At the intersection of organizational structure, goal setting, and employee performance sits OKR. OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a popular management methodology used by small and big companies. It’s a simple yet powerful way to set company objectives and align individual goals.
OKR certification also helps top executives understand how OKRs align with other performance management tools and how introducing OKRs can improve an existing performance management process.
Why Your Top Executives Should Be OKR Certified
By ensuring that your top executives are OKR certified, you equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to lead by example when you introduce OKRs across the business. Understanding how and why OKRs drive performance increases will mean that they are well placed to influence other staff members across the business. It helps them:
1. Understand The Ins And Outs of Objectives and Key Results
Everyone in an organization must understand what OKRs are and why they’re essential. Executives need to ask the right questions and articulate their vision by creating clear, concise, and compelling objectives. They need to know how to use critical results to accurately measure progress toward their goals to determine whether their teams are on track or falling behind. This information is crucial for decision-making at the highest levels of an organization.
2. Communicate the Company’s Objectives Effectively
Executives play an essential role in communicating the company’s mission and goals internally and externally, so it’s critical to understand what those objectives are and how to convey them accurately. Such clarity can help potential partners understand where your product fits; investors see why you’re worth their investment, and employees understand why they should work at your company or buy your product.
3. Support An OKR Program Rollout
If top leaders aren’t knowledgeable about the ins and outs of how to do OKRs work, how can they expect anyone else in the organization to do it right? Many people at every company level will look to the CEO and other executives for guidance when a new program is introduced. If those executives don’t know what they’re doing, everyone else will be lost too.
4. Facilitate Best Practices
Knowledge is power. The more your managers know about OKRs, the better they’ll be able to implement this system throughout their teams to engage and motivate their employees to meet goals and work toward effectively achieving them. They’ll also be able to identify areas where they’re falling short, troubleshoot problems as they arise, and make necessary changes.
5. Increase Accountability Throughout the Organization
Because OKRs are shared across teams and departments, they make it easier for everyone in the organization to know why they’re doing what they’re doing — and what’s expected of them as individuals and teams. That makes it easier for everyone to accept responsibility for success and failure.
Take Away
Many professionals who strive for good performance as part of their career paths will benefit from the additional training, support, and guidance that experts provide with the certification. Executives can be OKR certified to ensure their teams are well-trained in this innovative management system and understand how to use it effectively. It can help make the most of overall team productivity and impressive results.