OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

Overview

OKRs separate ambition from measurement: an Objective is qualitative and aspirational; Key Results (3-5) are quantitative outcomes proving the objective was reached. KRs must be outcomes, not activities. Calibration rule: 70% achievement is success — routine 100% means goals were sandbagged. Developed by Andy Grove at Intel (1971); introduced to Google by John Doerr (1999).

Composes with north-star-metric, first-principles, metacognition, mece.

When to Use

• Team goals are vague, unmeasurable, or just "complete project X" lists
• Teams hitting all goals but the business isn't moving (sandbagging signal)
• Cross-team work failing due to private, conflicting goals; or a new company needs goal infrastructure
• Setting OKRs on AI features and the draft KR is "ship AI" / "increase AI usage" (vanity/Goodhart metric — replace with outcome KRs)

Not when: under ~10 people with sufficient informal alignment; inherently uncertain output (research labs); leadership will punish 70% achievement.

Coaching Novices (Adaptive Front Door)