From Strategy to Team OKR: The Role of Leadership
Why leaders should create the context, not the commitment
When I say that teams should write their own OKRs, some leaders push back:
“But we need alignment.”
“How can we trust they’ll set the right priorities?”
“Isn’t that what leadership is for?”
Yes — leadership matters.
In fact, it’s essential.
But here’s the shift:
Leadership doesn’t mean setting the OKR.
It means setting the stage for the team to do it well.
Leaders Own the Strategy, Not the Commitments
In Team OKR, I talk about two vital but distinct roles:
Leaders define direction — the strategic goals of the organization
Teams define commitments — what they will deliver to support that strategy
Too often, these two get blurred.
Leaders skip past the strategy conversation and jump straight to:
“Here’s your OKR. Let’s align.”
But when that happens, something breaks:
The team doesn’t question or challenge the goal
They miss the chance to connect it to reality
They execute without owning the outcome
That’s not alignment — it’s compliance.
Good Leadership Creates Space, Not Answers
The best leaders I’ve worked with do something different.
They don’t show up with answers.
They show up with questions:
What outcome would make the biggest difference right now?
Where do we need to move the needle this quarter?
How can your team contribute to this bigger picture?
They create space for the team to think, discuss, and decide.
They offer feedback. Challenge assumptions. Push for clarity.
But they don’t fill out the OKR template for them.
Because they know:
A co-created OKR is stronger than a well-written one.
Real Example: Leadership by Context
In one organization I worked with, the product leadership team spent two full days clarifying strategic themes for the upcoming quarter.
Not detailed OKRs.
Not feature backlogs.
Just clear, focused strategic goals — expressed as opportunities to pursue, not tasks to deliver.
Then they gave each team space to define their own OKRs within that frame.
The result?
Every team’s OKR was aligned — but in their own words.
Every team felt connected — and responsible.
Delivery improved, not because leaders had more control, but because they had less.
They shifted from pushing plans to enabling ownership.
That’s real leadership.
Common Mistake: Leading with Answers Instead of Intent
When leaders jump straight to solutions — “Here’s what you should do” — they shortcut the most important part of OKRs:
Shared understanding.
Without it, OKRs feel imposed.
With it, they become a shared mission.
Your role as a leader isn’t to define every step.
It’s to make sure the team knows what matters — and trusts that they can shape the path.
Why Team OKR Matters
A Team OKR isn’t just a planning tool.
It’s a mirror of how your organization works.
If leaders own all the goals, teams disengage.
If teams set goals without direction, they drift.
But when leaders share context — and teams define their own commitments — something powerful happens:
Clear strategy
Real ownership
Better outcomes
📌 Coming Up Next:
From Intel to Team OKR: A Short History of a Big Idea
How OKRs started, where they went wrong, and why real teams need a better way.
Thanks for reading!
—Paulo
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