The force around us is OKRs, Objective and Key Results (OKR) methodology is a proven management methodology that was adopted by benchmark companies like Google and Intel to grow and become what they are today. These companies have taken up the methodology at their infancy for the sole purpose of growth and development. This has created a scalable proof of effectiveness with regards to the OKR framework. Even other trend-setting companies today like Twitter, Spotify, and Airbnb have adopted this methodology and been replicating the success of Google and Intel. All that being said, there are some things that need to be looked upon or understood before a young startup or beginner in Objective and Key Results (OKR) adopts the methodology. Witnessing all these OKR successes from industry giants, you can also be inspired to take up OKR for your company. But before implementing OKR, understand why some companies did not get the impressive results as the others. Yes, there have been some unfortunate cases. And no, these were not because of any fault in the methodology but rather because of the OKR incomprehension to your company’s denizens or, worse, their disinterest.
It is important to consider these scenarios before implementation. Your employees’ comprehension and interests can be won over by recruiting, training, and assigning OKR champions. OKR champions for the OKR framework are similar to the Scrum masters for the Scrum framework.
Scrum Master – By popular definition means, Scrum master helps to promote and facilitate Scrum to the larger team. They enforce scrum practices and principles. In other words, they ensure the scrum framework is followed to its absolute and that too in an effective manner.
The same can be said of the OKR champion, as a team of Objective and Key results promoters for your company. As we understood who OKR champions are, let us look into their main function (we collated six of the most popular functions).
Six Popular Areas of Responsibilities for OKR Champions
1. In Implementation
When implementing a process that is completely new to a populace, it is shrewd to have someone who knows the ins and outs of the process. OKR champions like Scrum masters are responsible for the adoption and participation of the OKR framework among your company employees. OKR champions are to moderate sprint review and planning and daily standup calls of a team. Town Hall meetings, OKR workshops, and OKR grading are some tools to increase the OKR adoption that can be used by your champions.
2. In Streamlining
After the Objective and Key results methodology is adopted by every member of the company, the next step for the OKR champion is to make sure they are refined and streamlined. Now that adoption is out of the way, following the best practices is to be given keen attention to. Unlike Scrum, the OKR framework is an agile framework that is different for different teams. When Scrum master just has to enforce the established set of guidelines, OKR champions have to put effort into an improved set of guidelines from that of the initially agreed set of guidelines.
3. In Designing
Objective and Key Results should be set up customized for each team uniquely. Also, the OKR framework should only be applied to the area in your organization that needed the development, as that is what OKRs are designed to do. All these require an OKR champion to make the tweaks and designs. OKR champions should take the lead for these situations guiding the team through the initiatives. Planning of the OKRs includes scheduling a workshop at the management level with the right team of people, scheduling the planning process, etc
4. In Guidance
When you have OKR champions for your company, they will be responsible for clearing all the in-house doubts of the employees. Even while recruiting new employees and bringing them in, OKR champions are responsible for bringing them up-to-date and also for clearing the doubts of new employees as well. It is right to say the OKR champions are knowledge sources for employees to get clarification about their objectives. The live session also helps them to clearly understand what objective confidence is through the champions.
5. In Maintaining Tool
Any management framework or methodology, may it be Scrum or may it be OKR (Objective and Key Results), demands its own tools to function. It is then the Scrum Master or OKR champions’ duty to understand these tools and maintain them. Your OKR champions will be able to identify which tool is best suited for your process or objective at hand. These tools will not only be maintained by the OKR champions but their best use will be identified and implemented by them
6. In Celebrating Victories
OKR framework comes in a scalable attitude with its well-defined key results that help the team to be aware when the goals are achieved. This feature also does help to understand to what degree success is attained. So, the celebration also falls into the hands of OKR champions. Whether it be Scrum or OKR, both of them have thrived on employee motivation. Appreciating their victories of objectives is an effective way to boost them. OKR champions can celebrate the victories through OKR appraisal etc.
Conclusion
Any OKR needs the OKR champions to look after them for their effectiveness. If you are looking for an OKR implementation for your company, don’t consider the methodology without OKR champions, especially if you are not fully aware of the OKR framework. After recruiting your expected OKR champions, you can easily train them with some effort through an OKR champions certification program from a reputable institution. Also, choose the best OKR software from Datalligence for your company.
