OKRs - what are they exactly?
OKRs, Objectives and Key Results are a framework for setting and achieving goals. They are made up of two main components:
- Objectives - Specific, meaningful goals you want to achieve.
- Key Results – Measurable steps that help track progress toward each Objective.
OKRs keep teams and organisations focused on what matters most, facilitating more effective alignment and accountability. While OKRs provide a robust structure, how you approach them can be flexible. That’s where the 1-3-5® framework comes in — as a simple, practical starting point for crafting your OKRs.
The 1-3-5® Framework: A Flexible Approach to OKRs
The award-winning 1-3-5® framework is designed to help ambitious business leaders clarify what they want to achieve and break it down into clear, actionable steps. This structure aligns closely with OKRs, Objectives and Key Results, a widely used goal-setting method, but offers a simple and practical approach that can be customised to fit your unique needs.
While OKRs focus on setting high-level goals and measurable outcomes, the 1-3-5® framework offers a practical way to break down and organise these goals into manageable steps. We recommend using the 1-3-5® structure as a foundation for your OKR plan, though it's not a rigid formula. You can adapt it to suit your business and team’s specific needs.
At its core, the 1-3-5® framework helps you define:
This structure can make the OKR process feel more manageable, giving you a clear path from high-level strategic goals to actionable steps. It connects the top-level vision and strategy with day-to-day operations across all teams in the business.
The Vision
In the 1-3-5® framework, your Vision is the ultimate goal — the overarching aim that defines where you want to be. This Vision sits above your Objectives, providing a clear, long-term target that guides all your efforts and serves as a constant reminder to keep you on track. While traditional OKRs focus on Objectives and Key Results, Reclaro adds this Vision element into the process, helping you align your entire strategy around a single, ambitious aim.
We recommend writing your Vision as if you’ve already achieved it. For example, instead of saying, “I’m going to build a business with £30 million turnover,” try, “I have built a business that turns over £30 million.” This mindset helps reinforce your commitment to success.
Next, allocate a realistic timeframe for achieving your Vision. Whether it’s 6 weeks, 6 months, or a year, it is important to stretch your ambition while staying grounded in what can be realistically achieved.
Mission-critical Objectives
Once your Vision is in place, you’ll then break it down into 3 Mission-Critical Objectives. These Objectives are the critical focus areas that will help you achieve your Vision. They represent what must be done — just like OKR Objectives, which define the direction and focus of your efforts.
To help ensure clarity and a tight focus, we recommend sticking to 3 Objectives. This allows you to concentrate on the most impactful areas of your business and eliminate distractions. However, remember this isn’t a strict rule; you can adapt the number of Objectives to fit your unique situation if required.
Key Results (per Objective)
The next step is to break down each Objective into 5 Key Results. Key Results should be measurable, specific and timely. They represent the steps you’ll take to progress toward your Objectives and, ultimately, your Vision.
For instance, if one of your Objectives is to grow revenue by 25%, a Key Result could be, “Secure 500 new leads per month.” These Key Results are vital milestones that keep you on track, ensuring measurable progress toward your big-picture goals.
As with the rest of the 1-3-5® framework, the number of Key Results can be adapted based on your needs. While we recommend 5 Key Results per Objective, you can adjust this as necessary to reflect the complexity or simplicity of your goals.
Making 1-3-5® Work for You with Reclaro Software
The beauty of the 1-3-5® framework is its structural clarity at all levels. It provides a structured starting point for transforming top-level strategic OKRs into actionable steps, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. You can adapt it to meet your business’s needs, priorities, and pace.
The Reclaro software brings this framework to life, helping you seamlessly set, delegate, and track your strategic OKR plans across your organisation. It enables teams to link their plans, align strategic priorities, and execute faster. Plus, you can break Key Results down further into smaller Milestones, giving you and your team even more clarity and focus as you work toward your goals.
Whether you’re just getting started with OKRs or looking to streamline your goal-setting process even further, the 1-3-5® framework provides a structured and practical approach to achieving real success.
Start Crafting Your OKRs with 1-3-5®
We recommend using the 1-3-5® framework as a guide when setting up your OKRs, but feel free to adapt and modify the process to fit your own business needs. By defining 1 Vision, focusing on 3 Mission-Critical Objectives, and outlining 5 measurable Key Results for each Objective, you’ll be on your way to executing your goals effectively.
Want to learn more? Book a 15-minute introductory call to discover how Reclaro can help you implement this highly effective, award-winning framework and accelerate your business success.
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