Course Methodology

Through a series of activities, group discussions, and daily case studies, the course gives managers and supervisors the chance to practice analyzing and developing all kinds of OKRs. 

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Master the use of OKRs to introduce agility into a POLC management framework
• Prepare a methodical and well-established approach for the OKR journey
• Develop effective OKRs that drive focused strategic and operational business priorities
• Improve individual and team alignment using the OKR framework
• Drive a sustainable OKR environment to enhance performance

Target Audience

Managers, supervisors who are interested in honing their OKR skills and abilities to plan, organize, control and achieve their goals and objectives on time and within the expected standards, and known constraints.

Target Competencies

• Agile planning
• Operational effectiveness
• Strategic management and focus
• Aligning objectives with results
• Improving performance and productivity
• Employee engagement
• Collaboration 

The agile POLC framework – Introduction to OKRs

• The history of OKRs
• What are Objectives and Key Results (OKR)s
• Objectives and Key Results and the functions of management
• Organizational challenges and why we need OKRs
• Benefits of OKRs – efficiency versus effectiveness
• Case-Study 

Preparing for the OKR journey

• Why implement OKRs?
• Executive sponsorship – a critical component for successful OKR implementation
• Where to develop the OKRs
• An OKRs development plan
• The building blocks of OKRs: Mission, Vision, Strategy
• Roadmap Strategy – rethinking the planning process
• Case-Study

Creating effective OKRs

• Creating powerful Objectives
• Objectives descriptions and tips for creating objectives
• Characteristics of effective key results and tips for creating key results
• Types of key results
• Scoring OKRs
• The process to set OKRs (how often, how many, the reviews, the adjustments, etc.
• OKRs and the allocation of resources and budgets
• Case-Study

POLC framework and performance measurement through OKRs

• Connecting OKRs
• How to connect OKRs - a POLC perspective
• Creating alignment 
• Confirming the alignment of connected OKRs
• Managing with OKRs – measuring the what and how
• The OKR interaction cycle
• Weekly meetings
• Mid-quarter check-ins
• Quarterly reviews
• OKRs and the forward, concurrent and feedback controls
• Impact of OKRs on teams and project performance
• How to update OKRs periodically – the planning and control link
• Essential OKRs tools and techniques
• Case-Study

Managing and controlling resistance to change

• OKRs: a project or a culture? The OKRs transformational journey
• Who owns the OKRs process?
• OKRs and organizational performance measures
• OKRs and performance reviews
• OKRs and incentive compensation
• Tops OKRs issues to be aware of
• Pitfalls to avoid when implementing OKRs
• Case-Study