OKRs for Founders Who Are Still in Every Meeting
For founders of growing companies
OKRs for Founders Who Are Still in Every Meeting
The team has grown past the point where everyone hears everything, so the priorities live in your head and you end up repeating them in every conversation. OKRs for founders put those priorities in writing, give each one an owner and set up a weekly check-in, so the team can move without you in the middle of every decision.
You started this company to build something, and lately status meetings eat most of your Tuesday.
The OKR Leader team
Sound familiar?
Why do growing companies lose track of their priorities?
At 10 people the founder is in every conversation, so priorities spread on their own. Somewhere past 20, the team splits into groups that each hear a different version of the plan, and the founder becomes the only person who can see all of it. I hear this from owners all the time, and it shows up as exhaustion before it shows up in the numbers. These four signs arrive together:
- You’re the bottleneck. Decisions wait for you because nobody else knows which priority wins.
- Everything is a priority. The team is working on eight things at once, and each one moves a little.
- Planning doesn’t last. The plan from January is out of date by March, and nobody updated it.
- Revenue grows and profit doesn’t. Sales climb while the business gets more expensive to run.
How OKR Leader helps
What OKR Leader gives a founder
A short list your whole team can see
Set one to four Objectives for the quarter, link them to your strategy and put them where everyone can read them without asking you.
An owner on every result
Each Key Result has a named owner who updates it weekly, so you see progress without chasing anyone for it.
A 30-minute weekly check-in
Meetings link to the OKRs they cover, so the weekly check-in runs on the same few numbers every week and anyone on the team can lead it.
Projects tied to results
Projects and tasks link to the Key Results they’re meant to move, so you can see which work is pushing the quarter forward.
Quick to set up
Create your account, invite your team in the second step and sign in with Google. Your first OKRs can be in place the same afternoon.
Use cases for growing companies
Problems founders bring to OKR Leader
Where to start
How to start OKRs in a growing company
These steps fit a company of 10 to 100 people and work in OKR Leader or a shared document.
- Write down the three or four outcomes the business most needs this quarter, and leave the rest on a parked list.
- Give each one to a member of your team to own, and have them draft the Key Results with the people who’ll do the work.
- Set a 30-minute check-in on the same day every week, and let someone other than you run it.
- At the end of the quarter, score each Key Result honestly and use what you learned to set the next quarter’s priorities.
Expect the first quarter to be a little rough. Teams get noticeably better at OKRs by their second and third cycles, once the weekly rhythm has settled.
Free resources
Reading for founders
Implementing OKRs in small businessesHow to run OKRs in a small company without adding overhead.
The hidden cost of team misalignmentWhat it costs a small business when teams pull in different directions.
The OKR Starter CourseThirteen short lessons your whole team can take before your first planning day.
Frequently asked questions
Are OKRs worth it for a small company?
Yes, once the team is big enough that priorities stop spreading on their own, somewhere past 15 or 20 people. A small company should keep OKRs light: a few Objectives, one weekly check-in and a shared place to see progress.
How much of my time will OKRs take?
Plan for a half-day planning session each quarter and a 30-minute check-in each week. In return, fewer decisions should need you, because the team can see which priority wins.
Should I write the OKRs myself?
Set the direction and the few outcomes that matter most, then let the people doing the work draft the Key Results. Teams commit harder to goals they helped write.
What if we tried OKRs before and they faded?
Start by naming what broke last time. In small companies the common culprits are a weekly check-in that stopped, or a list of priorities too long to manage. The LEAD Self-Assessment can show you where the gap is.
Can OKR Leader help us get started?
Yes. Start a free trial to set up your first OKRs, or take the free course first so your team arrives at planning day using the same words.
Put your priorities where your team can see them
Start a free trial and set up your first quarter’s OKRs with your team. Or take the free OKR Starter Course first and come to planning day ready.