OKRs (or any other focus framework) are treated by leaders like tools instead of the “mindset interfaces” they are. Leaders are looking at the integration of OKRs as an implementation challenge when in fact it is a mindset shift challenge that, like any other mindset shift, starts with leadership by example.
There’s a story about a mother who approached Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram and asked him for advice because her child was addicted to sugar. He looked at the child and told them to come back in a week.
When they came back Gandhi told the boy he should stop eating sugar because it’s bad for his health. The mom was puzzled and asked him why he didn’t give this advice the previous week. He answered, “Last week I too was eating too much sugar”.
Gandhi believed in all his heart that we should “be the change we want to see in the world”… Do you want to trust? Trust others. Do you want commitment? Be committed!
One of the main reasons most teams fail to implement OKRs is that the team is asked to define their OKRs before the leadership team and the leaders themselves have adopted OKRs and made it part of their lives and how they prioritize their own time and resources.
OKRs (or any other focus framework for that matter) isn’t a tool it’s a mindset! It is a choice to focus on the outcomes first and then to constantly focus our time and resources on the most impactful opportunities to drive those outcomes.
If we as the leadership team want to see an aligned and focused team we should first become the walking and breathing manifestation of an aligned and focused team…
Then… After we have practiced focus for a quarter or two after everyone around us feels the impact of our mindset shift on our performance, will we ask the rest of the team to define their OKRs… Even better… They will come to us and ask for it…
Because, after all, who doesn’t want to start their days focused on what matters the most and go to bed each day KNOWING their work was impactful?
Do you want change? Become the change you want to see in your team!
