“Companies don’t fail because they do the wrong things, but because they keep doing what used to be right.”
Clayton Christensen, author of The Innovator’s Dilemma
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In traditional companies, managers have “direct reports.”
It’s a phrase people use without thinking. But it says everything about how the system works: people are there to give you a hand. You tell them what to do, and they deliver the results.
The problem is that this mechanism is probably the most effective way to fail at executing any strategy.
Why? Because it turns OKRs into lists of things to deliver to the boss, rather than opportunities to evolve the company.
The 10 OKR anti-patterns no one tells you about
1. Objectives for the boss
OKRs are set with an eye on how they’ll look in the document, rather than on the real changes they should bring about.
How to spot it: the objectives look perfect on paper, but don’t influence any change in behavior.
2. Activities disguised as Key Results
Many teams write lists of tasks as KRs instead of measurable metrics for the effects of those activities (outcomes). “Implement feature X” isn’t a result. It’s an activity.
How to spot it: if your KR starts with an action verb (implement, organize, launch), it’s probably a task, not an outcome.
3. Strategic objectives with tactical KRs
The objective is about transformation. The Key Results are about tasks. If your objective is “Become the market leader” and your KR is “Release version 2.3 of product X,” are you really sure that will win you market share?
How to spot it: you think you’re working on strategy when you’re really just checking off tasks.
4. Key Results that don’t change any decisions
Numbers that exist to be filled in, but no one uses to make decisions.
How to spot it: if a KR doesn’t force you to choose differently between option A and option B, it’s not a good KR.
5. Vanity metrics as Key Results
“+100 new users” when you don’t know whether they’re still active after 7 days. “+500 followers” when you don’t know whether they convert into paying customers.
How to spot it: the number goes up, resources are used up, but the results you need never arrive.
6. OKRs without accountability
It’s unclear whether the OKR belongs to a team, department, or the company. Responsibilities are muddled, and no one is driving the result.
How to spot it: you ask yourself, “Who’s responsible for this KR?” and it takes more than 3 seconds to get an answer.
7. Too many metrics, no priorities
7–8 KRs per objective means the result will be watered down like Grandpa’s wine.
How to spot it: if you have more than 5 KRs per objective, you’re measuring everything and focusing on nothing.
8. Only lag indicators, no lead indicators
KR: “+20% ARR by the end of the quarter.” When do you measure it? At the end of the quarter. When can you intervene? Never.
How to spot it: if you don’t have weekly metrics telling you whether you’re on the right track, you’re hoping the result will come, but you’re doing nothing to make it happen.
9. OKRs as a control tool
Management uses OKRs to punish or reward instead of to align. The team hides real problems or manipulates numbers.
How to spot it: people optimize their activities to avoid trouble in check-ins instead of trying to “be effective.” You can tell by how they explain what they’ve done…
10. OKRs disconnected from real processes
OKRs stay in a document, disconnected from budgets, hiring, roadmaps, and performance reviews. They belong to a company living in a parallel universe.
How to spot it: when you have to make an important decision, do you look at the OKRs? If the answer is no, perhaps we should talk.
From direct reports to supporters
In MAKE PROGRESS, the term “direct reports” disappears and is replaced by “supporters.”
People aren’t there to report to you. They’re there to support the strategy with their best work. And you’re there to support them by removing obstacles.
This shift changes three things:
- Objectives are no longer imposed from the top down. They’re proposed from the bottom up, already aligned.
- Behaviors become measurable. Not “do your best,” but “here’s what it means to contribute.”
- Priorities have a numerical sequence. You know what comes first, what comes next, and why.
The result? A system that doesn’t depend on your energy or micromanagement, but on a clear architecture that works even when you’re not there.
What’s it like where you are?
How many of your current OKRs work like the dog in the illustration? They report something. But they don’t support anything.
Reply to this email. I’m curious to hear what you discovered while reading this note.
That’s all for this week.
See you Wednesday—yes, you heard that right, in 3 days.
Some people study strategy, and others install it.
On Wednesday, January 21 at 12:00, I’ll show you how MAKE PROGRESS® works.
Save your spot at the live DEMO.
ALWAYS MAKE PROGRESS ●↑
Antonio
