OKRs in Practice: Learning, Focus, and Common Pitfalls

OKRs are often presented as a goal-setting framework. Something to roll out, track, and review.

Used well, OKRs are something else entirely: a learning practice that helps individuals, teams, and organizations focus on what really matters.

In this episode of Le Podcast on Emerging Leadership, I had the pleasure of welcoming Bart den Haak to explore OKRs from a very practical perspective.

From startup practice to long-term learning

Bart is a software engineer who first encountered OKRs more than ten years ago in a startup context. Since then, he has continued to use OKRs across different environments and now advises companies on how to adopt them meaningfully.

This long-term perspective makes the conversation especially grounded. We talk less about theory and more about what actually works.

Revisiting the foundations of OKRs

Building on a previous episode where I shared an approach to creating great goals using OKRs and Impact Mapping, this conversation goes deeper into the fundamentals:

what OKRs really are
how they differ from other goal-setting approaches such as MBOs, Balanced Scorecard, Hoshin Kanri, or 4DX
who can use OKRs: individuals, teams, or entire organizations
where to start when introducing OKRs

Rather than treating OKRs as a one-size-fits-all solution, we explore how context matters.

Learning zones and common pitfalls

A key part of the discussion focuses on learning.

Bart explains how OKRs can help teams:

step out of their comfort zone
enter a learning zone
while avoiding the danger zone where pressure and fear take over

We also discuss common pitfalls:

turning OKRs into performance evaluation tools
confusing activity with impact
setting goals that are either too safe or too vague

Resonance with practitioner leadership

Bart’s approach resonates strongly with me and aligns closely with the ideas I explore in Changing Your Team From The Inside and I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge.

In all cases, the underlying idea is the same: leadership is a practice, and tools only work when they support responsibility and learning.

More about Bart

If you want to explore Bart’s work further:

Bart is also currently working on a book about OKRs. I’ll be sure to share more when it’s available.

A final thought

OKRs don’t create clarity by themselves. People do.

Used with intention, OKRs can become a powerful way to focus attention, learn faster, and increase impact without falling into control or bureaucracy.