Objective vs. Goals

"OKRs" (Objectives and Key Results) offer a structured approach, emphasizing the quantifiable outcomes necessary to meet longer-term goals. OKR goals need to have a certain cadence to be set, reviewed, reflected, and set again for the next cadence. A typical rhythm for OKRs is a quarter. But you can also add and formulate your yearly goals in the format of OKRs, meaning a few objectives with a few distinct, quantifiable key results. As the format and writing style are like an OKR, these are called yearly or annual OKRs. The format of your yearly goals is optional - most importantly, they are easy to follow and understand, measurable, and concrete.

Company goals are overarching objectives that define the direction and aspirations of the entire organization. These goals encapsulate the broader vision, mission, and strategic priorities that guide the company's growth and success. They often span longer timeframes and are typically set at the executive or leadership level. Company goals serve as a unifying force, aligning different departments and teams toward a common purpose, and they reflect the organization's strategic focus, such as revenue targets, market expansion, or product innovation.

Team goals, in contrast, are more specific and tailored to individual departments or functional groups within the company. These goals are designed to achieve a particular outcome within a defined period. Team goals break down the larger company objectives into actionable and measurable steps that are directly relevant to the team's responsibilities. They provide teams with a clear sense of direction, priorities, and performance expectations. Unlike company goals, team goals are often shorter-term and can vary based on the unique functions and contributions of each team.

OKRs stand for Objectives and Key Results.

Objectives stand for a few priorities or themes that give direction. Your key objectives answer the question, "Where do we want to go?". Typically, an organization should have no more than 3 or 4 key objectives to maintain clarity and purpose. Objectives are descriptive and provide context; they are not measurable.

Key Results stand for measurable results and describe success. You should have 3 or 4 per Objective. The sum of your Key Results answers the question, "Do we know that we have arrived?". Key Results are ambitious outcomes that are used to track the achievement of measurable objectives, often based on informed assumptions or targets.

Activities, Actions and Initiatives stand for all the things we are doing in order to reach the OKRs. These are tasks, to-dos, and Sprints and are planned or documented using different sorts of tools and methods. They answer the question, "What are we doing to get there?" within the broader context of setting goals and objectives.

While goals provide a broad, long-term vision, OKRs break down this vision into actionable, measurable steps, offering a more tactical and immediate roadmap for achieving these goals.

Moals are just fancy word creations and are not used in the international context of the OKR methodology. It is a fantasy word composition referring to long-term goals, such as yearly company goals. So better just call it yearly goals or yearly Objectives and you will be more aligned.