Let’s talk porridge. Or beds. Or…well, I think you know where this is going. Goldilocks, that pickiest of unwanted houseguests, had a system and understood the power of making effective choices – things needed to be not too hot, not too cold, not too hard, not too soft, but just right. Turns out, this philosophy applies just as well to OKRs and the cadence you choose for setting, evaluating, and updating the system.
Organizations love to latch onto best practices, and early on in the emergence of OKRs (most likely “Because Google does it”), quarterly became the framework’s default cadence. Every three months, teams gather in meeting rooms (or Zoom rectangles), set new objectives, define key results, and go forward with renewed energy. But is quarterly absolutely the universal sweet spot? Is it the ‘just right’ of OKRs cadence, or are some organizations forcing themselves into a rhythm that doesn’t fit?
It’s time to take a page from Goldilocks and find the cadence that actually works for your business.
Too Fast: The Case of Hyperactive OKRs
Some organizations adopt a breakneck OKRs cadence, setting and evaluating new goals monthly—occasionally even more frequently. The thinking is logical: shorter cycles mean agility, quick pivots when necessary, and relentless progress towards strategy execution.
But reality paints a different picture. When OKRs move too fast:
- Teams spend more time setting goals than actually working on and achieving them.
- Objectives often lack depth because the timeline forces them into the realm of what’s immediately achievable, rather than what’s truly transformative.
- Constant context-switching leads to burnout. People feel like they’re playing a never-ending game of OKRs whack-a-mole.
Picture a chef pulling a soufflé out of the oven every two minutes to check on it. Constant disruption means it will never rise properly. OKRs need time to develop too. If your cadence is too fast, you’re not giving teams the time necessary to deliver transformative outcomes.
Too Slow: The Case of Stale OKRs
On the flip side, some organizations set OKRs semi-annually or even annually and then forget about them. The logic? Big strategic bets and initiatives take time, and teams need stability.
Except…
- Business conditions inevitably change (does the acronym VUCA sound familiar?), and those well-thought-out OKRs from January might be irrelevant by June.
- People lose engagement. If there’s no sense of urgency or momentum, OKRs become background noise.
- Progress checks get delayed or deprioritized, leading to a lack of accountability.
This is the “Set it and forget it” problem. We set ambitious goals in January and then realize, somewhere around April, that we haven’t thought about them in weeks. OKRs thrive on focus, and a cadence that’s too slow can kill momentum before real change happens.
Just Right: The Balanced Cadence for OKRs
So where does all this leave us? For many organizations, the quarterly OKRs cycle does tend to work because it strikes an appropriate balance. It generally provides:
- Enough time for meaningful progress on important goals without losing agility.
- A forum for regular check-ins that reinforce focus and accountability.
- A natural rhythm that aligns with business planning and performance cycles (quarterly reporting is solidly ingrained in many companies).
But here’s the catch: quarterly isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. It’s just a good starting point for discussion and consideration. Many successful organizations tweak their cadence to fit their actual work cycles. For example:
- Trimesters (120-day cycles) can offer more breathing room for execution while maintaining urgency.
- Hybrid cadences—where company-level OKRs are set annually but business unit, department or team-level OKRs refresh quarterly—can provide both stability and agility.
The best cadence isn’t dictated by OKRs doctrine. It’s dictated by what works for your organization.
How to Find Your Goldilocks Cadence
Finding the right cadence isn’t about blindly following what works for other companies, even Google! It’s about aligning OKRs to your organization’s unique rhythm. As a Global OKRs Coach, here are my recommendations help you land on the right timing:
- Map OKRs to Business Cycles: If your industry operates on seasonal trends, quarterly may not be ideal. Retailers, for example, may benefit from aligning OKRs to peak sales periods, while software companies might sync OKRs with product release cycles.
- Assess Decision-Making Speed: How often does leadership reassess priorities? If the organization frequently shifts focus, shorter OKR cycles may be necessary. If decisions take months to play out, a longer cadence may allow for more meaningful progress.
- Gauge Team Bandwidth: If teams feel overwhelmed by constant goal-setting, stretching the cycle to four months could allow for deeper focus. Conversely, if people disengage midway, a shorter cycle might keep energy levels high.
- Use a Test-and-Learn Approach: Pick one department or function to experiment with different cadences. Compare results over a few cycles before rolling out changes organization-wide.
- Balance Long-Term Vision with Tactical Execution: Consider an annual cycle for high-level company OKRs while using quarterly or trimester-based OKRs at lower levels. This approach keeps day-to-day work grounded while maintaining strategic alignment.
Remember, cadence isn’t set in stone. The key is to review your approach regularly and adjust based on what drives the best results for your teams and business.
Goldilocks didn’t just assume she knew the right answer. She tried all the options. And that’s exactly how organizations should approach OKRs cadence. The default quarterly model works for many, but not all. If your current cadence feels forced—too rushed or too slow—it’s time to adjust.
OKRs should create momentum, not frustration. The key to success is finding a rhythm that keeps teams engaged, accountable, and driving real impact. And when you do? Well, that’s when your OKRs will feel just right.
What’s Your OKRs Cadence?
I’d love to hear from you. What cadence does your organization use? Does it work, or do you suspect you’re in the too fast/too slow category? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Paul Niven is the author of OKRs For Dummies, and the founder and president of OKRsTraining.com.