Frequently Asked Questions About Lobkovich No-BS OKRs Framework
22 answers covering everything from basics to advanced usage.
// Basics
What does OKR stand for?
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. The Objective is an ambitious, directional statement of shared purpose. The Key Results are the objectively measurable targets that show whether you're achieving that objective. In the No-BS approach, objectives carry a 'why' and key results describe outcomes and progress — never the activities the team performs.
What makes Sara Lobkovich's OKRs 'No-BS'?
The No-BS label comes from stripping away the bureaucratic implementation patterns that make most OKR programmes fail: bloated goal counts, activity disguised as measurement, and OKRs that live only on planning slides. It's designed for organisations wired for systemic change and innovation, prioritising genuine clarity, focus, and alignment over comprehensive coverage or corporate ritual.
What are the inputs I need before starting an OKR set?
You need three essentials: team or role context (who's setting them), the goal cycle (Q2, annual, 90-day sprint), and the strategic challenge or focus area — the current situation, key tensions, and what 'winning' looks like. Optionally, gather available data signals and any known constraints like burnout or resource limits that should shape the OKRs.
// How To
How do I write an Outcome Key Result?
Identify the single most important measurable outcome that would signal your objective is being achieved, using the format: [Metric] + [direction] + [magnitude] + [from X to Y] + [by when]. Example: 'Increase weekly active user retention by 30 points from 45% to 70% within 90 days of launch.' It should feel ambitious — you influence it but may not fully control it.
How do I write a Progress Key Result?
Identify one measurable process or workflow improvement that would meaningfully support your Outcome KR — a leading indicator, not the big outcome. Use the same [metric] + [from X to Y] + [by when] structure. Example: 'Decrease average user path to value from seven clicks to three by end of Q2.' Ask: 'If we hit this, does it make the outcome more likely?'
How do I write a Target Behavior Key Result?
Pick a specific observable behaviour or spontaneous feedback pattern you can count, then format it: 'Increase/decrease the frequency of [behaviour or verbatim signal] from [X] to [Y] per [time unit].' Example: 'Increase users spontaneously mentioning ease of use in feedback from zero to five per week.' Use it when you lack instrumented data for a signal that genuinely matters.
How do I stress-test my OKR set before finalising?
Run five checks: (1) Does the objective answer 'what's most important and why,' not just what? (2) Do all key results describe outcomes or progress with zero activity language? (3) Is the set small enough to create genuine focus? (4) Are the key results objectively measurable — would two observers agree the target was hit? (5) Does it feel ambitious but not fabricated? Revise if any check fails.
How do I choose a good Theme for my OKR set?
Pick a 2–4 word keyword phrase that names the strategic territory and reflects the core tension or opportunity for the cycle — 'Product and Customer Experience,' 'Creative Sustainability,' 'Revenue Growth.' It should be instantly recognisable to anyone on the team. Treat it as a navigational anchor, not a title, so people immediately grasp what this objective is about.
// Troubleshooting
My objective sounds like a metric. What's wrong?
Objectives should be directional and purpose-driven, never measurable — measurability belongs entirely in the key results. If your objective contains numbers, percentages, or targets, you've compressed a key result into it. Rewrite it as an ambitious statement of shared purpose that captures direction and the 'why,' then move any measurable element into an Outcome or Progress Key Result.
Why does my team feel overwhelmed by our OKRs?
You likely have too many objectives or too many key results per objective, which destroys the focus No-BS OKRs depend on. More goals is not more strategy — it's less clarity. Ruthlessly prioritise down to the few goals that will genuinely move the needle this cycle. Aim for one objective with two to four key results, and cut the rest.
My key results all describe activities. How do I fix them?
Look for opening verbs like conduct, run, hold, or deliver — these signal activity, not outcomes. For each one, ask what will be measurably true in the world if that activity succeeds, and rewrite the key result to capture that state. Activity belongs in a project plan; a key result belongs in the OKR. The plan stays separate from the goals.
Our OKRs live on a slide and nobody uses them. What now?
You're treating OKRs as a planning artefact instead of a living operational tool. Move them from slides into everyday operations: schedule regular check-ins where key results are reviewed against current data and inform prioritisation decisions. The OKR should shape daily choices throughout the cycle. If it isn't influencing decisions, it isn't doing its job.
// Comparisons
How do No-BS OKRs differ from KPIs?
KPIs are ongoing health metrics you monitor continuously; OKRs are time-bound, ambitious goals for a specific cycle that focus a team on what's most important to change. A KPI might feed a key result, but OKRs add a directional objective with a 'why' and deliberately prioritise a few outcomes over comprehensive measurement. OKRs drive change; KPIs track steady-state performance.
How does the No-BS approach compare to SMART goals?
SMART goals emphasise specific, measurable, achievable criteria but often omit the shared purpose and directional ambition that No-BS objectives require. No-BS OKRs separate the inspirational 'why' (objective) from the measurable 'what will be true' (key results), and deliberately embrace influence over control and ambition over guaranteed achievability — which pure SMART framing tends to discourage.
How is a Target Behavior Key Result different from a vanity metric?
A Target Behavior Key Result counts a specific, observable signal that genuinely indicates directional success — like spontaneous 'ease of use' mentions or new hires proactively connecting. A vanity metric looks impressive but doesn't reflect real progress toward the objective. The difference is intentionality: Target Behavior KRs instrument what matters before richer data exists, and they're chosen because they signal the outcome you actually want.
// Advanced
How should target-rich teams handle OKR selection differently?
Teams with abundant data — sales, marketing, engineering — face a mindset challenge, not a measurement gap. Their discipline is choosing only the most important few measures rather than tracking everything they can. Resist the pull to include every available metric. Ask which one or two measures would create genuine clarity about what's most important this cycle, and leave the rest out.
What is the 'compression zone' and how does it affect OKRs?
The compression zone is the organisational position of teams — often product — caught between competing stakeholder demands, like customer needs versus internal technical constraints. This makes goal-setting especially complex because the team must balance forces it doesn't fully control. Naming the tension in the Theme and using influence-based Outcome Key Results helps these teams set honest, focused goals despite the pressure.
Can individuals use No-BS OKRs, or is it only for teams?
Individuals can use it. The inputs allow for an individual strategist as the role context, and the same workflow applies: identify a theme, draft a directional objective with a 'why,' and set a few outcome and progress key results. For solo work with thin data, Target Behavior Key Results are especially useful for instrumenting personal signals of progress before formal metrics exist.
How ambitious should an Outcome Key Result be?
Ambitious enough to feel like a stretch the team influences but may not fully control — that tension is intentional and healthy. But it must not feel fabricated. The stress-test asks whether the set is 'ambitious but not fabricated.' Ground the magnitude in reality (from X to Y) so it's credible, while pushing beyond what feels comfortably guaranteed.
How often should we review OKRs during a cycle?
Schedule regular check-ins throughout the cycle — the framework treats OKRs as living operational tools, not one-time plans. At each check-in, review key results against current data and let them inform prioritisation decisions. The cadence should be frequent enough that the OKRs actually shape daily work; many teams do this weekly or bi-weekly depending on the cycle length.
Should every OKR set include all three key result types?
Not necessarily. Every set should include at least one Outcome Key Result and at least one Progress Key Result. The Target Behavior Key Result is conditional — add it where data is thin and you need to count qualitative signals. In target-rich environments you may not need one at all; in data-sparse ones it may carry most of the weight.
What's the fastest way to tell if my OKR set is working?
Ask whether the OKRs are changing how the team prioritises daily decisions. If knowing the goal shapes what people choose to do and drop, it's working — even if you don't fully control the numbers. If the OKRs sit untouched between planning sessions, they've become an artefact. Real OKRs create focus you can feel in everyday operations.