OKR training teaches leaders and teams how to use Objectives and Key Results, a goal-setting method that pairs an ambitious, qualitative objective with three to five measurable key results. It covers writing strong OKRs, alignment across teams, committed versus aspirational goals, weekly check-ins, scoring and retrospectives, and how OKRs relate to KPIs and performance reviews.
- Recommended: 1 day in person, or 3 × 2.5-hour live virtual sessions, plus quarterly OKR coaching
- Level: Foundation · In person · Live virtual · Blended
- Designed with the ADDIE model and customised to your context
- Offered by Bodhih since 2008 to 2,000+ organisations across 7 regions
Also known as: OKR workshop, objectives and key results training, OKR goal setting training, OKR implementation training
Where and how: OKR training as an in-person workshop in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Jaipur; as a live online course; or delivered overseas in Dubai, Singapore and across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Why OKRs need proper training to work
Organisations adopt OKRs to create focus, transparency and alignment, especially when strategy shifts quickly. Without training, teams often write activities instead of outcomes, set too many goals and forget them until the quarter ends.
Good OKR training builds a shared language and practical habits. It also clarifies how OKRs fit with existing KPIs and performance management, which avoids confusion and gaming.
What participants will be able to do
Write outcome-focused OKRs
Draft objectives and measurable key results that describe outcomes, not activities or tasks.
Tell OKRs and KPIs apart
Decide which goals belong in OKRs and which should stay as business-as-usual health metrics.
Align without heavy cascading
Connect team OKRs to company priorities through both top-down and bottom-up alignment.
Set the right level of ambition
Distinguish committed from aspirational OKRs and score them fairly.
Run a weekly rhythm
Hold short weekly check-ins that surface confidence levels, risks and needed help.
Learn every quarter
Run OKR retrospectives that improve both the goals and the way the team works.
Who should attend
- Leadership teams introducing or relaunching OKRs
- Managers and team leads who set and review team goals
- OKR champions and strategy or PMO teams
- Product, engineering and growth teams in startups and GCCs
- HR and performance management leaders aligning goals and reviews
- Teams whose OKRs have become task lists and need a reset
Program outline
Recommended design, customised to your context after a short needs analysis.
01OKR foundationsModule 1 · 75 min+
- Origins and principles of OKRs, from Intel to Google
- The formula: 'We will [objective] as measured by [key results]'
- Outputs versus outcomes, and why it matters
- Examples from sales, HR, engineering, operations and customer service
02Writing strong objectives and key resultsModule 2 · 2 hours+
- Qualities of a good objective: inspiring, time-bound, within the team's influence
- Key results that are measurable, with baselines and targets
- Common mistakes: too many OKRs, task lists, sandbagging
- Workshop: draft and peer-review your team's OKRs
03OKRs, KPIs and strategyModule 3 · 75 min+
- When a metric is a KPI and when it becomes an OKR
- Committed and aspirational OKRs
- Linking OKRs to strategy and annual plans
- Keeping OKRs separate from individual performance ratings
04Alignment across teamsModule 4 · 90 min+
- Top-down, bottom-up and cross-functional alignment
- Handling shared OKRs and dependencies
- Transparency: making OKRs visible across the organisation
- Alignment mapping exercise with another team
05Running the OKR cycleModule 5 · 90 min+
- Weekly check-ins with confidence scores
- Conversations, feedback and recognition (CFRs)
- End-of-quarter scoring and retrospectives
- Choosing simple tools, from spreadsheets to OKR software
How we deliver it
Draft real OKRs in the room
Teams leave the workshop with a first draft of their actual quarterly OKRs, reviewed by peers and the facilitator.
Before-and-after examples
Participants rewrite weak OKRs from realistic examples, which quickly builds the skill of spotting activities and vague targets.
Leadership first
Where OKRs are new, we start with the leadership team so company-level OKRs are ready before teams write their own.
Quarterly coaching
Optional coaching supports OKR champions through the first two cycles, when most implementations stall.
Tailored versions
For leadership teams
A facilitated session to set company-level OKRs, agree the rollout plan and decide how OKRs relate to KPIs and reviews.
For startups and product teams
Fast-paced version focused on growth, product and engineering OKRs with frequent learning cycles.
OKR champion program
Deeper training for internal OKR coaches who will support teams, facilitate planning and run retrospectives.
How we measure impact
Using the ADDIE Evaluate stage, we assess OKR writing quality before and after the workshop against a simple rubric, and can run a knowledge check on AssessAll. Teams share their draft OKRs for review. OKR champions and managers hold check-ins at 30, 60 and 90 days to track weekly check-in adoption, alignment and end-of-quarter retrospectives. Over two to three cycles, we review goal quality and achievement trends with your leadership.
Pair this program with AssessAll, Bodhih’s AI assessment platform, for pre- and post-program skill measurement.
Frequently asked questions
What are OKRs?
OKRs, or Objectives and Key Results, are a goal-setting framework. An objective describes what you want to achieve in qualitative, motivating terms. Key results are three to five measurable outcomes that show whether you achieved it. OKRs are usually set quarterly, shared openly and reviewed regularly to create focus and alignment across an organisation.
How do you write good OKRs?
Keep objectives short, inspiring and within the team's influence. Make key results measurable outcomes with a baseline and target, not tasks. Limit each team to a few objectives with three to five key results each. Test every key result by asking: if we achieve this, will we have met the objective? The workshop gives plenty of practice.
What is the difference between OKRs and KPIs?
KPIs are ongoing health metrics that show how the business is performing, such as revenue, uptime or attrition. OKRs are time-bound goals that focus effort on improving something that matters now. A KPI can become a key result when a team decides to move it significantly. Most organisations use both together.
How long does it take to implement OKRs?
Most organisations need two to three quarterly cycles before OKRs feel natural. The first cycle is about learning to write good OKRs, and later cycles improve alignment and check-in habits. Starting with the leadership team or a pilot group, then expanding, usually works better than a big-bang rollout.
Should OKRs be linked to performance ratings?
Most OKR practitioners recommend keeping OKRs separate from individual performance ratings and bonuses. Linking them directly encourages sandbagging, where people set easy goals to protect ratings. OKRs can inform performance conversations, but they should not be a scoring formula. The program helps HR and leaders design this link carefully.
Can small teams or startups use OKRs?
Yes. OKRs often work especially well in startups because they create focus when resources are limited. Small teams should keep the process light, with one or two company objectives and simple weekly check-ins. Our OKR training for startups keeps the framework practical and avoids unnecessary bureaucracy.
Do we need OKR software?
Not at the start. Many teams begin with a shared spreadsheet or document, which keeps the focus on writing good OKRs and building habits. As adoption grows, dedicated OKR software can help with visibility, alignment and check-ins. We are tool-neutral and can work with whatever platform you choose.