In all fairness, the majority of meetings are a productivity loss. We have all been subjected to the pointlessness of people updating their statuses on what they are doing, but not why. Imagine that the key to fewer, shorter, and more effective meetings already lies in your goal-setting system.

With proper application, Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) can transform your meeting culture entirely. The trick here is to get past the imprecise updates and to make conversations more metric-oriented.

In teams that are in the initial stages of teamwork, it may be difficult to organize these discussions. It is here that a clear-cut OKR workshop agenda becomes essential, which serves as the blueprint to these new forms of conversations.

A good example is the technological firm Wave Nine, which utilized an elaborate workshop agenda to turn its meetings into a report of activities into one focused on solving problems. This transition played a significant role in their scaling speed, as they could decentralize their decisions and remain agile as they expanded.

Focus on Collective Problem-Solving

OKRs change the dynamics of the meetings, making them not based on individual reports but rather team-oriented diagnostics. Rather than enquiring about what you did, the discussion now revolves around why we have not made the progress that we made the promise to, or “What shall we do to get this wobbly Key Result back on track?

Due to the collective decision-making process of the OKRs, it is inherently a source of debate that needs to be solved through teamwork and coordinated effort.

Prioritize Outcome Over Activity

The most common meeting pitfall is focusing on activities rather than outcomes. OKRs force a mindset shift. When a Key Result is off-track, the discussion immediately focuses on the measurable outcome and the strategic decisions needed to correct course, not just the tasks people are busy with. This upgrades the entire quality of the conversation.

A Recipe for Fewer, Shorter Meetings

The ultimate benefit is reclaiming your calendar. A few successful companies have been able to eliminate 80% of their meetings by using OKRs. One client’s leadership team replaced a weekly two-hour status meeting with a highly focused 15-minute check-in on their OKR confidence levels.

They quickly acknowledged what was going well and spent the remaining time making crucial decisions to get things back on track.

Making It Happen: The OKR Meeting Cycle

Effective OKR meetings don’t happen by accident; they require a disciplined process.

  • Preparation is Key: The magic happens before the meeting. Owners analyse performance data and draft commentary. Leaders craft a tight agenda focused on solving specific problems, not sharing updates.
  • Run a Tight Ship: Keep to the agenda during the meeting. Only bring in subject matter experts when necessary, and focus your efforts on assessing progress and making a decision.
  • Relentless Follow-up: The most essential thing to do after the meeting is to make sure that commitments are followed before the next check-in.

With this cycle, your meetings will no longer be time-wasters, but engines of advancement, propelling your most significant achievements.