Introduction

There are several elements involved in creating high-performing teams and teams that achieve their OKRs. Most team members want a Cause, a Career, and a Community. They want to feel that they are part of something ‘bigger,’ that there is also a real opportunity for career progression, and that they are part of a team that shares the same values.

An essential element of creating high-performing teams is to support the alignment of team behaviors to the purpose (cause) of the company. Generally, when team members truly sense that their work has a positive impact and adds value to others, they will be more inclined to pursue far-reaching goals and improve themselves.

A true sense and understanding of purpose can help teams ignite OKR performance. During OKR setting workshops, the focus is often to align objectives with the company’s vision and cross-functionally. In addition to the ‘norm’ of OKR alignment, we align OKRs with the company’s purpose, and we are giving ourselves an improved chance to make OKRs both more successful and sustainable.

Purpose a ‘driver of energy’

Take NorthWest Airlines purpose statement as an example:

‘We connect people to what matters in their lives‘.

This would mean as pilots, air hosts and hostesses, and as other members of the crew, we are not merely flying people to a destination, we carry the understanding in our hearts as we perform our duties that we are connecting people to their families, friends and crucial business connections.

Following a purpose means that we are not only doing our work for the sake of doing work or to earn a salary. We are also fully aware of and energized by the positive difference that we are making. This way, our work has more meaning and we can link our daily tasks and goals to this meaning and impact that we are creating.

A purpose statement should therefore not be merely a statement but a principle that is brought to life by our belief in the impact that we are creating and our daily actions aligned to the same purpose statement.

A purpose statement should both illicit sincere emotion and energized action. Here are more examples of purpose statements.

Harley Davidson

‘We create products, services and experiences that inspire our customers to discover adventure, find freedom for the soul and live the Harley-Davidson lifestyle’

Nike

‘To bring innovation and inspiration to every athlete in the world – If you have a body then you are an athlete’

Connecting OKRs and Purpose

It generally makes OKRs more sustainable and prosperous when we align them with the company’s purpose statement. However, this form of alignment is only successful if the company’s purpose statement is regularly referred to, acted upon, and even revered across the company.

Let us take Harley Davidsons’ purpose statement as an example:

‘We create products, services, and experiences that inspire our customers to discover adventure, find freedom for the soul and live the Harley-Davidson lifestyle’

‘Inspiring our customers,’ ‘Discovering adventure,’ ‘Finding freedom’, and ‘Living the Harley Davidson Lifestyle’ can all become objectives supported by key results and an action plan that would, in turn, ensure that the purpose statement becomes a reality and, is continuously acted upon.

Contact us to Learn more about the alignment of OKRs:

Contact

Related Courses

Recent Posts

Tags

#OKR

#OKR Coaching

#OKR Coach