Ever feel lost in the alphabet soup of goal-setting frameworks?

Whether you're a leader, a coach, or a goal-setting enthusiast, navigating between SMART goals, KPIs, OKRs, and other frameworks can feel overwhelming.

In this episode, Sara Lobkovich – strategist, OKR coach, and nationally board-certified health and wellness coach (with “another life” in professional motorcycle road racing) – gives you the inside scoop on the most popular frameworks. Through easy-to-understand examples from the worlds of health and sports, Sara breaks down when and how to use each framework to drive success.

You'll leave with a clear understanding of what each framework truly means, how they differ, and which one to use to turbocharge your personal or professional goals.

Want to watch the full-length replay of the Live this episode is drawn from? It’s on YouTube!

Episode Highlights:

• Clear explanation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and why they're indicators, not goals
• Deep dive into SMART goals and their practical applications
• How OKRs differ from other frameworks for handling uncertainty and innovation
• Understanding mandatory vs. stretch goals
• Real-world examples using health and sports metrics
• Introduction to additional frameworks like BSC (Balanced Scorecard) and ROB (Rhythm of Business)

Key Concepts Covered:

• Activity Goals vs. Outcome Goals
• KPIs as health indicators for your business
• The limitations of SMART goals
• When and how to use mandatory goals
• The power of OKRs for uncertain territory
• Building a holistic performance dashboard
• Creating effective rhythms of business

Episode Chapters

[00:00] Introduction to Thinkydoer Shorts

[00:43] Sara's Dual Life: Business and Racing

[01:12] Goal Fridays and Live Replays

[02:59] Decoding Goal-Setting Acronyms

[07:38] Activity Goals: The Basics

[09:02] KPIs: Key Performance Indicators (and KPIs vs. OKRs)

[11:32] SMART Goals: Specific and Measurable

[15:52] Mandatory Goals vs. Stretch Goals

[18:20] OKRs and Other Goal-Setting Frameworks

Notable Quotes:"KPIs are indicators, not goals - it's right there in the name." "SMART goals are helpful because they are specific. They do give us something to aim for.   The challenge with SMART goals, and we're going to talk about mandatories in just a minute, is with SMART goals, It's a little too easy to set that goal and then have our all-or-nothing thinking take over with our behavior."" And quantifying activity is great. It gives you that clarity when what's important is that you do something a certain number of times. But doing something a certain number of times won't necessarily yield the outcome you need.""The Objective is like a tiny love letter from your idealistic 'you' to your future 'you' that's going to get frustrated and challenged.""Your Rhythm of Business (ROB) is all of the things that make up the culture of performance in your work. [...]Your Rhythm of Business is really your culture. It's your meetings, yes, it's also your communication norms, your asynchronous communication norms, your habits. Your rhythms for learning and feedback, your ways of recognizing each other and what cadence that's on."Resources Mentioned:

• Get the No-BS OKRs Workbook ($19): https://saralobkovich.com/no-bs-okrs-workbook-pdf
• Info about the upcoming print version of the No-BS OKRs Workbook & Sara's forthcoming book: "You Are a Strategist: Use No-BS Objectives and Key Results to Get Big Things Done" is available at https://youareastrategist.com 
• Other Free No-BS OKRs Resources: Access all free resources
• Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page: https://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod

Connect with Sara:

• Newsletter: findrc.co/newsletter
• Contact: findrc.co/contact
• Email Sara at [email protected]
• Social Media: @saralobkovich most everywhere!

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't forget your free No-BS OKRs Workbook

Before I let you go, I just wanna remind you, you can pick up your copy of "You Are a Strategist: Use No-BS OKRs to Get Big Things Done" at https://youareastrategist.com, and you'll get that free PDF of the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" when you purchase direct.

Don't wanna DIY it? Book a VIP executive strategy day with me. They can be used one-on-one. It can be used to facilitate an in-person or remote event with your org. It can also be used for a keynote that inspires actual results for your upcoming event.

Visit https://findrc.co/vipday for all the details.

And from there you can book a free executive strategy intake call, or request a no meeting virtual consult. A VIP executive strategy day helps you unlock clarity, align quickly, and drive results in just one powerful day.

Don't forget: Get your free No-BS OKRs Workbook or schedule a VIP Strategy Day!

Before I let you go, I just wanna remind you, you can pick up your copy of "You Are a Strategist: Use No-BS OKRs to Get Big Things Done" at https://youareastrategist.com, and you'll get that free PDF of the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" when you purchase direct.

Don't wanna DIY it? Book a VIP executive strategy day with me. They can be used one-on-one. It can be used to facilitate an in-person or remote event with your org. It can also be used for a keynote that inspires actual results for your upcoming event.

Visit https://findrc.co/vipday for all the details.

And from there you can book a free executive strategy intake call, or request a no meeting virtual consult. A VIP executive strategy day helps you unlock clarity, align quickly, and drive results in just one powerful day.