Some would say that OKRs are one of the most popular „new breed of steering“ phenomena we currently see in modern corporate life. We used a „kind of OKR steering“ concept in our startup life already a few years ago before, without having deep knowledge about the concept - was more or less gut driven. If you do work in a lean organization and are purely customer driven, this concept is the logical consequence.

So why not introducing OKRs in a corporate environment, if you are currently running your digital transformation program towards a tech company? In theory cool – in reality tricky but possible.

Just have in mind the following three hiccups of introducing this concept in your company:

1: OKRs come from a pure customer oriented (=focused and streamlined ) world

In a perfect world every decision in a company is aligned to its vision-mission-strategy via each individual’s objectives and key results. Mostly successful companies deal to 100% with customer need and customer experience in its magic triangle of strategy. Thus everybody has the same clear understanding where and how the company will develop. If this way is not clearly aligned, target chaos will appear in all OKRs. Just think about traditional corporate life? Got it, em?

2: OKRs do not measure individual performance

OKRs require the assumption that everybody has the necessary capacity and capability to reach individual goals. So each individual has the power and freedom to do whatever is necessary to succeed. If one does not reach the goals the manager is in charge to set the environment the colleague needs to have to succeed again (data access, equipment, knowledge, coaching, etc.). Means that OKRs do not measure individual performance at a first glance, but the success of reaching your strategic goals. For sure you will have to talk if targets fail several times in a row to figure out what is wrong. Especially for managers “only trained in leadership”, this principle is hard to get as it is totally different how steering works traditionally.

3: Do not start your discovery with town planers only

I really like the concept of Pioneers, Settlers and Town Planners (PST) which is derived from Robert X Cringely's "Accidental Empires". PST holds the idea that there are essentially three types of behaviors and cultures in the business landscape. Pioneers are the bold guys who discover new areas with courage and creativity. As soon as a new area has been secured, settlers come into the game and start to populate. Once the organization is on scale town planners jump in to ramp up structure, rules and policies.

For sure OKRs work out for all three types. In most of the cases pioneers and settlers are the group of colleagues which are not that “established” in typical corporates. But exactly these groups drive the innovation and creative power in a company – the concepts of OKRs seem to be made for them. If you now tell a town planner to conquer a new territory and discuss some individual OKRs this might lead to some funny moments. Means that OKRs have to fit to the people working in your company.

All in a nutshell OKRs are possible to introduce and retain as a valid steering concept also in traditional corporates. Please have in mind that your culture and your mindset has to be ready for that method.