: Take a study lesson on the topic XXXXX.
Key Result: Eliminate distractions like phones, emails, and social media.
Key Result: Spend one hour on the lesson and prepare a summary of what you’ve learned.
Objective: Improve the level of English every month.
Key Result: Take the CEFR test and improve skills by at least 50% compared to the previous test.
Since the upskilling process takes time, implementing OKRs will help maintain focus over time, allowing actions to be consistent.
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