Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I'm thrilled to welcome you back to a series I did with my dear friend, Roger Martin. He's the author of the amazing book, Playing to Win. In this episode, we discuss whether OKRs, or Objectives and Key Results, actually help you win or whether they're masquerading as strategy.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders and operators who are frustrated with OKRs, unclear metrics, or goals that feel disconnected from reality and want a smarter way to connect strategy to execution.

TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…we often treat OKRs like a magic solution, but according to Roger, they're only as good as the strategy behind them. Too many organizations jump straight from setting big goals (the "O") to measuring results (the "KR") without doing the hard work in between. That missing middle—where to play, how to win, and what capabilities are required—is what actually makes goals achievable.

KEY TAKEAWAYS…

• OKRs fail when there's no strategy connecting the objective to the results.

• Measurement helps but not everything that matters can be measured.

• The "middle three boxes" (where to play, how to win, capabilities) determine success.

• Many OKRs are unrealistic because they're based on assumptions, not strategy.

• When goals aren't achievable, adjust the strategy or reset the goal.

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Roger's reminder that metrics don't create outcomes but strategy does. This is such an important shift, especially for teams stuck chasing numbers that were never grounded in reality.

Running Time: 25:36

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