OKR terms, in plain English.

The words that get thrown around OKRs, defined clearly and honestly. No jargon, no scoreboard thinking. Bookmark it, or share it with the team.

OKR

Objectives and Key Results: a method for choosing what matters and knowing whether you are making progress. The Objective is the goal; the Key Results prove it. A reasoning system, not a scoreboard.

Objective

A clear, qualitative statement of what you want to achieve this cycle. Memorable, meaningful, and worth chasing.

Key Result

A measurable outcome that proves an Objective has been met. Describe results, not tasks. Usually two to four per Objective.

KPI

A metric you monitor continuously to keep the business healthy. KPIs run always-on; OKRs are the focused changes you choose to make.

Operating cadence

The regular rhythm that keeps OKRs moving: weekly signals and check-ins, plus quarterly planning and review.

Check-in

A short, structured update where teams report progress and confidence against key results, surfacing what is off-track early.

OKR champion

A trained internal expert who guides their team on OKRs and keeps quality high after external help has left.

Alignment

Connecting team OKRs to company objectives so everyone sees how their work contributes, without rigid top-down cascading.

Confidence score

A quick judgement of how likely a key result is to land, used to prompt conversation, never to grade people.

Initiative

The projects and work you undertake to move a key result. Initiatives are the how; key results are the what.

Committed vs aspirational

Committed OKRs are expected to be fully achieved. Aspirational or stretch OKRs are ambitious, where strong partial progress counts as success.

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