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In today's workplaces, OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are two widely used frameworks to drive performance and accountability. While KPIs focus on tracking performance through specific metrics—think sales numbers, response times, or customer satisfaction—OKRs are more about setting bold, aspirational goals with measurable outcomes that align teams around a shared purpose. As Gen Z enters the workforce, with their strong preference for meaning, transparency, and impact, the way organizations design and communicate these goals becomes even more important. In this episode, we explore how these frameworks resonate with Gen Z: Do they feel empowered or boxed in by structured goal setting? And how can companies evolve their approach to performance management to better engage this values-driven generation?Find out more in this episode, as Leadership Expert Kennet Lewise helps us to understand Why goal setting matters more than ever in today's fast-changing workplace?How Gen Z views goal setting: structure vs. autonomyDo traditional OKRs feel too rigid or just right for Gen Z?Making OKRs meaningful: the role of purpose and impactThe importance of real-time feedback and recognition in the OKR cycleCo-creating OKRs: How managers can engage Gen Z in the processPitfalls to avoid when applying OKRs with younger teamsReal-life examples of how OKRs have helped—or hurt—Gen Z engagementTips for making OKRs more inclusive, transparent, and motivatingThe future of performance management in a Gen Z-driven workplace 45 Best Gen Z Podcasts You Must Follow in 2025Find Us OnlineKenneth Lewis : Website, LinkedInNikhil : Website, Linkedin, Youtube & Book
Ben Lamorte talks with us about the power of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as a transformative tool for project leaders. He introduces a simple framework: define the destination, articulate its importance, set measurable key results, and outline an action plan. Hear about the impact of strong OKRs, and how tracking progress fosters motivation through small wins and helps teams maintain focus.
We're joined by Fanny Wallér, a seasoned executive and board professional with over two decades of leadership experience in strategic communications, sustainability and corporate transformation. Together, we explore the board's crucial role in goal setting and how frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can be effectively. Fanny shares practical insights on aligning strategy with execution, driving transformation, and how boards can go beyond oversight to actively shape an organization's future. Whether you're a board member, executive, or just curious about how high-level strategy comes to life — this episode is packed with value.
Steffen Köhler und ich diskutieren in dieser Episode moderne Führungssysteme im Krankenhaus. Wir zeigen, wie OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) genutzt werden können, um Effizienz zu steigern und gleichzeitig das Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeitenden sowie die Patientenzufriedenheit zu fördern. Steffen teilt praktische Erfahrungen aus seinem Arbeitsalltag und erläutert, warum gerade im Krankenhaus Silos aufgebrochen und abteilungsübergreifende Zusammenarbeit gefördert werden muss. Wir sprechen über Teamboards, Feedback-Systeme und darüber, warum der erste Eindruck bei neuen Mitarbeitenden entscheidend ist. Die Episode liefert Impulse, wie sich Führungskräfte mit strukturierten Systemen entlasten und gleichzeitig ihre Teams stärken können. Schließlich diskutieren wir, wie eine gut etablierte Feedback-Kultur nicht nur Transparenz schafft, sondern auch die Weiterentwicklung von Führungskräften unterstützt.Linkedin Profil Dr. Ulrich Vogel: https://de.linkedin.com/in/ulrich-vogel-profilingvaluesprofilingvalues Website: https://www.profilingvalues.comAutorenseite Dr. Uli Vogel: https://uli-vogel.com/Linkedin Profil profilingvalues: https://de.linkedin.com/company/profiling-values?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-companyprofilingvalues Blog: https://profilingvalues.com/ueber-uns/pv-blog/Keywords: OKRs, Objectives & Key Results, moderne Führung, Krankenhaus, Teamboards, Feedback-Kultur, Onboarding, Zusammenarbeit, Patientenzufriedenheit
Steffen Köhler und ich diskutieren in dieser Episode moderne Führungssysteme im Krankenhaus. Wir zeigen, wie OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) genutzt werden können, um Effizienz zu steigern und gleichzeitig das Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeitenden sowie die Patientenzufriedenheit zu fördern. Steffen teilt praktische Erfahrungen aus seinem Arbeitsalltag und erläutert, warum gerade im Krankenhaus Silos aufgebrochen und abteilungsübergreifende Zusammenarbeit gefördert werden muss. Wir sprechen über Teamboards, Feedback-Systeme und darüber, warum der erste Eindruck bei neuen Mitarbeitenden entscheidend ist. Die Episode liefert Impulse, wie sich Führungskräfte mit strukturierten Systemen entlasten und gleichzeitig ihre Teams stärken können. Schließlich diskutieren wir, wie eine gut etablierte Feedback-Kultur nicht nur Transparenz schafft, sondern auch die Weiterentwicklung von Führungskräften unterstützt.Linkedin Profil Dr. Ulrich Vogel: https://de.linkedin.com/in/ulrich-vogel-profilingvaluesprofilingvalues Website: https://www.profilingvalues.comAutorenseite Dr. Uli Vogel: https://uli-vogel.com/Linkedin Profil profilingvalues: https://de.linkedin.com/company/profiling-values?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-companyprofilingvalues Blog: https://profilingvalues.com/ueber-uns/pv-blog/Keywords: OKRs, Objectives & Key Results, moderne Führung, Krankenhaus, Teamboards, Feedback-Kultur, Onboarding, Zusammenarbeit, Patientenzufriedenheit
Eric Crews is the Founder and CEO of Crews & co., a management consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses increase revenue, profitability, and salable value. With decades of entrepreneurial experience, he is an EOS Implementer®, helping companies implement a business operating system into their organizations. In 2021, Eric launched the Growth Method℠, a proprietary business operating system designed to propel companies to new heights. He is also the CEO and Co-founder of CE Painting, one of New England's largest commercial painting businesses. In this episode… Scaling a business is no easy feat — many entrepreneurs hit roadblocks that stall growth, drain resources, or create inefficiencies. Whether it's financial missteps, leadership blind spots, or an unclear strategy, these challenges can quickly derail even the most promising ventures. So what separates companies that scale successfully from those that struggle to grow? According to Eric Crews, a seasoned entrepreneur and business strategist, sustainable scaling starts with financial clarity and strategic alignment. He highlights the importance of setting a three-year vision tied directly to financial planning, ensuring that every decision contributes to long-term growth. By leveraging OKRs — “Objectives and Key Results” — companies can align priorities from leadership to frontline employees, creating accountability and momentum. Without these foundational elements, Eric warns, businesses risk wasting resources on ineffective initiatives or hiring the wrong talent, both costly mistakes that can stunt growth. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Eric Crews, Founder and CEO of Crews & co., to discuss the key principles of scaling a company while avoiding common pitfalls. Eric explains how to build a financial framework that supports expansion, the role of OKRs in driving alignment, and the biggest hiring mistakes that hinder growth. He also shares insights on structuring businesses for long-term profitability and exit potential.
BONUS: Challenging the Agile Status Quo with #NoBacklogs, Allan Kelly In this BONUS episode, we explore the provocative ideas of Allan Kelly, the author who introduced #NoBacklogs to the Agile community. Allan shares his insights on why traditional backlogs may be hindering true agility, offers practical alternatives, and explains how teams can maintain accountability while focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. The Problem with Traditional Backlogs "Backlogs keep ideas for far too long." Allan Kelly challenges the conventional wisdom of maintaining extensive backlogs in Agile environments. He distinguishes between sprint backlogs and product backlogs, highlighting how the latter often becomes a repository for stale ideas that outlive their relevance. Allan argues that this practice undermines the adaptability that should be at the core of Agile methodologies, transforming what should be a flexible approach into a more rigid, traditional project management framework. Outcome-Focused Alternatives "What are you doing to try and change the world?" Instead of lengthy backlogs filled with specific tasks and features, Allan advocates for approaches centered on outcomes and meaningful change. He discusses the concept of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as a form of "test first management" - a powerful framework that shifts focus from outputs to measurable impacts. This perspective encourages teams to consider the broader purpose of their work rather than simply executing a predetermined list of tasks. Balancing Structure and Flexibility "There should be a 'Best before' date for all backlog items." Finding the right balance between necessary structure and agile flexibility is crucial for effective delivery. Allan suggests implementing a "best before" date for all backlog items to prevent the accumulation of outdated ideas. He emphasizes starting with the Sprint Goal as a guiding principle, using it to create focus and purpose that allows teams to adapt their approach while maintaining a clear direction. Breaking Free from Traditional Mindsets "The work to do is not a fixed entity." According to Allan, the reliance on extensive backlogs has perpetuated traditional project management mindsets within supposedly Agile organizations. He challenges the underlying assumption that the scope of work is a predetermined, fixed entity waiting to be discovered and documented. Instead, he suggests embracing the evolving nature of work, allowing teams to respond to changing priorities and insights as they emerge. Maintaining Accountability Without Backlogs "Test first management as a management innovation that helps focus on goals, and measure progress by the teams." Allan addresses concerns about accountability by offering practical approaches to tracking progress without traditional backlogs. He emphasizes the importance of regular demonstrations of working solutions and assessing whether these demonstrations align with the team's strategic direction. His concept of "test first management" provides a framework for focusing on goals while measuring genuine progress rather than simply tracking task completion. Resources for Deeper Learning "Honey, I shrunk the backlog." For listeners interested in exploring these ideas further, Allan recommends his YouTube presentation "Honey, I shrunk the backlog," which offers additional insights and practical guidance on implementing a #NoBacklogs approach in Agile teams. About Allan Kelly Allan Kelly is the author of #noprojects: A Culture of Continuous Value, and an outspoken Agile practitioner that helped introduce the idea of #NoBacklogs to the Agile community. His work spans several decades, and includes some breakthrough contributions that he shares in his books and conference talks. He is the author, among others, of Project Myopia: Why projects damage software, Continuous Digital: An agile alternative to projects for digital business, The Art of Agile Product Ownership: A Guide for Product Managers, Business Analysts, and Entrepreneurs, and Xanpan: Team Centric Agile Software Development. You can link with Allan Kelly on LinkedIn.
In this episode, Lee picks up from the prior episode on seeing the trends in your business environment to seeing where you want to be. He summarizes the origins and value of a good mission/vision statement; and also the perils of how poorly and painfully it can be to create them. He provides an alternative approach to creating Rapid Organizational Unit Statements (affectionately referred to as ROUS in a nod to The Princess Bride). The ROUS technique is an engaging and collaborative method that helps teams quickly create clear, concise, and compelling missions. Lee outlines the criteria and a step-by-step process for engaging a group of leaders to create or update your overarching mission and vision. The episode concludes with a preview of the next topic: OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Additional Resources Connect with Lee on LinkedIn Learn more about Unleashing Leaders Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network Listen to the original episode on Unlocked podcast Key Takeaways: Crafting mission and vision statements is essential for strategic planning. Avoid the traditional painful and time consuming "You're killing me, Smalls" approach. The ROUS technique allows for rapid creation of effective statements. Mission statements answer "Who are we and why are we here?" They should not focus on the services and activities (the what and how). Vision statements answer "Where do we want to be/Where are we going?" Good Mission/Visions focus on the destination and strive to be clear, concise, and compelling. Engaging the team and perhaps key suppliers or customers in the process fosters ownership and alignment.
Eric Crews is the Founder and CEO of Crews & co., a management consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses increase revenue, profitability, and salable value. With decades of entrepreneurial experience, he is an EOS Implementer®, helping companies implement a business operating system into their organizations. In 2021, Eric launched the Growth Method℠, a proprietary business operating system designed to propel companies to new heights. He is also the Co-founder and CEO of CE Painting, one of New England's largest commercial painting businesses. In this episode… Scaling a business is no easy feat. Many entrepreneurs hit roadblocks that stall growth, drain resources, or create inefficiencies. Whether it's financial missteps, leadership blind spots, or an unclear strategy, these challenges can quickly derail even the most promising ventures. So what separates companies that scale successfully from those that struggle to grow? According to Eric Crews, a seasoned entrepreneur and business strategist, sustainable scaling starts with financial clarity and strategic alignment. He highlights the importance of setting a three-year vision tied directly to financial planning, ensuring that every decision contributes to long-term growth. By leveraging OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), companies can align priorities from leadership to frontline employees, creating accountability and momentum. Without these foundational elements, Eric warns, businesses risk wasting resources on ineffective initiatives or hiring the wrong talent, both costly mistakes that can stunt growth. In this episode of the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Eric Crews, Founder and CEO of Crews & co., to discuss the key principles of scaling a company while avoiding common pitfalls. Eric explains how to build a financial framework that supports expansion, the role of OKRs in driving alignment, and the biggest hiring mistakes that hinder growth. He also shares insights on structuring businesses for long-term profitability and exit potential.
Root Financial is redefining what it means to serve clients by putting team culture front and center. In this episode, James and Ari dive into the firm's bold move to hire a Head of Culture—an uncommon role in financial advising—dedicated to supporting the growth and well-being of their advisors. Why? Because when advisors thrive, clients get the personalized attention they deserve.At Root, we're intentional about avoiding the usual industry traps, like overloading advisors with massive client lists or sales quotas that can compromise service. Instead, we focus on sustainable growth, aligning our goals with yours and using tools like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to stay on track.With a Net Promoter Score of 91—well above the industry average—we're proving that building a strong internal culture leads to happier clients and better outcomes.⏱Timestamps:⏱0:00 - Company culture affects clients4:08 - Ari's quick story5:59 - Hiring a Head of Culture10:54 - Advisors have how many clients?14:24 - NPS and retention rate17:28 - OKRs20:57 - What makes Root differentText us your thoughts on the show!Create Your Custom Early Retirement Strategy HereGet access to the same software I use for my clients and join the Early Retirement Academy here Join the new Root Collective HERE! (COMMUNITY)Ari Taublieb, CFP ®, MBA is the Vice President of Root Financial Partners and a Fiduciary Financial Planner specializing in helping clients retire early with confidence.
Root Financial is redefining what it means to serve clients by putting team culture front and center. In this episode, James and Ari dive into the firm's bold move to hire a Head of Culture—an uncommon role in financial advising—dedicated to supporting the growth and well-being of their advisors. Why? Because when advisors thrive, clients get the personalized attention they deserve.At Root, we're intentional about avoiding the usual industry traps, like overloading advisors with massive client lists or sales quotas that can compromise service. Instead, we focus on sustainable growth, aligning our goals with yours and using tools like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to stay on track.With a Net Promoter Score of 91—well above the industry average—we're proving that building a strong internal culture leads to happier clients and better outcomes.Submit your request to join James:On the Ready For Retirement podcast: Apply HereOn a Retirement Makeover episode: Apply Here Timestamps:0:00 - Company culture affects clients4:08 - Ari's quick story5:59 - Hiring a Head of Culture10:54 - Advisors have how many clients?14:24 - NPS and retention rate17:28 - OKRs20:57 - What makes Root differentCreate Your Custom Strategy ⬇️ Get Started Here.
Aligning Teams with Customer-Centric OKRs with Josh Seiden EP286 of PROFIT With A Plan Podcast Guest: Josh Seiden, co-author of Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs Host: Marcia Riner, Business Growth Strategist - Infinite Profit® Episode Length: ~35 minutes Episode Summary In this episode of Profit with a Plan, Marcia speaks with Josh Seiden, a leader in customer-centric strategy, about leveraging Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to align team efforts with customer needs. Josh shares how OKRs create clarity, empower teams to prioritize effectively, and ensure measurable customer impact. If you've ever felt your team is working hard but on the wrong things, this episode will provide actionable insights and strategies to refocus your organization on what truly matters. Key Discussion Points with Timestamps [00:00] Introduction to the Episode Marcia introduces Josh Seiden and his expertise in strategy, customer-centricity, and evidence-based decision-making. The focus: Aligning team efforts with OKRs to deliver measurable customer value. [00:05] What Are OKRs? Josh explains OKRs: Objectives are clear goals, and Key Results measure progress towards those goals. Example: Cleveland Clinic's goal to be "the best place in the world to receive health care" and the measurable steps to achieve it. [00:18] The Problem with Top-Down Leadership Discussing how leadership's disconnected goals can lead to wasted effort. OKRs bridge the gap between leadership vision and team execution. [00:30] How OKRs Align Teams OKRs empower teams by providing a framework that clarifies the “why” behind tasks. Encouraging creativity and problem-solving among employees by focusing on outcomes rather than tasks. [00:45] Applying OKRs in Small and Large Organizations Josh highlights examples of OKRs in startups, nonprofits, and enterprises. OKRs can focus on big goals like revenue growth or smaller initiatives like employee engagement. [01:05] Building Customer-Centric OKRs The importance of understanding customer behavior to set meaningful objectives. Josh shares how to align internal and external goals with customer needs for maximum impact. [01:18] Measuring Success with Key Results Outcomes must reflect a change in customer behavior that creates value for both the organization and the customer. Example: Increasing average shopping cart size as a key result for premium brand positioning. [01:30] Implementing and Adjusting OKRs Setting a regular rhythm of OKR check-ins (weekly, monthly, quarterly) to assess progress and recalibrate strategies. Josh emphasizes the experimental nature of OKRs, encouraging teams to test and iterate. [01:45] Overcoming Common OKR Challenges Why OKRs fail when they lack clarity or buy-in from teams. Josh introduces the OKR Repair Kit, a free resource to troubleshoot and improve implementation. [02:00] Resources for Getting Started Josh's book, Who Does What By How Much?, offers a practical guide to customer-centric OKRs. Visit OKR-Book.com for free tools like the OKR Repair Kit. [02:20] Final Takeaways Marcia and Josh wrap up with actionable insights on aligning teams, empowering employees, and creating measurable impact. Key quote: “Every organization wants to get better, but OKRs help define what ‘better' means.” Josh Seiden has shared some incredible strategies for using OKRs to bridge the gap between leadership goals and actionable team efforts. Remember, it's not just about working harder—it's about working on the right things that create measurable value for your customers and your company. If you're ready to dive deeper into this transformative framework, check out Josh's book, Who Does What By How Much?, and take advantage of the free OKR Repair Kit at OKR-Book.com. Key Keywords for SEO Optimization Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), Customer-centric strategy, Team alignment framework, Measuring organizational success, Business growth tools, Evidence-based decision-making, Boosting employee engagement, OKR implementation strategies, Practical OKR guide, OKR Repair Kit, Profit With A Plan, Business Podcast This episode is sponsored by Infinite Profit ® —We don't just talk profit — we deliver it! Is your business ready for explosive growth? Visit InfiniteProfitConsulting.com to learn how Marcia and her team can help you boost profits and set your business up for long-term success. Grab Your Free Resource: Feeling like you're doing everything right but still not seeing the results you want? It might be time for a fresh perspective. That's why we're offering a Free Growth & Marketing Audit. In one powerful session, we'll uncover opportunities to drive real growth for your business. Ready to make an impact? Visit profitbooster.biz and let's get started! About Marcia Riner. She is a business growth strategist who helps business owners dramatically increase their revenue, profit, and the value of their company. In fact, she can show prospective clients a clear pathway to profit and an impactful ROI for working here before hiring her firm. Through her proven Profit Booster® strategies, she gets results. Marcia is the CEO of Infinite Profit® and more information can be found at https://www.InfiniteProfitConsulting.com Got questions? Reach out to Marcia and her team at (949) 229-2112 ♾️
What happens when two powerhouse frameworks collide? In this episode, Sara dives into a fascinating conversation with Jessica Lee, exploring the dynamic intersection of EOS® (Entrepreneurial Operating System®) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in business management. As both an EOS integrator and an OKR coach, Jessica shares her unique expertise, offering actionable insights into how these two frameworks can work in harmony to help organizations not just survive but truly thrive. Episode Highlights: The complementary relationship between EOS and OKRs in business management Understanding the crucial visionary-integrator dynamic in leadership How EOS provides structure for businesses ready to scale The importance of proper goal-setting and measurement systems Role definition and its impact on organizational success The value of coaching in implementation of both frameworks Key Concepts Explored: EOS Framework Components Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) Rocks and Measurables People Analyzer Accountability Chart L10 Meetings Leadership Dynamics Visionary (CEO) role and characteristics Integrator role and responsibilities Creating effective partnership between both roles Goal Setting and Measurement Integration of EOS rocks with OKR methodology Importance of measurable outcomes Balance between vision and execution Organizational Structure Role definition before performance evaluation Right people in right seats concept Simplified organizational structure approach Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Thinkydoers Podcast 00:58 Live from the Race Trailer 02:16 Guest Introduction: Jessica Lee 03:06 Understanding EOS and OKRs 04:40 Implementing EOS in Small Businesses 13:55 The Role of the Integrator 20:31 Accountability and Goal Setting 26:57 Conclusion and Farewell Notable Quotes: "Having a shared vocabulary and shared words and meanings within an organization could probably alleviate 75 percent of conflict that happens in businesses." - Sara Lobkovich "Find out what matters to your people. That's how you're going to get the most out of the people you have." - Jessica Lee "What I learned from OKR coaching was that staying quiet and letting someone else reach the answer can be the hardest—and most impactful—work." - Jessica Lee "Research shows that we will dramatically overestimate what we think we could do in a short amount of time, but we will grossly underestimate what we could do in a larger amount of time." - Jessica Lee Guest Information: Jessica Lee owns Optimized Execs, a business consulting firm helping CEOs of small and medium-sized businesses who feel overwhelmed and unsure about growth strategies. Her experience includes serving as a COO and implementing EOS in various organizations. Jessica's Resources Mentioned: Book: "Traction" by Gino Wickman Book: "Rocket Fuel" (focused on visionary-integrator relationship) Website: www.optimizedexecs.com LinkedIn: Jessica Lee Website: www.optimizedexecs.com Sara's Links and Resources: Join Sara's Email Newsletter: https://findrc.co/4asU5wo Email Sara at hello@redcurrantco.com Other Free No-BS OKRs Resources: Access all free resources Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page: https://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod Visit https://ck.redcurrantco.com to join the newsletter for additional resources and early access to new tools. Find full show notes and the episode transcript via https://findrc.co/thinkydoers!
From Intel's engineering labs to Silicon Valley's unicorns, OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) have transformed how tech companies translate vision into measurable outcomes. But what separates successful OKR implementations from failed experiments? And how can technology leaders avoid the common pitfalls that derail even well-intentioned rollouts? In this episode, we dive deep with leaders who've shaped OKR practices at some of tech's most influential companies. Our guests Josh Seiden, Holly Bielawa, and Deepika Yerragunta share battle-tested insights from their experiences at Intel, Amazon, Google, and beyond. The episode compiles the best segments around getting started on your OKR journey, de-risking and iterating your rollout, and our guests' tips on self-checking the health of your OKR implementation. Whether you're launching your first OKR initiative or iterating on an existing framework, you'll learn practical strategies for cascading objectives across teams while maintaining strategic alignment. Our conversation includes war stories from the field, as well as intuitive insights on what actually works: fostering genuine collaboration, maintaining human centricity, and achieving the elusive balance between ambition and accountability. Watch full episodes with Josh, Holly and Deepika here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL31JETR9AR0FGx2A9HQbq2e1Xywkqb6BQ Inside the episode... Why OKRs are a powerful alternative to traditional goal-setting frameworks. How OKRs promote collaboration and alignment across all levels of an organization. Best practices for implementing OKRs: starting small, iterating, and setting clear priorities. Tips for integrating OKRs into your product teams using human-centered design principles. Differentiating between business OKRs and product OKRs to avoid organizational misalignment. How to set and measure strategic objectives with actionable, customer-centric key results. Lessons learned from failed and successful OKR implementations, including war stories from the field. The role of product operations in making data accessible for measuring OKR progress. Why tying OKRs to compensation or promotions can derail the intent of the framework. Mentioned in this episode Measure What Matters by John Doerr Outcomes Over Outputs by Josh Seiden Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres Who Does What by When by by Jeff Gothelf, Josh Seiden User Story Mapping by Jeff Patton Convergence Episodes featured Building Customer-Centric Teams: Josh Seiden on OKRs and Agile Agile and Beyond Conference 2024: The Latest in A.I. Innovations and Product Development Strategies (features the interview with Holly Bielawa) Driving Cultural Change: PepsiCo's Deepika Yerragunta on Customer Obsession and Product Mindset Unlock the full potential of your product team with Integral's player coaches, experts in lean, human-centered design. Visit integral.io/convergence for a free Product Success Lab workshop to gain clarity and confidence in tackling any product design or engineering challenge. Subscribe to the Convergence podcast wherever you get podcasts including video episodes to get updated on the other crucial conversations that we'll post on YouTube at youtube.com/@convergencefmpodcast Learn something? Give us a 5 star review and like the podcast on YouTube. It's how we grow. Follow the Pod Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergence-podcast/ X: https://twitter.com/podconvergence Instagram: @podconvergence
As the new year unfolds, Adam reflects on his recent trip to Tenerife, where he took time to unwind and ponder new strategies for 2025. By grounding himself with impactful literature during his travels, Adam highlights the importance of reading and how it aligns with ongoing business objectives. In this episode, Adam delves into the mechanics of goal setting and organization through the use of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), a system made famous by Google. Adam further discusses the impactful book "Multipliers" by Liz Wiseman, which challenged his preconceptions about leadership. Adam emphasizes the importance of reading as it relates to business strategy and self-improvement. Utilizing OKRs is crucial for aligning the team and maximizing business performance across the board. Leadership styles significantly impact team productivity; being a "multiplier" can quadruple team output versus a "diminisher." Understanding and applying the principles from "Multipliers" can help leaders foster a more collaborative and effective team environment. The episode underlines the necessity to begin the year with clear objectives and remain adaptive to new strategies and leadership techniques. Get your Business Growth Secrets SUCCESS PLANNER for FREE and profit like a pro: https://adamstottplanner.com/free-book47315172 Adam's website: https://adamstott.com/?el=Pod Watch the Episode on Adam's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/adamstottcoach?el=Pod Connect with Adam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamstottcoach/?el=Pod Join Adam's network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-stott-coach/?el=Pod Coaches, consultants, and business owners - lower your marketing costs, increase ticket prices, and get more high-ticket clients: https://3daybrandbuilderworkshop.com/start-here?el=Pod
Contractor Success Map with Randal DeHart | Contractor Bookkeeping And Accounting Services
This Podcast Is Episode 610, And It's About Practical Applications Of A Must-Read Book Into Your Small Business It's amazing how some books stand the test of time. We usually refer to one of our most recommended, Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, when we mentor our contractor clients and employees. Although it was first published three decades ago, its lessons are still incredibly relevant for business owners. You might wonder – how these habits fit into today's landscape of changing trends, tight deadlines, and constant distractions. The short answer is that they're timeless because they focus on principles that help you stay grounded while growing your construction business. Below, we'll break down some of Covey's key habits and explore how you can bring them to life in your business today. Think of this as your blueprint for thriving in the chaos, not just surviving it. 1. Be proactive – the power of owning your choices Covey's first habit, "Be Proactive," is about owning your life and decisions. For business owners, this means focusing on what you can control instead of stressing about what you can't. Here's the thing about being reactive—it's debilitating. Complaining about a slow economy or frustrated customers doesn't solve anything, but switching to a proactive mindset is a game changer. Anticipate potential challenges before they become disasters. For instance, if team morale starts to dip, address it early with open communication or team-building initiatives. Focus on solutions, not problems. Instead of dwelling on a client who backed out, consider what adjustments in your sales process could improve retention. Teach your team the same mindset. An empowered team that problem-solves proactively is a considerable asset. Proactive leadership doesn't just keep you afloat; it helps you adapt and innovate in a competitive landscape. 2. "Begin with the end in mind" - set clear goals This one often hits deep because how many rush into a workday without a clear direction? Covey's second habit reminds us to define our goals before taking action. If you're running a business, you have to think long-term. What kind of company culture are you building? What legacy do you want to leave behind? Once you're clear on those things, aligning your daily tasks and decisions with the bigger picture becomes easier. Create a vision statement that both you and your team can rally behind. Before launching a new service, ask, "What does success look like?" and "How does this align with our core mission?" Use goal-setting frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to ensure everyone in the business knows where they're headed. Think of this habit as your compass. Without it, you're likely to work hard but still feel lost. 3. Put first things first – manage your time Quick question – how often do you find yourself buried in "urgent" tasks, only to acknowledge at the end of the day that you didn't touch what's important? That's where Covey's third habit, "Put First Things First," shines. It's all about distinguishing between urgent and truly important, then acting accordingly. Use Covey's Time Management Matrix. Focus on tasks that fall into Quadrant II – essential but not urgent (strategic planning, team development, or building new partnerships). Delegate or eliminate tasks that don't move the needle. Not everything deserves your attention. Start each day by asking yourself, What's my biggest priority? If I do nothing else today, what task absolutely must get done? When you focus on what truly matters, you'll feel less like you're playing catch-up and more like you're moving forward. 4. Think win-win – building mutually beneficial relationships Business isn't a zero-sum game. Covey's fourth habit, "Think Win-Win," pushes us to find solutions that benefit everyone involved—clients, employees, and business partners. It's the foundation of trust and collaboration. Negotiate with empathy. During discussions, consider the other party's needs and goals and find a compromise that works for everyone. For your team, create opportunities where employees feel empowered and valued. A win-win work culture keeps talent engaged. Innovate with your customers in mind. Ask how you can provide more value to them – and watch how that mindset leads to loyalty and referrals. Win-win isn't always the easiest route, but it pays off in the long run. 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – empathetic communication Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone is talking, but no one is actually listening? Covey nailed it when he discussed the importance of understanding others before getting your point across. Empathetic communication is one of the most valuable tools for construction business owners. Whether with a frustrated client or a team member struggling with workload, truly listening builds trust and clarity. Pause during tough conversations and fully grasp the other person's perspective before responding. Use active listening techniques like paraphrasing or asking thoughtful follow-up questions. Encourage this habit in your team to strengthen collaboration and reduce misunderstandings. The better your communication, the stronger your relationships – and a thriving business is built on great relationships. 6. Synergize Combine the strengths of diverse team members to achieve innovative solutions. In construction, this can mean leveraging the unique skills of various trades to enhance project efficiency. Encourage collaboration through joint problem-solving sessions, where team members can share ideas and work together on challenges. The combined efforts of a well-coordinated team can lead to exceptional results. 7. Sharpen the Saw Invest in the ongoing development of yourself and your team. This includes professional training, certifications, and wellness initiatives to ensure everyone functions at their best. Encourage a culture of continuous improvement through workshops and skill-building exercises. Regularly reassessing and refining processes keeps your business adaptive and innovative in a competitive market. What makes "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" priceless for construction business owners today? Its focus is on principles over trends. Trends come and go, but these habits ground you in what truly works – proactive leadership, clear goals, thoughtful planning, and fostering meaningful relationships. Adapting these habits to your daily life won't happen overnight, but even small shifts can create momentum. Pick one habit to focus on this week, cultivate a proactive, goal-oriented, collaborative environment, and see how it transforms your leadership and business growth. Remember, no matter how fast the business world moves, the principles in this book will always hold relevance. They don't just make you more effective – they make you a better leader, decision-maker, and collaborator. So whether you need an excellent book or a knowledgeable bookkeeper, we are here to help. About The Author: Sharie DeHart, QPA, is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on managing the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com
In this special episode, we hear from Dominic and other industry experts (Michelle Hulse, Director of Revenue Operations at PAX8, Paul Nical, a pioneering RevOps expert from Poland) from the UPGRADE'24 conference. Revenue Opertions is at the heart of this panel discussion. Listen in to how aligning sales, marketing, and finance creates a seamless customer journey. Michelle shares examples from PAX8 and how they revolutionized their lead handling with data-driven strategies. Dominic provides a walk through of the strategic implementation of OKRs and how RevOps can drive sustainable growth without the need for constant funding. Paul discusses the critical metrics for RevOps success and the role technology plays in this unified approach.Real-world examples are shared of optimizing sales performance, leveraging AI for operational efficiency, and the philosophical underpinnings that make RevOps a game-changer across industries—from SaaS to any business with a recurring revenue model. Whether RevOps is a buzzword or the future of strategic alignment, this discussion reveals its undeniable impact on business agility and growth.TakeawaysCollaboration is Key: Revenue Operations joins the dots between Marketing, Sales, and Customer Experience providing a seamless workflow instead of silos.Strategic Growth through OKRs: Objectives and Key Results are significant for structuring tasks and teams.Tech and Innovation in RevOps: pioneering technology tool 'Clay,' which integrates various data sources and automates processes, enabling "all bound" operations.AI can automate data collection, but humans will always lead creative strategic decisions.Timestamps(03:35) Panel Introductions from Karol Popa: UPGRADE'24(05:31) What is Revenue Operations?(08:51) Is RevOps A New Way Forward or Just A Buzzword?(13:53) When To Bring RevOps Into Business.(18:03) Example of RevOps Teams in Pax8.(22:13) Silo Focus Needs To Align.(23:37) Steps To Start With RevOps In Your Business.(26:33) Different Functions In A RevOps Team.(29:00) Strategic Growth Opportunities.(34:21) Aligning Teams With Data.(38:03) Real Impact and KPIs.(44:19) Segmentation of Ideal Partner Profile.(49:16) Technologies For Effective RevOps.(55:37) AI in Revenue Operations.(58:22) Boldest Experiments Within RevOps.(01:03:39) Use RevOps To Drive Innovation & Strategic Change.About UPGRADE'24The UPGRADE'24 conference took place on 21-22 November 2024 in Wrocław, Poland. Organised by ITCorner, the event focused on the technology sector and catered to business owners and C-level executives in the IT industry.The conference addressed strategies for adapting to market changes, methods to enhance business growth and profitability, and opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange with industry leaders. Attendees participated in talks, workshops, and panels designed to help businesses stay competitive during rapid technological transformations.For more information about UPGRADE'24, please visit www.letsupgrade.pl or search for #UPGRADE'24 on social media platform.Follow UPGRADE'24Website: https://letsupgrade.pl About Dominic MonkhouseFounder of Monkhouse & Company, Elite Business Coach and CEO Mentor, author of two smash hit books 'Mind Your F**king Business' and 'F**k Plan B' and Host of the Top 2% Global Podcast 'Mind Your F**king Business'; Dominic Monkhouse is on a mission to demystify business growth. As a Founder and CEO, he has a track record scaling up award-winning technology service businesses and has been called ‘Britain's best boss' for his habit of...
In this episode of the No Hacks Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bjarn Brunenberg, Experimentation Lead at TomTom. Bjarn has a passion for turning big ideas into actionable steps, and in this conversation, we get into the nuts and bolts of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), how they differ from KPIs, and why they're a game-changer for teams and businesses alike.Bjarn shares some incredible stories from his time at TomTom, where he's been helping the company shift from their famous hardware devices to innovative software solutions. We also talk about how OKRs can help bridge the gap between ambitious company goals and the day-to-day work that teams do.Here's a glimpse of what we covered:The difference between OKRs and KPIs (and why getting this right matters).How to avoid common OKR mistakes, like setting vague objectives or misaligning teams.Practical tools like the KPI Tree and Opportunity Solution Tree that make complex goals feel achievable.Lessons from experimentation failures (including a pricing test with unexpected results).How Bjarn applies the principles of OKRs to his personal goals, like learning Portuguese and becoming a keynote speaker.Whether you're a leader, part of a product team, or just someone looking to bring more structure and focus to your goals, there's something here for you. This conversation is full of relatable insights, practical advice, and a good dose of humor about the challenges we all face in trying to “get it right.”Chapters:00:00 Understanding OKRs and KPIs01:33 Bjarn's Role at TomTom03:02 Challenges with OKRs04:01 Aligning OKRs with Business Goals06:46 Frameworks for Clarity10:37 Common Pitfalls in Product Development12:54 Rapid Fire Questions13:18 The Humor in Testing Failures14:13 The Ethics of Pricing Tests14:56 Lessons from Professional Mistakes16:44 Favorite Optimization Tools17:36 Applying OKRs to Personal Life22:17 Real-World Applications of Product Development Strategies25:04 Final Thoughts and Season 2 Wrap-Up---If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend!No Hacks websiteYouTubeLinkedInInstagramX
Ready to set a bold, clear vision for 2025? In this episode of The Human Side of Business Podcast, hosts Ange and Maria reveal a step-by-step leadership roadmap to help you set an inspiring vision that aligns your team and drives transformative success. Whether you're a business leader, team manager, or entrepreneur, this episode is your guide to actionable strategies for goal setting, team alignment, and leadership clarity in 2025.What You'll Learn:Defining Your North Star: Craft a purpose-driven vision to inspire your team.Setting Measurable Milestones: Break ambitious goals into achievable steps using tools like OKRs (Objectives & Key Results). Involving Your Team: Learn collaborative strategies to secure buy-in, drive motivation, and foster shared ownership.Ange and Maria share practical tips, real-life leadership stories, and actionable reflection prompts to help you go from big-picture ideas to a focused, actionable plan for 2025.Key Takeaway: The road to a transformative year begins with clarity, purpose, and a united team. Tune In Now:Start your vision-setting journey and lead with intention for a successful 2025.Join the Conversation:What's your North Star for 2025? Share it in the comments!
Send us a textIn today's episode of Navigating the Customer Experience with Josh Seiden. Josh's insights emphasize that customer-centricity is a journey requiring both leadership and employees to adopt new ways of thinking and working. By focusing on customer needs and empowering teams through OKRs, organizations can create greater value and drive meaningful change.Josh's JourneyJosh began his career in Silicon Valley during the pre-internet days, working in technology. Fascinated by what makes great products and services, he spent many years as a designer and later a product manager. Today, he helps teams collaborate more effectively, fostering customer-centric approaches to deliver exceptional value to the world.About Josh's New Book: Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRsJosh's book is inspired by his passion for integrating a customer-focused perspective into product and service development. He emphasizes that while creating good products is challenging, it's essential to keep the customer at the core of decision-making. His book introduces OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), a goal-setting framework that helps organizations align their objectives with customer needs.OKRs prompt teams to define clear objectives—what they want to achieve—and measurable key results based on customer outcomes. For example, the Cleveland Clinic uses OKRs with objectives like "Be the best place in the world to receive healthcare" and key results such as reducing serious safety events. This approach ensures customer-centric thinking while empowering teams to solve problems creatively.Overcoming Challenges with OKRsA common pain point in organizations is micromanagement, where leaders dictate tasks rather than allowing teams to leverage their expertise. OKRs address this by shifting leadership's focus from controlling tasks to setting strategic goals and creating an environment where employees can solve problems independently. This requires mutual trust and encourages employees to think critically about delivering customer value.However, resistance to change is a hurdle. Employees may feel overwhelmed by new processes. Josh emphasizes the importance of leadership in clearly articulating why OKRs are being adopted, addressing organizational pain points, and explaining how OKRs will benefit both the company and individual employees. This alignment fosters motivation and helps overcome resistance.Aligning OKRs with Employee NeedsJosh highlights the need to connect OKRs to the employees' sense of purpose. Everyone within an organization has customers—whether they're external consumers or internal stakeholders. For example, an HR professional's customers might be employees seeking benefits or managers hiring talent. By adopting a customer-centric mindset, employees at all levels can see how their roles contribute to organizational success, making them more engaged and motivated.Key Behaviors for Customer-Centric OrganizationsTo become truly customer-centric, organizations must:Understand Customers Deeply: Organizations should invest in customer discovery, understanding who their customers are, their motivations, and what challenges they face.Prioritize Value Creation Over Sales: Beyond generating revenue, focus on how customers use products and whether those products are delivering real value.Foster a Problem-Solving Culture: Empower employees to solve problems rather than prescribing solutions.Enhance Communication and Transparency: Ensure alignment and clarity in how OKRs connect to customer and employee goals.
The Power of Authentic Leadership: Adina Eckstein's Approach to Leadership and Growth Motivation, Self-confidence, Growth Mindset, Communication, Support System, Team, Culture, Women in tech, In this episode of The Human Founder, I had the pleasure of speaking with Adina Eckstein, the COO of Lemonade. We delved into her journey of scaling the company from a small team to a global operation, where she emphasized the importance of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in aligning the organization's strategic goals. Adina's focus on integrating top-down objectives with bottom-up execution has enabled Lemonade to remain adaptable to change while ensuring that each team member is working toward clear and measurable outcomes. Empowering People and Creating a Collaborative Culture One of the key themes that resonated with me during our conversation was Adina's deep care for her team. She shared how empowering people and fostering authentic connections drives her leadership. Adina believes that when individuals feel valued and supported, they naturally perform at their best, which has shaped the collaborative culture at Lemonade. For her, it's not just about hitting targets but ensuring that the people behind the work are thriving. Navigating Transitions and Staying Resilient We also explored some of the major transitions Adina navigated as COO, including Lemonade's IPO and the challenges of adapting to a post-pandemic world. Her ability to foresee changes and keep the company resilient in the face of uncertainty is a testament to her forward-thinking leadership. Adina shared how she focused on maintaining employee motivation and stability during times of market volatility, proving that staying true to long-term goals is essential. Strong Female Leadership Network A particularly inspiring aspect of our chat was how Lemonade has grown into a strong female-led company, with many of the senior leadership roles held by women. Adina explained how this organic growth has created a supportive network of female leaders who bring out the best in each other, contributing to both the personal growth of these women and the business's success. Work - life balance Adina also opened up about balancing her professional role as COO with being a mother of three. She highlighted how her genuine love for people and her passion for empowering others fuels her ability to manage both work and family life. It was clear throughout our conversation that her strength lies in her ability to connect with her team on a human level, while maintaining her strategic leadership. Authenticity as the Core of Leadership To me, the most striking part of Adina's journey is her commitment to authenticity. Her leadership is deeply rooted in staying true to her values, which she believes is the foundation of long-term success. From her personal life decisions to her professional path, Adina's courage to embrace change and empower others is a guiding principle for her, and it's something that left a lasting impression on me. Adina's journey highlights the power of authentic leadership, emphasizing the importance of empowering people while staying adaptable in the face of change. Her ability to balance strategic vision with a genuine care for her team sets a strong example for leaders navigating both personal and professional growth.
Gosia Smoleńska: How OKRs Transformed Our Goal-Setting Process Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Gosia shares her experience leading a startup through significant change by introducing a goal framework and implementing OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Initially resistant, the company transitioned to quarterly reviews and goal-setting processes. Teams were tasked with defining their contributions, leading to greater collaboration and understanding of their roles. Regular retrospectives and actionable feedback refined the approach, while tools like Monte Carlo simulations and WIP limits helped maintain focus. This story emphasizes that driving change requires adaptation and continuous learning. Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure that goal-setting frameworks support your team's focus and growth? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
In this episode of Bridging the Gap, Matt Reiner speaks with Jordan Hutchinson, VP of Technology and Operations at RFG Advisory, about the critical role of practical technology and behavioral finance in wealth management. Jordan highlights the importance of integrating user-friendly technology into day-to-day advisory operations, explaining how his team conducts ride-alongs with advisors to pinpoint real-world tech needs and drive practice development.The discussion then shifts to behavioral finance, exploring how data and AI advancements have made it essential for delivering personalized client experiences. Jordan emphasizes that building behavioral finance skills is like developing a muscle—it takes ongoing practice and self-awareness for advisors to truly understand and support client needs. He also addresses the need for advisors to maintain boundaries, focusing on their roles without venturing into areas best left to professional therapists.Concluding with a look at firm culture and adaptability, Jordan discusses RFG's hybrid communication model and the importance of a growth mindset within financial firms. He advocates for frameworks like EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to enhance organizational efficiency. As the industry advances, he anticipates rapid innovation and a need for "legacy modernization," stressing the evolving advisor role in managing diverse client needs beyond traditional investment guidance.More Content For Financial Advisors and Wealth Management FirmsYouTubeTwitterLinkedIn
As we steer towards the end of today's podcast, let's solidify our understanding of OKRs – Objectives and Key Results – and their transformative potential for organisations.
Aligning Business Goals with Customer Needs Shep Hyken interviews Jeff Gothelf, author of Who Does What By How Much?: A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs. He talks about how aligning objectives and key results with customer needs can transform business success. This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more: What is an OKR? How do customer-centric OKRs help teams focus on the right tasks? Why is it important for businesses to align their objectives with customer-centric goals? How does measuring customer behavior contribute to better customer satisfaction? How can understanding customer patterns help prevent client defection? Top Takeaways: OKR is an acronym meaning Objectives and Key Results. They are a strategic framework for setting clear goals and measuring outcomes. By having clear goals and knowing what results are expected, everyone in the organization moves in the right direction. When these OKRs are focused on the customer, they help companies make decisions that make their customers happy and loyal to the brand. Objectives are qualitative goals describing the end state you want your customers to experience. For example, you want to offer the best product or be the easiest to do business with. The key results are the quantitative measures of human behavior that tell us we've achieved that state. It answers: What will your customers do differently, and by how much? Customer satisfaction is important, but understanding customer behaviors is crucial. Often, dissatisfied customers stop using the product. They show up less often. They spend less money. They stop telling their friends about it. If you can understand these patterns of your customer's behavior, you can proactively take action before it becomes a problem. Determine which behaviors (trying out products, asking more questions, etc.) will deliver the results that your company is looking for. Then, create an environment, a system, a service, or a store that positively amplifies those behaviors for the customer. Providing your team with the objectives and allowing them to figure out the best way to achieve them communicates that you trust your employees to use their skills to meet customer needs. Not all strategies will work from the start. Organizations need to develop a culture of learning. It allows teams to learn from mistakes and objectively measure the success of an idea. Then, businesses can make informed adjustments and improve with each attempt. Plus, Jeff explains why some employees end up working on the wrong tasks and how organizations can avoid that. Tune in! Quote: "Customer centricity puts the customer at the center of all our decisions. Every time we make a decision, the critical question is—What impact do we think this will have on the customer? And, is that something that we want to do?" About: Jeff Gothelf is a business strategy and customer-centricity expert, speaker, and author. He is the co-author of Lean UX, Sense & Respond, and Who Does What By How Much?: A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs. Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is October the new January? Gen Z thinks so, and they might be onto something. In this Thinkydoers Short, I dive into the viral TikTok trend of "October Theory" and explore how it intersects with established business practices like quarterly planning and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career journey, this episode offers fresh insights on goal-setting and achievement. Episode Highlights: Introduction to "October Theory" and its viral spread on TikTok How October Theory aligns with business quarterly planning practices What us Olds can learn from the youth on the importance of end-of-Q3 retrospectives and learning reviews Introduction to Key Results for Gen Z goal-setters The benefits of outcome-based goals over activity-based goals Key Questions: What is October Theory? How does October Theory relate to business planning cycles? What are Key Results in the context of OKRs? Why are outcome-based goals more effective than activity-based goals? Notable Quotes: "Let's listen to the next generation on this one and prioritize the end of Q3 reset." "Key results are a different kind of goal... We're going to think about what would be really incredible to achieve in terms of impacts or quantifiable outcomes of our effort." "Instead of the risk of the all or nothing bad feelings that we get when we set just activity based goals, when we create key results, that's what we're pursuing... We get instantly curious, even if you're not having any progress." Episode Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Thinkydoer Shorts 01:15 Discovering October Theory 02:07 Understanding October Theory and Its Impact 03:43 The Power of Key Results for Gen Z 04:06 Implementing OKRs in Business 06:21 Creating Effective Key Results 09:02 The Benefits of Key Results Over Activity Goals 12:57 Conclusion and Join the Pre-Launch List for You Are A Strategist Links and Resources: Pre-launch list for "You Are a Strategist": youareastrategist.com Sara's website: saralobkovich.com Shortcut to Sara's website: findrc.co
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Jeff Gothelf about the importance of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as a customer-centric goal-setting framework. Based on insights from Jeff's book Who Does What By How Much?: A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs, they explore the challenges leaders face in ensuring their teams work on the right priorities, the misconceptions surrounding OKRs, and the significance of measuring outcomes and value. Jeff emphasizes the need for organizations to focus on customer needs and behavior changes rather than just task completion. The discussion also covers how to implement OKRs effectively, starting small, and the potential for using OKRs in personal goal setting. If you've ever wondered how you and your team could better drive real value for your organization and customers, this episode is for you! Sound Bites "The true measure of the value of the thing that you deliver to your customer is measuring outcomes—meaningful changes in their behavior." "The deliverable is variable. You've got some ideas, some hypotheses about what you might make, but the measure of success is not the development and deployment of that thing—it's the behavior change." "You know you've written a good key result when it literally spells out: 'who does what by how much,' which is the name of the book." "Everyone's got a customer. The true measure of value is measuring outcomes, meaningful changes in their behavior. And that's applicable in every scenario." "It's infinitely easier for someone to just tell you what to do. Honestly, it's easier for the person telling you what to do, and for a lot of folks, they're just like 'tell me what to do, and I'll do it.'" "By the time we decide what to work on to the time that it actually comes out in the market, a lot of that consumer demand has moved on or shifted." "One of the biggest challenges is getting folks to start questioning whether the work they're doing actually solves a real problem in a meaningful way." "The incentives for a lot of teams are to produce a thing, and then they get measured, rewarded, and promoted based on that. Rarely do we ask: did anyone need that thing?" "Make them successful, respect their time, solve real problems in meaningful ways, and make it a delight to use." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:39 Start Of Interview 01:49 Why Do People Work On The Wrong Stuff? 04:07 Why Is It Difficult To Get Alignment, Collaboration, And Strategy Focus? 05:10 How Do You Like To Introduce People To OKRs? 07:46 What Are Some Common Misconceptions About OKRs? 10:41 How Do You Define Value? 13:05 What Do You Mean By An Outcome? 17:36 How Do You Go About Starting An OKR System? 20:48 Can OKRs Work For Teams If The Overall Company Doesn't Use Them? 24:35 End Of Interview 24:55 Andy Comments After The Interview 28:07 Outtakes Learn More To learn more about this topic, check out these episodes: Episode 328, with Terry Schmidt about LogFrames. It's different from OKRs, but it's another way to strategically think through the work we're doing. Episode 127, with Rob-Jan de Jong. It's a strategy book that can help with delivering a vision for an organization or team. You can learn more about Jeff and his book at JeffGothelf.com. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen Topics: Project Management, OKRs, Leadership, Customer-Centric, Goal Setting, Business Strategy, Outcomes, Value Measurement, Implementation, Personal Growth The following music was used for this episode: Music: Underground Shadows by MusicLFiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic Drive Indie Rock by Winnie the Moog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
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In this episode, Ashok sits down with Josh Seiden, author and product management expert, to explore key insights from Josh's latest book, "Who Does What by How Much." The conversation centers around using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to align teams and improve organizational outcomes. They examine the challenges many teams face when implementing frameworks like OKRs or Agile and emphasize the importance of understanding the "why" behind these systems. Josh also reflects on his early work, such as developing the Kensington Turbo Mouse and collaborating with Alan Cooper, widely known as the "Father of Visual Basic." Unlock the full potential of your product team with Integral's player coaches, experts in lean, human-centered design. Visit integral.io/convergence for a free Product Success Lab workshop to gain clarity and confidence in tackling any product design or engineering challenge. Get key strategies for fostering a customer-centric culture, building effective product teams, and aligning leadership with team goals. Whether you're new to OKRs or looking to refine your process, this episode provides actionable advice for team leaders, product managers, and executives alike. Inside the Episode... The role of OKRs in driving business alignment and outcomes The importance of clarifying the "why" behind processes like OKRs or Agile Josh Seiden's background and his early design work with the Kensington Turbo Mouse Strategies for using frameworks to empower teams and avoid over-focusing on the process How to implement OKRs successfully and avoid common pitfalls The evolution of design thinking in product development Understanding the customer's role at every level of an organization Key lessons from "Who Does What by How Much" and Josh's other books Mentioned in this Episode: "Who Does What by How Much" by Josh Seiden and Jeff Gothelf "Lean UX" by Josh Seiden and Jeff Gothelf "Sense and Respond" by Josh Seiden and Jeff Gothelf The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt "Outcomes Over Outputs" The Kensington Turbo Mouse Alan Cooper - The father of visual basic, author of About Face Book that every software designer should now - About Face by Alan Cooper Vitsoe Shelving Subscribe to the Convergence podcast wherever you get podcasts, including video episodes on YouTube at youtube.com/@convergencefmpodcast. Learn something? Give us a 5-star review and like the podcast on YouTube. It's how we grow. Follow the Pod Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergence-podcast/ X: https://twitter.com/podconvergence Instagram: @podconvergence
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: AI Welfare Debate Week retrospective, published by Toby Tremlett on September 18, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum. I wrote this retrospective to be shared internally in CEA - but in the spirit of more open communication, I'm sharing it here as well. Note that this is a review of the event considered as a product, not a summary or review of the posts from the week. If you have any questions, or any additional feedback, that'd be appreciated! I'll be running another debate week soon, and feedback has already been very helpful in preparing for it. Also, feedback on the retro itself is appreciated- I'd ideally like to pre-register my retros and just have to fill in the graphs and conclusions once the event actually happens, so suggesting data we should measure/ questions I should be asking would be very helpful for making better retro templates. How successful was the event? In my OKRs (Objectives and Key Results- AKA, my goals for the event), I wanted this event to: Have 50 participants, with "participant" being anyone taking an event-related action such as voting, commenting, or posting. We did an order of magnitude better than 50. Over 558 people voted during the week, and 27 authors wrote or co-wrote at least one post. Change people's minds. I wanted the equivalent of 25 people changing their minds by 25% of the debate slider. We did twice as well as I hoped here- 53 unique users made at least one mind change of 0.25 delta (representing 25% of the slider) or more. Therefore, on our explicit goals, this event was successful . But how successful was it based on our other, non-KR goals and hopes? Some other goals that we had for the event- either in the ideation phase, or while it was ongoing, were: Create more good content on a particularly important issue to EAs. Successful. Increase engagement. Seems unsuccessful. Bring in some new users. Not noticeably successful. Increase messaging. Not noticeably successful. In the next four sections, I examine each of these goals in turn. More good content We had 28 posts with the debate week tag, with 7 being at or above 50 karma. Of the 7, all but one (JWS's thoughtful critique of the debate's framing) were from authors I had directly spoken to or messaged about the event. Compared to Draft Amnesty Week (which led to posts from 42 authors, and 10 posts over 50 karma) this isn't that many- however, I think we should count these posts as ex ante more valuable because of their focus on a specific topic. Ex-post, it's hard to assess how valuable the posts were. None of the posts had very high karma (i.e. the highest was 77). However, I did curate one of the posts, and a couple of others were considered for curation. I would be interested to hear takes from readers about how valuable the posts were - did any of them change your mind, lead to a collaboration, or cause you to think more about the topic? Engagement How much engagement did the event get? In total, debate week posts got 127 hours of engagement during the debate week (or 11.6% of total engagement), and 181 hours from July 1-14 (debate week and the week after), 7.5% of that fortnight's engagement hours. Did it increase total daily hours of engagement? Note: Discussion of Manifest controversies happened in June, and led to higher engagement hours per day in the build up to the event. Important dates: June 17: 244 comments, June 18: 349 comments, June 20: 33 comments, June 25: 38 comments It doesn't look as if the debate week meaningfully increased daily engagement. The average daily engagement for the week after the event is actually higher, although the 3rd day of the event (July 3rd- the day I mentioned that the event was ongoing in the EA Digest) remains the highest hours of engagement between July 1st and the date I'm writing this, August 21st. Did it get us new us...
SummaryJosh 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.TakeawaysOKRs 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.Chapters03:13 The Power of Customer-Centric OKRs07:19 Balancing BAU and OKRs13:53 The Role of Strategy in OKR Implementation25:15 Setting the Timeframe for Corporate OKRs30:40 Setting Quarterly Check-ins and Measurable Key Results32:14 Prioritising Customer-Centric Goals for Changing Customer Behavior41:40 Challenges of Collaboration and the Role of Leadership Buy-in47:00 Starting Small and Gradually Expanding OKR Implementation49:16 Allocating Time and Effort to OKRs while Maintaining Business as Usual Metrics56:01 Continuous Learning and Personal Growth for Success
Troy Larson has over 40 years of software development and technical management experience, including five years at Amazon as a Solutions Architect.In 2022, Troy founded The Unique VA Experience, a Filipino-based coaching company that has trained nearly 300 VAs, providing opportunities for Filipinos who are looking to change careers and for stay-at-home parents looking to enter the workforce.In 2023, Troy launched The Developer's CEO Newsletter, building on his 40 years of experience, focused on the unique challenges faced by software developers who are running a small business or looking to start their own business.In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to leverage your technical expertise to create impactful coaching programs and newsletters.Troy and I discuss:Troy's journey from a Commodore 64 to founding his own business [02:33]The motivation behind launching the Unique VA Experience in 2022 [03:15]The challenges faced and lessons learned in the VA coaching realm [04:00]The significance of embracing uniqueness in career coaching [04:49]Structuring monthly internship programs for VAs [05:20]The iterative process and unexpected successes, like the bootcamp initiative [07:00]Harnessing community for entrepreneurial support and development [08:00]The benefits of using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in a community context [11:00]The public accountability effect of OKRs and the peer pressure involved [12:56]What corporate refugees can learn from using OKRs to achieve their goals [16:12]Learn more about Troy at https://troylarson.com/.Thank you to our sponsor:The Smashing the Plateau CommunitySubscribe today for exclusive, bite-sized strategy advice from our podcast experts – achieving success has never been this easy with just one click!
Have you ever thought about a career in product -- whether product management, product development, or product engineering? You'll enjoy this conversation with Sten Pittet, CEO of Tability. In our last episode, Sten interviewed Thinkydoers host Sara about her journey into OKRs; today, we flipped the script for Sara to interview Sten about his fascinating journey starting in software development after uni, into product engineering in a mid-size company (that became a large company during his tenure), and then the transition into the CEO and founder seat with his latest venture, Tability. For complete show notes and transcript, visit http://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod. Episode Highlights: Sten's journey from software development in France to becoming a CEO in Australia. Role of OKRs in shaping Sten's approach to product management and leadership. Some of the differences between the role of product leadership in large and smalller or start-up companies. Importance of stakeholder management and involving others in decision-making. Creation and mission of Tability, inspired by practical experience with OKRs. Emphasis on creativity in software development and product engineering. Learning to involve stakeholders and build collective alignment and collaboration. Sten's advice on focusing on people and conversations over perfection. Common Questions: What is the difference between working in product at a smaller company and being in product at a larger company? In smaller companies, you have more direct user interaction and creativity, while larger companies require more stakeholder management and strategic alignment. What are OKRs and how did they influence Sten's work? OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a goal-setting framework that helped Sten and his teams stay focused and aligned. What led Sten to start Tability? His practical experience with OKRs and the desire to create a product that helps teams achieve their goals more effectively. Notable Quotes from Sten Pittet: “When a company is bigger, for you to change direction, it's like it's a big ship. And so if we decide to turn left, you're moving a lot of people out of what they're doing.” “If you try to convince a group of people, the first thing you need to do is not tell them why you think you're right, but ask them what they think is going to go wrong.” “I think what's good about the world is that you have like really different types of people.” “Don't try to be perfect. One mistake that I see people doing—trying to have a perfect cascading, perfect set of forecasts, perfect everything.” “For me, OKRs and our platform, the way we see ourselves is we want to enable the right conversations.” Sten's Links and Resources Tability Website Sten Pettit on LinkedIn Sara's Links and Resources The No-BS OKRs Workbook, currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD) Join the Launch Squad for Sara's Upcoming Books: You Are A Strategist and the No-BS OKRs Workbook Join Sara's Email Newsletter Email Sara at hello@redcurrantco.com Download: No-BS OKRs In A Box one sheet Virtual OKR Consult: Start your personalized virtual OKR consult Other Free No-BS OKRs Resources: Access all free resources Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page
This is a bit unconventional ... but today, the host of Thinkydoers is the guest! Please welcome Sten Pittet, Co-Founder and CEO of Tability, a collaboration platform for outcome-driven teams, as this week's Guest Host of Thinkydoers … with OKR Coach and creator of No-BS OKRs (and Thinkydoer's host) Sara Lobkovich in the hot seat! If you're a regular listener you might be thinking: "WTF? A platform guest?!" But hear me out. Sten is with a platform... and he's also a Thinkydoer. We've been in touch here and there for almost a year now, and when he asked during our last chat if he could interview me for a podcast episode ... I just couldn't pass up the chance to answer questions from another pro in my network. Today's episode is part one of a two-part series. Here, Sten asks me the questions he's been waiting to ask me while a recording is rolling ever since our first chat. We touch on my own journey with OKRs, including how they've shaped my career and practice, some of the challenges organizations encounter when trying to implement them, and my unique No-BS OKRs approach, which focuses in efficiency and simplicity. Sten also makes a great plug (unsolicited!) for my No-BS OKRs Workbook, which is currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD) and will be available in print later this fall, along with my first full-length release: You Are A Strategist: Using No-BS Objectives and Key Results To Get Big Things Done. Come back next week for part two of the series, when I get to turn the tables and ask Sten about his Thinkydoer career, which took him from development into product management, and now into the CEO and founder role; and, about why and how Tability came to be. Episode Highlights Sara's Journey with OKRs: From an individual contributor struggling with unclear expectations to an executive leader and consultant, Sara shares how setting measurable goals transformed her work satisfaction and effectiveness. Challenges with OKRs: Discussion of why OKRs can be challenging to implement, particularly when leaders do not model the practice. No-BS OKRs Approach: Sara explains her “No-BS OKRs” approach, focusing on simplicity and practicality, and the development of her No-BS OKRs Workbook. Upcoming Book: “You Are A Strategist” Sara talks about her upcoming book, which aims to help individuals discover their inner strategist and use OKRs as a tool for career success. Common Questions What are OKRs? OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a goal-setting framework that helps organizations align their efforts and measure progress. Why are OKRs challenging to implement? OKRs can be challenging because there is no single "standard" or set of "rules" for implementing them; and also, when leaders do not model the practice or invest time in learning the framework. What is the No-BS OKRs approach? A pragmatic approach to OKRs that focuses on simplicity, efficiency, and usefulness to facilitate learning and improvement toward higher performance. How can OKRs benefit my career? OKRs help fill information gaps so you can spend less time mind-reading and more time focused on what's most important. They also help teams align work to important goals, and provide a shared definition of success for teams to aim for. Notable Quotes “My whole life as an individual contributor was trying to learn how to read minds because I just, I don't know if some people can figure out what's expected or if some people are less sensitive to that. And so they just kind of work to their inner compass, but I really struggled to understand what was expected.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs “I fundamentally believe that every person listening to this podcast is a potential future CEO. That's just how I approach everyone I work with.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs “OKRs sometimes get brought in by the people just like Agile, you know, just like Scrum. And so sometimes the methodology comes in within the organization, but a lot of times OKRs come in through the C-suite or come in through the executives with a model of ‘I want more performance from our team.'” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs “When we have leaders that model those behaviors, that's when implementations tend to be really successful, because then that's when people in the organization see this is beneficial for me because it fills in my information gaps. It makes it easier for me to align my work to what's important. I can be more successful.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs “I wanted [The No-BS OKRs Workbook] to be a simple, useful way for anyone, even if they've never heard of an OKR before, to sit down and have support and scaffolding to walk through the steps of OKR creation for the first time.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs “I know I am my best when I am telling the absolute truth, when I get to just call it like I see it and be honest and unfiltered and -- kind, always -- but direct and honest.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs Sten's Links and Resources Tability Website Sten Pettit on LinkedIn Sara's Links and Resources The No-BS OKRs Workbook, currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD) Join the Launch Squad for Sara's Upcoming Books: You Are A Strategist and the No-BS OKRs Workbook Join Sara's Email Newsletter Email Sara at hello@redcurrantco.com Download: No-BS OKRs In A Box one sheet Virtual OKR Consult: Start your personalized virtual OKR consult Other Free No-BS OKRs Resources: Access all free resources Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page
In this episode, Ricardo explains the differences between OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). While both are measurement tools, they serve different purposes. KPIs track ongoing processes, offering real-time insights into performance, such as project progress in terms of time and cost. OKRs, on the other hand, are goal-setting frameworks that push teams toward ambitious targets. Unlike KPIs, OKRs are time-bound and tied to specific objectives. Ricardo emphasizes that OKRs and KPIs are distinct and should not be considered subsets of one another despite their measurement functions. Listen to the podcast to learn more.
Neste episódio, Ricardo explica as diferenças entre OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) e KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Embora ambos sejam ferramentas de medição, eles atendem a propósitos diferentes. Os KPIs rastreiam processos em andamento, oferecendo insights em tempo real sobre o desempenho, como o progresso do projeto em termos de tempo e custo. Os OKRs, por outro lado, são estruturas de definição de metas que impulsionam as equipes em direção a metas ambiciosas. Ao contrário dos KPIs, os OKRs são limitados no tempo e vinculados a objetivos específicos. Ricardo enfatiza que OKRs e KPIs são distintos e não devem ser considerados subconjuntos um do outro, apesar de suas funções de medição. Escute o podcast para saber mais
In this episode, CJ interviews Bryan Morris, CFO of Demandbase, for an in-depth discussion on the complexities of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). As the planning season for 2025 kicks into gear, Bryan shares his insights on setting the right OKRs, aligning them across departments, and explaining why they often lose momentum. He discusses his approach to tracking OKRs, the tools he uses, and his thoughts on making midyear adjustments. Bryan also talks about the value of weekly written executive team updates and formats for efficient meetings. Bryan, a strong advocate of personality tests, unpacks how they enhance talent management, before shedding light on the tough side of leadership and how to approach moving people out of the company when it's not working. The episode wraps up with Bryan's insights on a CFO's decision-making power over an organization's software stack, including the risks of tool consolidation and the hidden costs of poor tech choices.If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.—SPONSORS:Leapfin is accounting automation software that automatically prepares and posts reliable journal entries. High-growth businesses like Reddit, Canva, and Seat Geek choose Leapfin to eliminate manual tasks, accelerate month-end close, and enable accounting leaders to provide faster insights to help their companies grow. To automatically standardize your revenue data with measurable business impact, check out leapfin.com today. Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 37,000 thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist. Maxio is the only billing and financial operations platform that was purpose built for B2B SaaS. They're helping SaaS finance teams automate billing and revenue recognition, manage collections and payments, and put together investor grade reporting packages.
In this episode of the CRO Spotlight podcast, host Warren Zenna is joined by Philip Lacor, Chief Revenue Officer of Airbase, to discuss the intricate role of a CRO in fostering company growth and alignment. Philip, with his extensive background in engineering, finance, and sales, shares insights on how his diverse experience has equipped him to effectively lead cross-functional teams. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer pain points and aligning sales, marketing, and product teams to deliver comprehensive solutions. By leveraging a modern procure-to-pay platform, Airbase consolidates company spending, enabling midmarket companies to manage complexity and scale efficiently.Philip delves into the critical aspects of his role, focusing on building relationships across departments and understanding the voice of the customer to drive strategic initiatives. He explains how Airbase transitioned to a "land and expand" sales motion, highlighting the necessity of aligning product marketing, sales incentives, and onboarding processes to ensure seamless growth. Philip also discusses the role of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in maintaining alignment and focus, as well as the importance of regular customer interaction to provide valuable insights back to the company.Finally, Philip shares valuable advice for aspiring Chief Revenue Officers and company leaders looking to hire for the position. He emphasizes the need for CROs to possess a deep understanding of both sales and customer success, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively with product and engineering teams. For CEOs, he advises assessing company needs and ensuring a strong partnership with the CRO to drive sustainable growth. With a focus on continuous learning and strategic alignment, Philip Lacor exemplifies the impactful role a CRO can play in shaping a company's future.
"A-Player…" "High performer…" "Best on the team…" I don't know about you, but these titles are a little scary! I mean, I'm sure we all want to be one, but how can you, especially when your confidence has taken a hit in the past? On today's episode of the podcast, we wanted to share a grace-based view on how you can become the most trustworthy person on your team and with your friends by sharing discussing exactly what it means to be an A-player. This list of 8 practical things you can do TODAY will help you immediately step up your game as an employee and/or a boss. Special thanks to Jordan Raynor for this list; be sure to listen to his podcast, Mere Christians, where he discusses all things faith & work! Jordan Raynor's definition of an A-Player: Does exactly what they say they will do Doesn't drop the ball on a task or project Responds to every email, Slack message, phone call, and text within 24 business hours Always shows up on time, and more often than not, shows up early Hits and often exceeds expectations on their OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) Renegotiates their commitments if they know they won't be able to deliver Doesn't allow a meeting to end until next actions have been clearly defined Is a joy to work with Cheering you on, Kelsey Kemp & Audrey Bagarus Free career coaching resources: Free Training: How to Find and Land a Job You Feel Called to in 8 Straightforward Steps → Watch Here More of a reader? Download the 22 page PDF version instead → Download here Schedule a free, 30 min consultation to get our help with your career → Schedule here Connect with us: Website: thecalledcareer.com Instagram: @kelsey_thecalledcareer LinkedIn: The Called Career
In this episode, Jim Rembach is joined by Aaron Branson to dive deep into the critical topic of proving marketing's financial impact in the B2B space. They explore the challenges marketers face in justifying their budgets, the importance of strategic alignment, and practical ways to demonstrate marketing's value to the C-Suite and board members.Aaron shares his extensive experience in B2B marketing, offering insights from his journey from co-founding a web development and digital marketing agency to leading corporate marketing efforts for high-tech and cybersecurity companies. He emphasizes the necessity of viewing marketing as both a short-term and long-term investment, breaking down the common perception of marketing as a mere cost center.Throughout the discussion, Aaron provides actionable strategies for marketing attribution, illustrating different approaches to measure ROI effectively. The conversation also highlights the importance of setting clear OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) that align marketing objectives with overall business goals, ensuring accountability and strategic alignment.Additionally, the episode offers valuable tips on communicating marketing value to various internal personas, from peers to the C-Suite, to foster a better understanding and appreciation of marketing's role in driving business growth. By the end of the episode, listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to justify their marketing budgets, demonstrate value, and align their strategies with broader business goals.In this episode, you'll learn:- How to justify marketing budgets and demonstrate value.- The importance of viewing marketing as a multi-faceted investment.- Strategies for marketing attribution and proving ROI.- Ways to align marketing strategies with business objectives.- Effective communication techniques within the organization.
SummaryIn this episode, Ben Johnson, the CEO and founder of Particle 41, discusses the importance of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in goal setting and measuring progress. He explains how OKRs can bring a data-driven culture to organizations and shares examples of how they can be applied in business. Ben also talks about Particle 41's services, including software development, application modernization, DevOps, and data science. He emphasizes the company's core values of visibility, velocity, and vision. Additionally, Ben discusses the optimization of the tech team's process, the use of frameworks and customization, and the role of AI in software development.TakeawaysOKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a framework for goal setting and measuring progress in business.OKRs bring a data-driven culture to organizations and help align departments towards common objectives.Particle 41 offers services in software development, application modernization, DevOps, and data science.The company values visibility, velocity, and vision in its work.Frameworks and customization should be used strategically to optimize software development processes.AI can be a helpful tool in development but requires attention to detail and accountability for the output.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background02:34Understanding OKRs06:10Implementing OKRs in Business07:35Particle 41 and its Services09:30Working with Clients' Software Development Processes13:30Unique Aspects of Particle 4119:23Using Frameworks and Customization22:57The Role of AI in Software Development25:38The Future of AI in Development28:20Shameless Plug
In this interview, Jim and Yuval Yeret discuss the implementation and challenges of agile methodologies within the private equity space. Yuval has extensive experience in product development, and he emphasizes the importance of principle-driven agility over rigid adherence to frameworks. While agile practices originated in software development, their application is beneficial across various industries and organizational functions. Companies often struggle with "agile theater," where companies follow agile rules without understanding the process. Effective agile adoption requires cross-functional collaboration, adaptability in strategic planning, and the ability to balance customer flexibility with engineering realities. Yuval shares examples from biotech and healthcare, illustrating how agility can extend to broader business operations. He also discusses the role of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as strategic guides rather than rigid metrics. Finally, Yuval underscores the unique position of private equity firms and consultants in driving agile transformations through pragmatic, principle-based solutions.
Life & Listings: Balancing Real Estate, Scaling Your Future w/ Jennifer Staats
In today's episode of the Life & Listing Podcast, Marcus Rush joins me to talk about the world of real estate entrepreneurship, personal branding, and innovative team leadership. Marcus shares his journey in the real estate industry, specifically highlighting his evolution from a traditional broker to a dynamic team leader at Compass. Marcus delves into the essentials of building a business as a real estate agent, the importance of personal branding, and how he supports his team to achieve great results. We also touch on the strategic integration of technology and systems which streamline operations and clarify goals, illustrating the modern complexities of building a prosperous real estate enterprise through strategic planning, innovative leadership, and technological integration. Don't miss out on this valuable conversation—listen to our latest episode now! “I want to make sure the agents want feel like they always know what to do every time every day they wake up they have something they want to do. If they're brand new agent, even if that's just learning something for that day, that's their thing to do for the day. But on top of that also being supported in. I like to make things very easy. So I know, obviously working with your company, one of my philosophies has always been I don't want the agent had been one or two steps, right to do anything. And that's kind of where I've been so I know on the back end for me, I wanted to kind of put processes in place that it was complicated for me, I'm taking hours to do these things but everybody else seemed like it was so simple.”- Marcus Rush Key themes to explore: Entrepreneurship in Real Estate: Marcus shares his journey of becoming a real estate agent and then moving to a team leader, including the need to think of oneself as a business entity rather than just an agent. Personal Branding: A significant emphasis is placed on building a personal brand as a real estate agent, with Marcus discussing how he established his name in the industry. Team Development and Leadership: Marcus talks about his strategies for team building, mentorship, and leadership within his brokerage team, highlighting the transition from a solo agent to a team leader and the role of strategic planning in this process. Supporting Team Members: There is a focus on how Marcus supports his team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge necessary to succeed, particularly highlighting his philosophy on sharing opportunities and knowledge rather than hoarding them. The Role of Technology and Systems in Real Estate: The dialogue includes mention of how integrating systems and technology (like OKRs – Objectives and Key Results) has helped in streamlining operations and setting clear goals and expectations. Connect with Marcus Rush: Email: info@rushhome.com Website: https://rushhome.com/ Instagram: @derealtorrush Connect with Jennifer Staats: Website: staatssolutions.com Staats Solution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staatssolutions/ Jennifer Staats Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifertherealtor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staatssolutions/
This week, Dan Neumann and Justin Thatil are joined by their colleague, Mike Guiler. In this episode, they explore how a Product Manager shifts from just management to leadership and how this transformation influences the role. Dan, Justin, and Mike discuss tools and strategies, including OKRs, Story Mapping, and Hackathons, among others. Key Takeaways Product management must study the market and users, becoming customer-centric and ensuring it is still viable for the business at the same time. It takes more than one individual to effectively perform the discovery function. It's a Team effort (Product Designer, Product Owner, and a Technical member). Discovery and design sessions are opportunities for Teams to unlock the art of the possible. The Team has to learn from rapid feedback while ensuring steps are taken to not hurt organizational reputation. A Product Manager must first understand how to help the Team approach a particular problem. A great way is to identify OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and focus on the target market the Team is going after. Once the Team is aligned, the job can be done. A Product Manager sets an objective for the Team and allows them to work autonomously toward reaching it. Story Mapping: A Product Manager's ally on the journey to product discovery. Story Mapping is an easy way to frame what the Team is trying to achieve and the tool that might be the most efficient for that purpose. Story Mapping can also help identify the target persona for which the Team is building a particular feature. There is tremendous value in having the Team involved in Story Mapping and, as a result, immersed in and knowledgeable about the problem at hand. Hackathons are a great way to keep a Team motivated. Allow the engineers to explore; you will keep them engaged and motivated. Mentioned in this Episode: Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs, by Uri Levine Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love (Silicon Valley Product Group), by Marty Cagan Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!
Joe Woodard's vision is to "transform small businesses through small business advisors." And in the service of that vision he and his team educate, coach, provide resources and build communities for small business advisors, with the overarching goal of empowering them to play a powerful, high-impact advisory role with their clients. In this episode Joe shares strategies for Infusing feelings and solutions into your pricing models that drive people's buying decisions. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Find out effective strategies for your sales approach Discover effective hiring strategies to find the perfect team and talent that align with your needs Understand two foundational pillars of value to be effective in selling your product or service "Infuse everything we've talked about [sales approach] with feelings and solutions into something the client can consume, easily understand, comprehend, and buy easily." - Joe Woodard Topics Covered: 02:51 - From a Quickbooks advisor to hiring and teaching coaches how to coach businesses 05:40 - How this great quote from John Maxwell became a huge inspiration for his upcoming conference 07:28 - Understanding the two foundational pillars of value 09:31 - Methodologies used to maximize product's value proposition 12:06 - Gaining a competitive by catering to both emotional and solution-oriented needs 13:48 - Incorporating emotional intelligence into your sales approach 18:44 - How mimicking good behaviors is effective in selling 19:33 - Understanding the DISC method for hiring people 24:26 - Delegating outcomes, holding individuals accountable using methodologies like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) 25:58 - Infusing pricing strategies with a combination of emotional resonance 28:47 - Interplay between emotions and problem-solving in both B2B and B2C contexts 30:06 - Joe's best pricing advice 31:51 - What this conference, 'Boldly Go!' is about Key Takeaways: "If you're waiting for all risk to go away, you're waiting for all fear to go away, you'll never act. And if you're waiting for perfection, you'll never act. So don't wait on those things. Enter the danger, proceed afraid, fail forward, and then read a lot. That's how I did it." - Joe Woodard "People will only exchange their hard earned dollars for one of two things, how you make me feel, or how you solve my problem." - Joe Woodard "It's not about price, it's about nature." - Joe Woodard People/Resources Mentioned: John Maxwell: https://www.maxwellleadership.com Michio Kaku: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Kaku Neil deGrasse Tyson: https://neildegrassetyson.com Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.gladwellbooks.com/ Outliers: https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930 Positive Intelligence: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=positive+intelligence&language Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr :https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221 Axe: https://www.axe.com/us/en/home.html Red Bull: https://www.redbull.com/ph-en/ Connect with Joe Woodard: Website: https://www.woodard.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quickbooksadvisor/ Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
Tim just completed his quarterly strategy review meeting at work. As such, he's in the perfect head space to teach Adam and Ben what strategy is; how strategy differs from tactics; and, how OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can be used in order to ensure that the work to be done actually rolls-up to one of the company's core strategies. In the end, Ben still has no idea what's going on (as per usual); but, Adam is down to clown.Follow the show and be sure to join the discussion on Discord! Our website is workingcode.dev and we're @WorkingCodePod on Twitter and Instagram. New episodes drop weekly on Wednesday.And, if you're feeling the love, support us on Patreon.With audio editing and engineering by ZCross Media.Full show notes and transcript here.
Do you ever wonder about the approaches someone actually takes to grow their organization's budget, team, board and impact?Like what strategies do they actually use to go from a $450K budget, a tiny team, and awesome but scrappy programs to a $2M budget a strong team, board, and impact that go along with that growth?The answer is by using approaches to growth that are intentionally about increasing leverage. In this episode, I'm breaking down five of the most powerful organizational and leadership principles that leaders who take their organizations to the next level use to help them lead in a more leveraged way.This is my second episode in this leveraged leadership series, and like the last one, it's super concrete.What You'll Learn:Discover the power of the Balanced Scorecard in evaluating and optimizing your nonprofit's performance across key areas.Unleash the potential of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to align your team's efforts with your organization's mission and vision.Learn how the RACI Matrix can streamline decision-making and enhance project efficiency within your nonprofit.Key Takeaways:Implementing the Balanced Scorecard provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and improving organizational performance in finance, stakeholder satisfaction, operations, and growth.OKRs foster a culture of clarity and alignment, enabling nonprofits to set ambitious goals and track progress with measurable outcomes.The RACI Matrix clarifies roles and responsibilities, optimizing teamwork and resource allocation for enhanced project execution and decision-making.Embracing the Flywheel concept enables nonprofits to build momentum and efficiency by aligning and reinforcing their activities for sustained growth.Applying the Pareto Principle allows nonprofits to focus efforts on the most impactful activities, maximizing results with minimal resources.Step-by-Step Process:Balanced Scorecard:Evaluate your nonprofit's performance across finances, stakeholder satisfaction, operations, and growth.Use the insights gained to prioritize strategic initiatives and allocate resources effectively.OKRs (Objectives and Key Results):Define clear objectives aligned with your organization's mission and vision.Establish measurable key results to track progress and ensure accountability across your team.RACI Matrix:Identify roles and responsibilities for each project or decision within your nonprofit.Ensure clear communication and streamline workflow by defining who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.Flywheel Concept:Align your nonprofit's activities to create a self-reinforcing cycle of growth and efficiency.Fine-tune initiatives to minimize effort while maximizing impact, fostering sustainable growth over time.Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule):Identify the most impactful activities or resources that contribute to the majority of results within your nonprofit.Focus efforts on these high-yield areas to optimize resource allocation and drive mission success.Resources Mentioned:Leverage Playlist: Access the full series on leverage and other valuable insights.Leveraged Leadership Strategy Bundle: Explore a toolkit packed with resources to enhance your nonprofit leadership skills and organizational effectiveness.
In this episode of Product thinking, Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden join Melissa Perri to talk about their exciting new book on OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). They tackle common mistakes made when implementing frameworks like Lean UX, and how OKRs can solve this. Plus they share all the insights they've learned over the last 10 years since their first book, Lean UX. Tune in to discover how OKRs improve your business, business unit, or team's overall focus and alignment.
Implement effective performance metrics! Establishing performance indicators, commonly known as KPIs or OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), is a pivotal step in defining the benchmarks for success.