OKR (Objectives and Key Results)

OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal-setting framework in which an Objective defines a qualitative, ambitious outcome to achieve, and 2–5 Key Results define the measurable evidence that it was achieved. Developed at Intel by Andy Grove and popularized by John Doerr at Google, OKRs are typically set quarterly, made transparent across the organization, and aligned vertically — team OKRs support company OKRs — so everyone can see how their work connects to strategy. Two design principles distinguish OKRs from traditional target-setting: ambition (stretch goals where ~70% attainment is considered success) and the deliberate separation of OKRs from compensation, because tying stretch goals to bonuses reliably produces sandbagged, safe targets. Common failure modes are equally well documented: writing tasks instead of outcomes as Key Results, running too many objectives at once, treating OKRs as a reporting ritual rather than a prioritization tool, and grading without honest retrospectives. In HR and L&D contexts, OKRs appear twice: as a company-wide performance framework that HR often administers (frequently inside performance management software), and as a discipline for the L&D function itself — for example, an Objective of reducing new-hire ramp-up time, with Key Results on time-to-productivity and onboarding completion measured through the LMS.