How does cascading OKRs work?

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a goal-setting framework used by many organizations to set clear, measurable goals and track progress towards their achievement.

In the cascading OKR model, the top-level OKRs are set by the leadership team and then cascaded down through the organization, with each team and potentially each individual setting their own OKRs that align with and contribute to the overall company OKRs.

There are also less formal approaches to cascading OKRs where instead of cascading through many tiers, OKRs all link to one strategic company OKR or one departmental OKR. The benefit of this approach is it is less restrictive and allows for a wider range of OKRs to be considered, which potentially might be more impactful.

The ultimate aim of cascading OKRs is to ensure that everyone in the organization is working towards a common set of goals and that their efforts are aligned with the overall direction of the company. Being able to see how your goals help your team and company is also rewarding for each individual.

ZOKRI supports all OKR cascading models and provides not only visual cascades but progress reporting on specific branches of a cascade where required.