Happy Friday Reader,

Today's Goal Friday focused on Key Results, and part of what I shared are two "mad libs" style formulas I find helpful when people are learning how to create Key Results.

Are they the only valid way to create Key Results?

ABSOLUTELY not.

If we keep these structures and building blocks in mind when creating Key Results, are we more likely to create objectively measurable outcome and progress Key Results -- the kind that can be so helpful for organizations trying to change, innovate, and grow?

ABSOLUTELY.

I teach and coach a "textbook" formula for Key Results:

That "textbook" formula works if you already have a metric, a baseline, and/or are comfortable writing something in that form with estimates (which is a completely awesome way to begin).

And here is an alternative "anatomy" option, if you are starting your Key Result with something other than a directional verb, where a directional adjective takes the place of a directional verb in reminding us that we're trying to write something measurable:

And to be clear: Activity-based Key Results aren't the enemy.

Any goal or target or clearly communicated plan gives us greater clarity than no goal or target or clearly communicated plan.

These Key Result forms are important when working within an organization where leaders need to model the best practices they hope to see from their teams. I've seen the opposite: when leaders model poor practices and expect best practices from their orgs, and it doesn't do anyone any good. When leaders don't model a coherent definition and behavior around Key Results, OKR methodology gets really incoherent really fast.

So if you're applying a looser approach to your impact and progress goals, or writing goals that mostly emphasize what you'll do instead of what outcomes and/or progress criteria you hope to achieve, I'd strongly recommend not using "Key Result" as the name for those goals, so that term retains a potential for future meaning.

You might still experiment with a Key Result of the type described above: even if you think that you can only set goals around what you plan to do, challenge yourself to stretch on one outcome or progress Key Result -- you don't have to tell anyone else about it! -- and see what you learn.

We're down to just two more weeks in the first cohort of Goal Fridays, and waitlisting for the next cohort, so if you or a friend or colleague may be interested, get on that list. Goal Fridays is 100% a community support mechanism, not a substitute for more formal business-focused OKR help -- but it is a way to make one hour a week for focus on goal setting or attainment, and personally, I'm really enjoying that time to focus, myself!

See you back here next week,

-Sara