“One accurate measurement is worth a
thousand expert opinions.”—Grace Hopper
In his book,
“Measure What Matters” the venture capitalist, John Doerr gives us a powerful
system of goal-attainment called Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). The
‘Objectives’ identifies where we want to go and ‘Key Results’ ensures that we get
there.
Under this
system, the thing about a ‘key result’ is measurement; it is about ensuring
progress. So, it should be specific, time bound and most importantly it must be
measurable. Since what we measure is what we improve, therefore, measuring is perhaps
the most crucial element in OKRs system. Ultimately, measuring makes an
objective possible.
As the
saying goes, “If
you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.” To be aware of how we are showing up for
something we’ve decided is important, tracking is the guiding light. It is the
primary factor that will indicate whether we are truly committed to get the
result we want or not.
So what
goals are you pursuing at the present moment?
How are you
showing up for them?
And most
importantly, what metrics are you counting?
Answering
these questions properly is how to take charge of your key results and
consequently your predetermined objectives.
For example:
If you want
to grow your business: Are you counting your sales calls.
If you want
to master a skill: Are you meeting your practice count?
If you want
to get out of debt: Are you living on a strict budget?
Having an
objective starts the process of achievement but to keep track of the work and
making necessary improvement along the way are what will bring the distant
vision into concrete reality.
The system
of success written by Doerr in ‘Measure What Matters’ is especially useful in three
practical ways: one, it prevents us from
getting off the rail of purpose, two, it helps us build momentum in the right
direction and three, it keeps us focus on what matters most.
Whether we
run a big organization or a small one, or we just want to improve our own lives
in a more meaningful way, the system of OKRs has tremendous value. With it, we
can make judicious use of our time, attention and energy to achieve whatever we
set our minds to achieve.
