Certificate in Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) |Smart

Overview

Why Attend

One of the biggest challenges for managers is to accomplish tasks effectively and efficiently through and with people. This course looks at the four universal functions of management—Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling—through the lens of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to help managers do their jobs better. The course gives participants a number of important management tools that they can use to understand and use the OKR strategy management method. At the end of the course, participants will be able to create an effective OKR framework for their own organizations and put it into action.

Course Methodology

Through a series of activities, group discussions, and daily case studies, the course gives managers and supervisors the chance to practice analyzing and developing all kinds of OKRs.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Master the use of OKRs to introduce agility into a POLC management framework
Prepare a methodical and well-established approach for the OKR journey
Develop effective OKRs that drive focused strategic and operational business priorities
Improve individual and team alignment using the OKR framework
Drive a sustainable OKR environment to enhance performance

Target Audience

Managers, supervisors who are interested in honing their OKR skills and abilities to plan, organize, control and achieve their goals and objectives on time and within the expected standards, and known constraints.

Target Competencies

Agile planning
Operational effectiveness
Strategic management and focus
Aligning objectives with results
Improving performance and productivity
Employee engagement
Collaboration

Course Outline

The agile POLC framework – Introduction to OKRs
- The history of OKRs
- What are Objectives and Key Results (OKR)s
- Objectives and Key Results and the functions of management
- Organizational challenges and why we need OKRs
- Benefits of OKRs – efficiency versus effectiveness
- Case-Study
Preparing for the OKR journey
- Why implement OKRs?
- Executive sponsorship – a critical component for successful OKR implementation
- Where to develop the OKRs
- An OKRs development plan
- The building blocks of OKRs: Mission, Vision, Strategy
- Roadmap Strategy – rethinking the planning process
- Case-Study
Creating effective OKRs
- Creating powerful Objectives
- Objectives descriptions and tips for creating objectives
- Characteristics of effective key results and tips for creating key results
- Types of key results
- Scoring OKRs
- The process to set OKRs (how often, how many, the reviews, the adjustments, etc.
- OKRs and the allocation of resources and budgets
- Case-Study
POLC framework and performance measurement through OKRs
- Connecting OKRs
- How to connect OKRs - a POLC perspective
- Creating alignment
- Confirming the alignment of connected OKRs
- Managing with OKRs – measuring the what and how
  - The OKR interaction cycle
  - Weekly meetings
  - Mid-quarter check-ins
  - Quarterly reviews
  - OKRs and the forward, concurrent and feedback controls
- Impact of OKRs on teams and project performance
- How to update OKRs periodically – the planning and control link
- Essential OKRs tools and techniques
- Case-Study
Managing and controlling resistance to change
- OKRs: a project or a culture? The OKRs transformational journey
- Who owns the OKRs process?
- OKRs and organizational performance measures
- OKRs and performance reviews
- OKRs and incentive compensation
- Tops OKRs issues to be aware of
- Pitfalls to avoid when implementing OKRs
- Case-Study

Schedule & Fees

2026 Schedule & Fees

1 - 5 Nov, 2026

English

Per participant USD 2,900

1 - 5 Nov, 2026

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

22 - 26 Nov, 2026

English

Per participant USD 2,900

22 - 26 Nov, 2026

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

2027 Schedule & Fees

31 Jan - 4 Feb, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

31 Jan - 4 Feb, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

21 - 25 Feb, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

21 - 25 Feb, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

2 - 6 May, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

2 - 6 May, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

23 - 27 May, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

23 - 27 May, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

1 - 5 Aug, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

1 - 5 Aug, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

22 - 26 Aug, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

22 - 26 Aug, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

31 Oct - 4 Nov, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

31 Oct - 4 Nov, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

21 - 25 Nov, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

21 - 25 Nov, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900