Finding Direction in What We Measure

An antique theodolite, a reminder that clear direction depends on precise measurement.

I have always fancied myself as a futurist. My love of science fiction started very early—I remember reading a sci-fi children’s book aloud to my mother. I generally found history boring. However, studying Chinese history in college, I realized the impact that the past has on today, and will have on tomorrow. In the words of William Faulker, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

As a futurist, I take time to look at yesterday when thinking about tomorrow. It is because of this that I really enjoyed Measure What Matters by John Doerr. In this book, the author tells the story of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), and how Andy Grove, an Intel executive, championed their use at Intel in the early 1970s. Doerr traces how a simple management idea grew into one of the most influential goal-setting frameworks in modern business.

After sharing how this tool impacted Intel, Doerr defines the four “superpowers” of OKRs and tells stories of their impact at various technology firms. Those superpowers are:

• Focus and Commit to Priorities

• Align and Connect for Teamwork

• Track for Accountability

• Stretch for Amazing

The last section of the book delves into CFRs—Conversations, Feedback, and Recognition. These team-building, human resource tools pave the way for effective implementation and maintenance of OKRs in an organization.

The author’s writing style is quite pleasant, and the stories are from familiar companies like Google and The Gates Foundation. Most importantly to me, the content was excellent. It clearly describes how to use Objectives and Key Results to transform an organization.

It may not be a coincidence that the term “Key Performance Indicators” appeared soon after the OKRs gained prevalence. KPIs seem to have developed as an adaption of Grove’s “key results”. By incorporating metrics, we gain a more complete toolkit for managing organizations.

• Objectives and Key Results—An effective system for managing projects and programs.

• Conversations, Feedback, and Recognition—A clear-cut methodology for supporting staff members that encourages the use of OKRs.

• Key Performance Indicators—Tools that identify what to measure and monitor to achieve the objectives.

• Metrics—How to measure the relevant changes.

When paired with an association’s strategic goals, this toolkit can ensure that can align every part of an organization. As Doerr’s stories show, this system also builds flexibility— helping associations to adapt quickly and minimize disruption.

ChatGPT provided light editorial input on this article.