Crafting Personal OKRs for Real Change
In the quest for personal growth and improvement, setting Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) can be a transformative approach. Unlike traditional goal-setting methods that might focus on tasks or vague...
View ArticleThe effect of goal setting on group performance: A meta-analysis
Introduction to Something New! This blog is 24 years old, and I’ve done many things with it. I’ve blogged, Tweeted, shared talks, diagrams & images, and run series like Gleanings (link round-up)...
View ArticleCialdini’s Influence: The Secret to Achieving OKRs
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a powerful framework for achieving strategic goals. In practice, it can be hard to get your organization behind those goals. This article explores how we can...
View ArticleUsing Temporal Landmarks for Effective OKRs Adoption
Anyone familiar with Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) knows that the heartbeat of this framework is its rhythm—how it times and maps our aspirations to our real-world clock and calendar. It’s a bit...
View ArticleHarnessing Confidence Ratings for Effective OKRs
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are like a compass for organizations, helping teams align around clear objectives and measurable results. But while OKRs give you the “what” and “how,” they don’t...
View ArticlePre-Work for Setting OKRs
Pre-Work for Setting OKRs: Building a Foundation for Success As a leader, you recognize the importance of setting strategic goals that align your team with your company’s vision. Objectives and Key...
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Setting Personal OKRs
Life happens. It’s easy to get swept away by our myriad responsibilities and lose sight of our personal goals. Setting personal Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is a powerful tool in your journey...
View ArticleWhy We Struggle to Prioritize
Prioritization is one of the most challenging tasks we face, both in our personal and professional lives. We constantly juggle multiple responsibilities, projects, and goals, all competing for our...
View ArticleUnderstanding Organizational Capacity: Why It Matters in OKR Practice
Setting goals is crucial for any organization, and one effective method for doing this is through OKRs (Objectives and Key Results.) The OKR process help teams align their goals, track progress, and...
View ArticleFast Ways to Estimate Capacity
Estimating the capacity of your organization or team quickly is crucial for setting realistic goals and effectively planning projects. Here are some streamlined methods to help you gauge your capacity...
View ArticleWhat You Want isn’t Always What You Want
I was sitting on a patio with two of my dearest friends, polishing off a second bottle of wine, when they shared a realization, “We had always thought we’d retire to our dad’s ranch. But we’ve been...
View ArticleThe Easiest Way to Start Working with OKRs
If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in a project and wondering, “What the hell are we really trying to do here?” — well, you’re not alone. Too often, teams find themselves checking off task lists,...
View ArticleWhy We Struggle to Get Things Done: Common Pitfalls
We all have things we want to achieve—whether it’s personal goals like getting fit or professional milestones like growing a business. Yet despite our best intentions, some goals remain out of reach....
View ArticleGetting Started with Outcome Thinking
One of the biggest challenges people face when adopting OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) is shifting from output thinking to outcome thinking. You’ve probably seen posts on LinkedIn saying “Outcome...
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Decoupling OKRs: It’s Time to Let Go
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are supposed to make everything faster, clearer, and more focused. And when you’re in a small company or early-stage start-up, they often do. When you’re that small,...
View ArticleManage your Life Like You Manage a Product: Explore, Expand, Exploit,...
“Life doesn’t follow a straight path” is a cliché, but as my mama always says, “They’re called truisms because they’re true.” So many unexpected things shape your life. I meant to stay in Sacramento...
View ArticleFrom Jobs to Careers to a Calling
There was a time when I thought I’d be a painter. I went to art school, spent hours in the studio, and structured my life around making art. But I also had to pay rent. So I worked jobs—waiting...
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When (and When Not) to Use AI in Digital Product Development
In Co-Intelligence, Ethan Mollick points out that we often turn to AI for a first draft to escape the pressure of the blank page—but that usually results in the worst of AI: generic, boring, and...
View ArticleHow to Use GenAI with OKRs (Without Letting It Think for You)
There’s a dangerous temptation with AI right now: outsourcing your thinking. Don’t. Your brain is still your most important asset. AI’s job isn’t to think for you — it’s to help you think better. AI...
View ArticleWhy Use Personal OKRs
Back in 2012, I stumbled onto Objectives and Key Results not as a corporate mandate, but as a tool for personal growth—and it changed everything. Since then, personal OKRs have been my north star...
View ArticleDefault Mode Is a Decision—Just Not Yours
You ever look up from your desk, your inbox, your endless errands, and think—“Wait, how did I end up here?” Not in a panic exactly. More like waking from a nap you didn’t mean to take. You meant to...
View ArticleMetrics Are Easy—Impact Is Hard
Metrics are the corporate world’s comfort blanket: soft, familiar, and dangerously good at lulling us to sleep. We count clicks, tally hours, track KPIs, and build dashboards that glow green. But in...
View ArticleWhat I’ve Learned from 15 Years of Doing OKRs
Fifteen years ago, I began experimenting with OKRs, starting at Zynga and then as I worked with startups and companies searching for alignment, clarity, and impact. Over the years, I’ve written books,...
View ArticleThe Recovery OKR: Goals for Healing After Burnout
We usually think of OKRs as tools for growth: ambitious, aspirational, designed to push us beyond what we thought possible. But not every season is a growth season. Sometimes, the most important work...
View ArticleThe Counterintuitive Hiring Strategy for the AI Era: Getting Maximum ROI from...
Let’s be honest about where we are. Hiring freezes everywhere. Headcount reductions masquerading as “AI optimization.” An administration working overtime to make everyone—Republicans, Democrats, and...
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