Two or three years ago I tweeted “OKR is the new SAFe” (I don’t remember exactly when, @tiphanie will tell us we still laugh about it, twitter account deleted since, find me at: https://toot.portes-imaginaire.org/@pablopernot). Understand this: this parody of a TV series title highlights that SAFe is a sham and that OKR needs to be careful not to fall into the same trap.

Today I confirm this naturally with less negativity than SAFe. The latter is a real con, a real “snake oil” from salespeople / charlatans. But SAFe doesn’t matter, ultimately we don’t care.

It’s going to sink and take agile down with it, and we don’t care about that either, because agile is just a word.

In 2017: https://pablopernot.fr/2017/11/pourquoi-faut-il-se-mefier-de-safe/

The risk for OKR?

That clients swallow it for the simplicity of misusing it: putting numbers everywhere that ultimately help nothing. Great, there are numbers! It’s serious! And there are objectives! With numbers!!! We’re so good!!! NO NO NO… no… no…. no (desperate, tired).

A few weeks ago, I even got to the point of proposing to a prospect with the eternal iconic and dramatic, abstruse request, “my big boss wants all of us (1200 people) to be agile within the year.” What to answer but the truth: it makes no sense. He already knew it: as always! By Jimmy Page (= God) how this comedy endures and pleases!

In short, I ended up telling him: let’s save time as intelligently as possible: let’s put OKRs everywhere. It will give us reference points. It will guide conversations well, it will buy time. And since OKR is the new SAFe for the big boss, you’ll all be “agile.”

Damp squib without surprise: it never got started.

But you see the trap.

And also why there’s a little hope too.

The opportunity for OKR?

Indeed, the irruption of these numbers is like a Trojan horse. Numbers that measure—no one is against that.

Especially when you’re used to measuring nothing but setting objectives. YES, by the way, that’s unfortunately the O in OKR. Tiphanie talks about ambitions, much better! I’ll take it.

If it works: the irruption of this Trojan horse allows conversations to be oriented toward the right subjects, and makes people realize the importance of measurement (MEASUREMENT before OBJECTIVE or rather the objective only makes sense if there is measurement).

If it fails: we state numbers, we gloat, nothing is measured, so there are no real levers, no real actions and conversations disappear.

When will engineers understand that without fieldwork their science is just nonsense?

I take this opportunity to thank all those who show courage to highlight this in their coaching, at the risk of disappointing and being fired. I’m not saying I thank those who give the finger while saying the client is an idiot, not those, I’m against that. I thank those who speak truthfully, who put themselves at risk (Skin in the game! Read the book).

Truth is a thorny concept.

Speaking truthfully means understanding that OKRs are a Trojan horse for good measurements and good conversations. The lie is just letting the client set lots of numbered objectives.

The OKR community

Another opportunity for OKRs, the “community” seems healthier to me: more ethics than elsewhere. To follow: Tiphanie Vinet and Laurence Wolf and their white papers, Laurent Morisseau and his Rising Goal, Guy Lerat who follows in his footsteps.

Oh shit I realize this is a big bias, I am/was the manager and I helped Tiphanie and Laurence grow YES YES!!! I’m on the board of Rising Goal, and Guy was part of my mentoring cycles.

So rather: I’m counting on you!