The combination of OKR and Topgrading can offer you excellent results

One of the biggest challenges organizations face when using OKR is maintaining interest in the utilization of this goal management system and integrating it into people's day-to-day work, so that we can break free from the cycle of working solely on tasks without taking the time to verify if they are yielding the expected results.

In the era of artificial intelligence, the worst thing we can do as professionals is to continue working on autopilot, as if we were machines focused solely on producing without concern for the final outcome. We might go to bed feeling like we've worked hard and been highly productive in completing our tasks, but without truly understanding the real value we could be adding with our work.

This is where Topgrading comes into play, specifically one of its concepts emphasizing the importance of employees having visibility into the company's and team's objectives they're collaborating on, rather than just knowing the tasks expected of them in their new role.

Regarding this, I believe the major issue lies in the beginning of the selection process, which extends to everything else concerning a person's career within the company. It's related to the job posting, where what's typically advertised is what the company wants people to do, rather than what they're expected to achieve or contribute. In other words, job postings are filled with tasks and lacking in objectives.

This leads one thing to another, and if you hire people to perform tasks, it becomes very difficult to shift the situation towards working towards objectives. That's why I say a lot is at stake in the selection process for the future success of OKR implementation. We need people who think in terms of objectives and results, who understand that their work should have an impact, not just be about working hard and being highly productive.

Now, beyond improving the way we write job postings, let's explore other benefits we can obtain when combining the concepts of Topgrading with those of OKR:

Clarity

When a person clearly understands the organization's and their team's objectives, they gain a clear vision of where the collective effort is heading. This clarity is crucial because:

• Direction: Knowing what the organization and the team are trying to achieve helps each individual understand how their work fits into the overall plan, giving them a sense of purpose and direction.

• Coherence: It ensures that all efforts are aligned and that individual and collective work is directed towards the same ends, avoiding duplicated or contradictory efforts.

Alignment

Alignment among organizational, team, and individual objectives is crucial for realizing the company's strategy, which is materialized through:

• Synergy: When employees' individual objectives are aligned with those of the team and the organization, it creates synergy that enhances collective performance, multiplying the impact towards achieving common goals.

• Contribution: It enables each person to understand how they can contribute most effectively by setting their own OKRs that align with those of the team and the organization.

Commitment

Having clear and aligned objectives can also make a significant contribution to people's motivation and commitment to the organization:

• Inspiration: Understanding how individual work contributes to larger objectives inspires greater commitment to the work at hand, as individuals see it as part of the organization's success.

• Motivation: Setting and achieving personal goals that are in line with broader objectives provides individuals with a sense of accomplishment and recognition, which in turn enhances intrinsic motivation.

Development

Clarity and alignment of objectives facilitate both personal and professional development:

• Growth: Defining personal OKRs that support team and organizational objectives can include aspects of personal development and acquisition of new skills, enriching the employee.

• Opportunity: By focusing on the achievement of clear and aligned objectives, individuals have opportunities to excel, take on new responsibilities, and advance in their careers within the organization.

As we have seen, the combination of OKR principles with those of Topgrading represents a new approach to goal management and talent development in organizations. This synergy not only addresses the challenge of maintaining interest and integration of goal management systems into workers' daily routines but also fundamentally rethinks the relationship between daily tasks and the ultimate results we aim to achieve.

Optimizing Onboarding: Successful Integration with OKR and Topgrading

Join our upcoming event on innovative strategies for conducting effective onboarding, where we will explore how to improve the integration of new employees using techniques such as OKR and Topgrading.

Discover how these techniques can take the hiring process to the next level by setting clear objectives from the outset and selecting the best candidates from the start. Join us at this free event, either in-person or online, to learn, share examples and success stories, and participate in a collaborative workshop designed to enhance your onboarding processes and ensure strong relationships with your employees from day one.

Click here to access this event!