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WeSalute OKR Rating Review & Retrospectives

Introduction​

“OKRs are driven by data. They are animated by periodic check-ins, objective grading, and continuous reassessment — all in a spirit of no-judgment accountability." -- John Doerr

OKR Rating Review and OKR Retrospective occur at the end of an OE Cycle. They are distinct but interconnected components of the OKR framework, each playing a vital role in driving performance and improvement:

OKR Ratings Review​

  • What : A quantitative assessment of progress made towards achieving each Key Result (KR) within a given Objective. Typically expressed as a percentage or a "Yes", "No" for achieving the Key Result.
  • When: Usually conducted at the end of an OKR cycle (e.g., End of Quarer) to gauge overall success and provide a snapshot of performance.
  • Purpose: To measure the degree to which Objectives were met, identify areas of strength and weakness, and inform future goal setting.

Grading OKRs, the practice of performing an OKR Rating Review, are conversations about judging performance on specific Objectives — but the judgment is not personal. Unlike the dialogue-oriented reviews, rating OKRs is a binary process: “A goal is met or it’s not.”

That’s because the main purpose of grading OKRs is to provide the impetus to craft new OKRs for the next OKR cycle. Hence why OKR Rating is performed during the End of Quarter period.

Suggested Rating Review Framework:​

🟢 Green = We delivered. 🟡 Yellow = We made progress, but fell short of completion. 🔴 Red = We failed to make real progress.

Rating OKRs without judgment during an OKR Review in a candid conversation, without fear of penalty rather than waiting to ask, “Did we succeed or fail?” inherently changes teams because it emphasizes the real ingredients for success: building skills and helping people deliver. Doing OKRs well is an act of collective commitment to what’s most important.

OKR Retrospectives​

After getting a crystal clear perspective on the OKR outcomes, it's time to reflect and learn. During the OKR Retrospective we focus on building skills and helping Team Member's deliver:

  • What : A qualitative review session focused on reflecting on the overall OKR process and identifying lessons learned for future improvement.
  • When : Typically held after the completion of an OKR cycle, during End of Quarter, and before starting the next OKR Work.
  • Purpose: To foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement by examining what worked well, what didn't, and why. This goes beyond just evaluating numbers and delves into the processes, strategies, and collaboration that contributed to the results.

Great Retro Questions​

  • "If we achieved our goal, what added to our success?"
  • "If we didn’t accomplish it, what barriers did we encounter?"
  • "If we were to rewrite the goal, what would we change?"

Key Differences​

FeatureOKR RatingsOKR Retrospectives
FocusQuantitative assessment of resultsQualitative reflection on the process, strategies, and collaboration
TimingEnd of QuarterAfter OKR Ratings
PurposeMeasure success, identify areas for improvement, inform future goalsLearn from successes and failures, refine processes, foster growth
OutputGreen, Yellow, Red / Yes, No / %Actionable insights, lessons learned, improved strategies

In essence, OKR Ratings provide a snapshot of what was achieved, while OKR Retrospectives delve into the how and why behind those achievements. By combining both quantitative and qualitative assessments, WeSalute gains a holistic understanding of our performance, enabling Team Members to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve their OKR process.