Smart Goals / OKRs - Keep your team focused and aligned on results
From the beginning, Google adopted OKRs as its goal-setting framework, which was introduced to them by venture capitalist John Doerr in 1999. Google's OKRs are ambitious by design, and the company aims to hit around 70% of its OKRs each quarter. This approach encourages teams to stretch themselves and take risks, fostering a culture of innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Google's OKRs are also transparent across the company, so anyone can see what other teams are working on. This fosters collaboration and ensures everyone is working towards the same goals. Look, we get it. Goal-setting frameworks can feel like bureaucratic busywork that gets in the way of actual work. But here's the thing - having a simple, clear way to set and track goals is crucial for keeping your team aligned and moving in the same direction. Remember that goals aren't just checkboxes to tick off during quarterly reviews. They're your team's compass for making daily decisions and prioritizing what matters most. A good goal-setting framework helps teams stay focused on what's important, measure progress meaningfully, and have honest conversations about what's working and what isn't. It gives everyone clarity on where we're headed and how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Smart Goals and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are two popular approaches that, when used right, can be powerful tools rather than administrative overhead. The key is keeping things simple and practical. What makes good goals work Whether you choose Smart Goals, OKRs, or your own hybrid approach, effective goals share some common elements: Clarity - Everyone should understand exactly what success looks like Measurable - You need a clear way to track progress Achievable - Goals should stretch you but not break you Relevant - They must connect to your broader mission Time-bound - Deadlines create focus and urgency Visible - Goals should be easily accessible to the whole team Flexible - As circumstances change, goals may need adjusting We believe your goal-setting process should include these key components: For indie creators and small businesses, the "1000 true fans" concept can be a powerful north star goal. Instead of chasing vanity metrics like total followers, focus on building a dedicated base of superfans who truly value your work. Your goals might track progress toward finding these fans through metrics like repeat purchases, referrals, or engagement rates. Top-level objectives that align with your mission and strategy Measurable key results that tell you if you're succeeding Regular check-ins to track progress and adjust course Clear ownership and accountability A simple way to visualize and share progress For best results, keep your goals in a central place where everyone can see them (like Notion, Coda, or even a simple Google Doc). Link to relevant dashboards or data sources that track your metrics. Common Pitfalls to Avoid The road to effective goal-setting is paved with good intentions that went wrong. Here are some traps to watch out for: Setting too many goals - Focus on 3-5 key objectives max Making goals too vague - "Improve user experience" vs "Reduce support tickets by 25%" Set-and-forget syndrome - Goals need regular review and updates Disconnect from daily work - Goals should guide everyday decisions Perfect over progress - Start simple and iterate based on what works Examples Here's a real example of how Buffer structured their OKRs: Objective: Make Buffer the best platform for small businesses to build their brand on social media Key Results:
Increase paying customer retention from 85% to 92% Improve NPS score from 32 to 45 Reduce average response time to customer inquiries from 8 hours to 4 hours Launch 3 new features based on top customer requests
How to get started Here's a practical way to implement goal-setting in your team:
Schedule a kick-off meeting - Get key stakeholders together for 90 minutes Define your horizon - Quarterly goals work well for most teams Start with objectives - What are the 2-3 most important things to achieve? Add key results - How will you measure success for each objective? Assign owners - Who's responsible for driving progress? Set up tracking - Create a simple dashboard or progress report Schedule check-ins - Monthly reviews keep everyone aligned Iterate and improve - Adjust your approach based on what works
Remember to:
Keep it simple - Start with just a few key goals Make them visible - Put them where people will see them daily Review regularly - Monthly check-ins keep goals relevant Be flexible - Adjust goals when circumstances change Celebrate progress - Recognize both big wins and small steps forward
FAQ Do we really need formal goals? Can't we just focus on doing good work? Having clear goals doesn't mean adding bureaucracy - it means giving your team a shared understanding of what matters most. Without some form of goal-setting, teams often end up working hard on things that don't move the needle on what's truly important. How do we balance ambitious goals with realistic expectations? The sweet spot is goals that make you stretch without breaking. Aim for goals where achieving 70% would still be meaningful progress. This keeps teams motivated while acknowledging that perfect execution is rare. What if we miss our goals? Missing goals isn't failure - it's data. Use it to understand what happened, adjust your approach, and set better goals next time. The point isn't perfect achievement, it's continuous improvement