Welcome to the No-BS OKRs™ Blog
Here, you’ll find resources we create to help teams create, implement, and operationalize No-BS OKRs™ (called Evolutionary OKRs® in some workplaces) to set clear goals, stay focused, and build cultures of growth, learning, and high performance.
Featured No-BS OKRs Posts
“Quiet quitting” isn’t over — recent Gallup Data shows that the “Great Detatchment” is still going strong. Learn how No-BS OKRs can counter this trend, fostering a more engaged and motivated workforce and management.
Creating and aligning OKRs can be particularly tricky for busy corporate functions like HR, IT, legal, corporate communications, and finance. Here are some practical tips to help you create clear expectations for yourself and your team.
Based on a reader question, learn some of the most common OKR mistakes I see organizations make, including lack of precise use of words and meaning, and failure to create important goals outside of financial, activity, and known KPI areas. Learn a few quick tips about why these mistakes matter, and how to prevent them in this FAQ answer.
Let’s look at how generative “AI” tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot can (and can’t) assist in strategic planning and the creation of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). We’ll look at some benefits, and some cautions about the limitations and IP implications of using these tools in practice.
Newest Thinkydoer Podcast Episodes
Join Sara Lobkovich for an intimate sneak peek at her upcoming book "You Are A Strategist." In this special episode, Sara reads the introduction live, challenging conventional wisdom about what makes someone "strategic" and revealing how anyone can unlock their inner strategist. Perfect for those who've ever felt misunderstood in traditional business cultures or been told they "overcomplicate things” or “need to be more strategic,” (and the people who lead them).
What connects professional motorcycle racing, firefighting, and other very high stakes work for a multi-passionate thinkydoer? The ability to execute perfectly under pressure. Join pro racer and firefighter Jayson Uribe as he shares insights into achieving flow states, balancing technical precision with emotional awareness, and performing at your peak when stakes are highest. Learn practical strategies for managing high-pressure situations that apply far beyond the racetrack.
What happens when motorsports wisdom meets organizational leadership? In this fascinating conversation with Jurriaan Kamer, we explore how professional racing teams' approaches to clear goals, mistake recovery, and continuous learning can revolutionize business performance. Discover practical frameworks for decision-making, prioritization, and building psychological safety that work as well in the boardroom as they do in the motorsports paddock.
Posts by Category
Principles of No-BS OKRs
Don’t know an OKR from a KPI from any other TLA? Dive into the world of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with our no-nonsense WTF are OKRs guide. You’ll find basic words, meanings, and context about when and how OKRs are useful, and access No-BS OKR cheat-sheets not available anywhere else
One of the first jobs to be done when implementing (or rebooting) OKRs is to identify how they fit into an organization’s existing planning “stack” and get clear about what job they’re being hired to do.
This is an excerpt from an early draft of Sara’s upcoming book, You Are A Strategist.
You’ll be introduced to the first of three models that Sara uses every day in her work with organizations implementing OKRs: the Connected Strategic® Implementation Stack.
The Connected Strategic Implementation Stack is a framework that helps us understand where OKRs may fit into an organization's existing operating Stack; and, spot what gaps they may fill in connecting what we do, to what's strategically most important.
After years of writing alone and then sharing with (wonderful, patient) beta readers, with this rewrite I’m doing something different. It’s time to write in public.
Here, I’m sharing the first full chapter, Chapter One. (It’s also available in podcast form via the Thinkydoers Podcast.) I look forward to your feedback; the rewriting is done, but the editing is not, so there’s still time to incorporate constructive edits.
Leadership + Management
“Quiet quitting” isn’t over — recent Gallup Data shows that the “Great Detatchment” is still going strong. Learn how No-BS OKRs can counter this trend, fostering a more engaged and motivated workforce and management.
I’ve always found assessments helpful not only for personal development and self-knowing, but also for helping organizations develop a shared language around important topics in how we work together. I am a huge supporter of using assessments personally for self-discovery and increasing your understanding about yourself, your default modes, and non-default options for behavior. Here, I share the assessments I use most frequently in my coaching and consulting …
All posts about Leadership & Management →
Strategic Planning
One of the first jobs to be done when implementing (or rebooting) OKRs is to identify how they fit into an organization’s existing planning “stack” and get clear about what job they’re being hired to do.
This is an excerpt from an early draft of Sara’s upcoming book, You Are A Strategist.
You’ll be introduced to the first of three models that Sara uses every day in her work with organizations implementing OKRs: the Connected Strategic® Implementation Stack.
All posts about Strategic Planning & Goals →
OKR FAQs
Creating and aligning OKRs can be particularly tricky for busy corporate functions like HR, IT, legal, corporate communications, and finance. Here are some practical tips to help you create clear expectations for yourself and your team.
Based on a reader question, learn some of the most common OKR mistakes I see organizations make, including lack of precise use of words and meaning, and failure to create important goals outside of financial, activity, and known KPI areas. Learn a few quick tips about why these mistakes matter, and how to prevent them in this FAQ answer.
All No-BS OKRs FAQs →
OKR Coaching
Establishing clear objectives and key results (OKRs) isn't just about direction and accountability. It’s about driving real change within organizations. Today’s episode kicks off our two-part conversation with the wonderful Jason Johnston, OKR Practice Lead for Genetec, a leading tech company in the security products and solutions space. Jason is also a veteran whose 20-year military career has given him a unique perspective on leadership and problem-solving.
All posts about OKR Coaching →
Planning your OKR Reset
How to plan an effective and efficient OKR reset that maximized learnings gathered from the past cycle, to inform the adjustments you make to your OKRs going forward.
The Connected Strategic Implementation Stack
The Connected Strategic Implementation Stack is a framework that helps us understand where OKRs may fit into an organization's existing operating Stack; and, spot what gaps they may fill in connecting what we do, to what's strategically most important.
Ready to implement OKRs? Before you start shopping for an OKR tool or OKR tracking platform, listen to this essential episode. Strategy coach Sara Lobkovich explains why beginning with software often leads to failed implementations, and shares her proven methodology-first approach. Learn how to track OKRs effectively without specialized tools, recognize when your organization is actually ready for software adoption, and set yourself up for long-term OKR success. Perfect for leaders and teams starting or rebooting their OKR journey.