E314 | The Power of Customer-Centric OKRs with Josh Seiden & Jeff Gothelf

Mind Your F**king Business

Summary

Josh Seiden & Jeff Gothelf join Dominic Monkhouse to talk about one of his favourite growth tools - OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

The discussion dives deep into the world of OKRs, highlighting their critical role in goal-setting and driving organisational alignment. The guests introduce their latest book, Who Does What By How Much?, which offers a fresh, customer-focused take on OKRs. They stress the importance of shifting from output-driven goals to outcome-based objectives that are tightly aligned with customer needs and behaviours.

A key theme of the conversation is the delicate balance between Business as Usual (BAU) activities and the implementation of OKRs. This episode explores how OKRs should not only complement existing operations but also help steer an organisation’s strategy. They discuss the ideal timeframe for setting corporate OKRs, with an emphasis on quarterly check-ins and measurable key results that track progress throughout the year.

The conversation also addresses practical challenges, such as fostering collaboration across teams and securing leadership buy-in, both of which are essential for successful OKR implementation. The speakers advise organisations to start small, gradually expand OKR adoption, and invest time and effort into their OKR process while still keeping an eye on BAU performance.

In addition to their insights on OKRs, the guests share personal book recommendations and reflect on their own definitions of success, rounding out a rich discussion that not only offers practical advice but also broader perspectives on achieving meaningful outcomes in today's customer-driven world.

Takeaways

• OKRs should be customer-centric and focused on outcomes rather than outputs.
• Aligning goals with the needs and behaviours of customers leads to better products and services.
• Strategic goals should be set for a year, while tactical goals can be set on a quarterly or monthly basis.
• The conversation and alignment around OKRs should be a two-way process, involving input from all levels of the organisation.
• Flexibility and customisation are key in implementing OKRs, as each organisation's needs and context may vary. Set quarterly check-ins and key results that can be measured throughout the year.
• Prioritise customer-centric goals and focus on changing customer behaviour.
• Start small and gradually expand OKR implementation.
• Allocate time and effort to OKRs while maintaining business as usual metrics.
• Facilitate collaboration and foster leadership buy-in for successful OKR implementation.
• Continuously learn and acquire new skills to enhance personal and professional growth.

Chapters

(03:13) The Power of Customer-Centric OKRs

(07:19) Balancing BAU and OKRs

(13:53) The Role of Strategy in OKR Implementation

(25:15) Setting the Timeframe for Corporate OKRs

(30:40) Setting Quarterly Check-ins and Measurable Key Results

(32:14) Prioritising Customer-Centric Goals for Changing Customer Behavior

(41:40) Challenges of Collaboration and the Role of Leadership Buy-in

(47:00) Starting Small and Gradually Expanding OKR Implementation

(49:16) Allocating Time and Effort to OKRs while Maintaining Business as Usual Metrics

(56:01) Continuous Learning and Personal Growth for Success

About Josh Seiden

Josh Seiden has been creating great technology products for more than 20 years. A UX design leader, Josh has worked in hardware and software, consumer and enterprise, mobile, web, and desktop. He was a Principal at Neo and, prior to that role, he was head of product design at Wall Street innovator Liquidnet, and lead pioneering interaction design teams at Cooper. He is a founder and past president of the Interaction Design Association.

About Jeff Gothelf

Jeff helps organizations build better products and executives build the cultures that build better products. He is the co-author of the award-winning book Lean UX and the Harvard Business Review Press book Sense & Respond. Starting off as a software designer, Jeff now works as a coach, consultant and keynote speaker helping companies bridge the gaps between business agility, digital transformation, product management and human-centred design. His latest book, Forever Employable, was published in June 2020.