🌳 OAKS Co. · HR Consulting

Performance Management Playbook & Toolkit

A hybrid performance system combining OKRs for goal-setting and tracking, competencies to assess how work gets done, and CFR habits to keep performance alive between reviews — with full appraisal, calibration, and improvement tools built in. Designed for growing companies that want to balance structure and control during the learning phase with space for talent to self-start, take ownership, and drive results.

Hybrid PM System & OKR-Based Goal Setting
Aligning Goals: Org → Team Level
Aligning Expectations: Team → Individual
Appraisal, Rating & Calibration
16 Ready-to-Use Templates

Performance Management Philosophy

Effective performance management is not a once-a-year event — it's a living operating system that connects your organization's vision to every team member's daily work. When designed well, it aligns effort, builds accountability, and multiplies impact.

7%
of employees fully understand their company's business strategies

This is the #1 obstacle between strategy and execution. The gap isn't ambition — it's alignment. OKRs, properly cascaded, directly solve this by making goals visible, shared, and co-owned at every level.

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Strategic Management Framework

Every company performs as a system: Input (strategic intent & resources) → Process (goal setting, tracking, review) → Output (business results). PM is the process layer.

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Why Goals Fail From Day One

Traditional goal-setting is top-down, annual, tied to compensation, and siloed. OKRs fix this with bottom-up co-creation, quarterly cadence, public transparency, and separation from pay.

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What We Measure

Complete performance management measures WHAT people achieve (OKR/Results) AND HOW they achieve it (Core Competencies). Both dimensions drive the overall rating.

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About the Exhibit
Client X — The Applied Example Used Throughout This Playbook

To make every concept in this playbook easier to understand in context, all examples — OKRs, alignment matrices, team structures, and toolkit forms — are illustrated through a single hypothetical company called Client X.

The Scenario

Imagine Disney is launching a brand-new, standalone green ecotourism company in Asia — a child company separate from its entertainment business. The company's purpose is to inspire young children and adults to love and protect nature through immersive, educational, and truly magical eco-adventures. Think Disney-level storytelling and experience design, but entirely rooted in nature, conservation, and learning. Pre-launch phase targeted for 2025, with a north star of reaching 2 million inspired visitors by 2026.

Primary Audience
Children & Families · Schools · Nature Enthusiasts across Asia
Core Promise
Every visit sparks a lifelong love for nature and environmental stewardship
Business Model
Eco-adventure park · Immersive learning programs · Conservation stays
North Star
2 million inspired young visitors by 2026 · Net Positive Environmental Impact

⚠ Client X is a fictional scenario created for illustration only. The OKR framework, cascades, and templates shown are the real methodology — Client X is simply the lens to make them tangible.

Traditional Goal Setting vs OKR — Side by Side

DimensionOKR Goal SettingTraditional Goal Setting
DirectionFuture-looking, aspirational, bottom-up negotiationRetrospective, backward-looking, top-down
CadenceQuarterly or annual — adjustable mid-cycleAnnual only — rarely revisited
Compensation linkDivorced from pay — encourages bold goalsDirectly tied to pay — encourages sandbagging
TransparencyPublic, shared, visible to allPrivate and siloed between manager and HR
OwnershipCo-created — individual owns their OKRsAssigned top-down — compliance, not commitment
AmbitionStretching — 0.7 is green, failure is acceptableRealistic — hitting 100% is the safe target
AlignmentHorizontal + vertical across the whole orgSum of metrics ≠ org result; silos remain

The PM Cycle — Plan · Execute · Review · Grow

Performance management is not an annual event — it's a living rhythm that must be sustained throughout the year.

1
Q1 · Jan–Mar

PLAN — Set Vision & OKRs

Set Vision, Mission & North Star metric. Facilitate top management OKR alignment session. Cascade Team OKRs. Co-create Individual OKRs. Launch OKR tracking dashboard.

  • Company OKRs reviewed and communicated to all teams
  • Each team assigns OKR champions per Key Result
  • Individual OKR co-creation 1:1s completed for all team members
2
Ongoing

EXECUTE — CFR Habit: Conversations, Feedback, Recognition

Weekly / bi-weekly 1:1 check-ins. Monthly team OKR reviews. Continuous feedback using the SBI model. Real-time recognition tied to OKR milestones and values-based behavior.

  • OKR dashboard updated weekly by each champion
  • RAG status (Green / Amber / Red) visible to all stakeholders
  • Blockers escalated same-day if safety or complete blockage
3
Quarterly

REVIEW — OKR Scoring & Retrospective

Grade OKRs (0.0–1.0 scale). Root cause analysis on misses. Cross-team dependency review. Draft next cycle OKRs in the same session. Mid-year individual performance check-in.

  • Aspirational OKRs: 0.6–0.7 = green (stretch target achieved)
  • Committed OKRs: 1.0 expected — post-mortem required if missed
  • All scoring completed before next cycle OKR setting begins
4
Year-End

GROW — Appraisal, Calibration & Development

Annual performance appraisal: OKR score (60%) + Competency rating (40%). Calibration session led by HR. Performance rating → reward recommendation. Development planning for next year.

  • Outstanding performers → recognition, retention plan, stretch assignment
  • Developing performers → structured coaching plan
  • Needs Improvement → PIR initiated within 30 days

Why OKR Is So Powerful

OKRs turn big, ambitious missions (BHAGs) into actionable quarterly priorities. They are not just a goal format — they are a management philosophy.

🎯 OKRs as a Directional Tool

BHAG
Long-term Mission
Your true aspiration — the big, audacious goal that may take 10+ years
Annual
Annual OKRs
Big picture for the company — the mid-term mission and milestones to achieve it
Q OKRs
Quarterly Company OKRs
Short-term direction (focus) to achieve annual OKRs in 90 days
Team
Quarterly Team OKRs
Focused priorities per team to support company OKRs — not just a collection, but a coherent whole
Personal
Individual OKRs
What each person works on to achieve team and company OKRs, based on their role
💡
Key principle: OKRs must be stretched. Stretched means beyond current capabilities. If you're confident you'll hit 100%, the target isn't ambitious enough. The sweet spot for aspirational OKRs is 60–70% achievement = green.

OKR Goal Setting Framework

Writing great OKRs is both a craft and a discipline. Understanding what makes an Objective powerful and a Key Result measurable is the most critical skill for any manager or OKR champion.

OKR vs KPI — A Critical Distinction

These are not interchangeable. Confusing them leads to bad goal-writing and lost accountability.

DimensionOKRKPI
What it isA goal-setting methodology — direction AND measurementAn indicator only — monitors health of a metric
Formula"We will [Objective] as measured by [KRs]""I need to achieve [KPI target]"
AmbitionAspirational — 30–40% above comfortable reachAchievable — historically attained by similar roles
Pay linkDivorced from compensationOften directly linked to compensation
CadenceChanges quarterly or annuallyStable — same metric, target may change
PurposeNavigation system toward desired objectivesHealth metric to monitor ongoing performance
📌
"If it does not have a number, it is not a Key Result." — Marissa Mayer

OKR vs Initiatives — Easy to Confuse

Initiatives are tasks. OKRs are outcomes. Many teams accidentally write initiatives disguised as Key Results.

Initiative (Task-based) ✗

  • "Run engagement program"
  • "Launch the onboarding app"
  • "Create talent pipeline"
  • "Conduct guest experience audit"
  • Starts with verb, no delta number

OKR (Outcome-based) ✓

  • "Improve employee engagement from X to Y"
  • "App adopted by 90% of team by Q3"
  • "Zero star turnover in next 90 days"
  • "NPS from 72 to 80 by Q4"
  • Starts with increase / reduce / maintain + delta
💡
Convert initiatives to OKRs by asking: "What would be the consequence of being successful with this task? What's the desired outcome?"

The 6-Step OKR Setting & Grading Guide

1
Recall Your BHAG & Mission
What's the purpose of your company, your team, and your role?
▼

Before setting any OKR, every manager and team member must be clear on the organization's reason for being — vision, mission, and the company's current quarterly focus. OKRs that aren't anchored to a bigger purpose tend to drift into task lists.

  • Review company OKRs communicated in the all-hands meeting
  • Identify which company Key Results your team owns (X) vs supports (S)
  • Understand your team's North Star metric and how your role connects to it
  • When possible, involve your team in understanding the mission — don't just hand it down
2
Set Objectives — The "What"
The direction and destination you want to reach this quarter
▼

An Objective describes where you want to go. It must be directional, meaningful, and inspiring — not a task, not a number. Test it against three litmus checks:

  • Directional & meaningful: Does it articulate a clear direction? Is it connected to the mission? Is it the best way to get closer to the mission?
  • Audacious: Does it represent a significant change from where you are today? Does it stretch the team beyond current capabilities?
  • Inspiring: Does it empower the team? Does it represent the altruistic side of the vision? Is it easy to remember?
  • Rule of 3-4: For each layer of your organization, set no more than 3–4 Objectives per cycle

✓ Strong Objective

  • "Make Client X the nature destination every child in Asia begs their parents to visit again"
  • "Build a conservation program that turns every visitor into a real environmental advocate"

✗ Weak Objective

  • "Increase visitor count" (has a number — that's a KR, not an Objective)
  • "Run the eco-education program" (this is a task — what outcome should it create?)
3
Set Key Results — The "How Do We Know?"
Measurable outcomes that prove the Objective is being achieved
▼

Key Results answer: "How do I know if I'm getting better?" They must be specific, time-bound, and measurable — always with a number. Write 3–5 Key Results per Objective, collectively sufficient to prove the Objective is achieved.

  • Specific & time-bound: Is it plainly stated what needs to occur and by when?
  • Aggressive yet realistic: Aspirational — prestigious when achieved. Not so outrageous it's impossible.
  • Collectively sufficient: If all KRs hit 1.0, does the Objective definitely get achieved? If yes, the KRs are sufficient.
  • Measurable & verifiable: Is it clear when the criteria for success is met? Can anyone confirm yes/no?

Four types of Key Result metrics:

Growth Metric

e.g. Revenue growth, headcount growth, market share increase

Impact Metric

e.g. Hire success rate, biodiversity index, NPS improvement

Usage Metric

e.g. Monthly active visitors, platform adoption rate, repeat booking %

Execution Metric

e.g. Error rate, SLA resolution time, construction completion %

4
Assign Teams & Owners
Every OKR must have one owner — no exceptions
▼

Every Key Result needs ONE owner (the OKR Champion) and must also note which teams provide support. Assigning teams and owners is not a cascading process — an OKR can jump from CEO straight to a manager or individual contributor.

  • One owner per KR — shared ownership = no ownership
  • Champions are accountable for the outcome, not necessarily all the work
  • Support teams (S) contribute resources and expertise but are not accountable for delivery
  • Top OKRs don't need to be cascaded layer by layer — trust people to adapt their goals once the top OKRs are set
  • Use the T02 Team OKR Alignment Matrix (see Toolkit) to map X and S assignments
5
Set Personal OKRs (Bottom-Up!)
Define your part to help your team and the champion achieve the assigned OKRs fastest
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Personal OKRs should be co-created between the individual and manager — negotiated, not dictated. 50–60% of ideas should come from the individual up. Good ideas aren't bound by hierarchy.

  • Individual first proposes their OKRs — manager reviews and aligns, not the reverse
  • Personal OKRs must connect to at least one team or company Key Result
  • Co-create in a private 1:1 meeting — don't just send a form and ask them to fill it in
  • 2–3 Objectives with 2–4 Key Results per individual is the sweet spot
  • Use the T01 Individual OKR Template (see Toolkit) to document and track
6
Track & Grade OKRs
Now that you have your OKRs, use them in every staff meeting and 1:1
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Update each Key Result throughout the quarter with your team's progress. The fundamental principle: check in on your OKRs every week.

Aspirational OKR Grading

0.7–1.0 = 🟢 Green — Exceptional. You set a real stretch.
0.4–0.6 = 🟡 Yellow — Made progress but left value on the table.
0.0–0.3 = 🔴 Red — Didn't make real progress. Needs root cause analysis.

Committed OKR Grading

1.0 = 🟢 Green — Achieved as committed.
0.7–0.9 = 🟡 Yellow — Close but post-mortem required.
Below 0.7 = 🔴 Red — Significant miss. Explanation for the miss is required.

Business as Usual Warning

If your team believes it can achieve the OKR without changing anything currently being done, the target isn't ambitious enough. BAU targets are not OKRs.

  • Use your OKR dashboard (T08) — update RAG status weekly and share with your team
  • Champions present their KR status at every quarterly OKR review session
  • Grade OKRs BEFORE setting next cycle OKRs — learnings feed directly into the next draft

Common OKR Mistakes & How to Fix Them

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Too many OKRs set at once
Treating OKRs as a wish list instead of focused priorities
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Fix: Limit to 2–3 Objectives and 3–5 Key Results per level. If everything is a priority, nothing is. Focus beats coverage every time.

!
KRs are tasks, not outcomes
"Launch the app" instead of "90% app adoption by Q3"
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Fix: Always ask: "Is this a deliverable or an outcome?" If it ends with a verb (launch, create, develop, build), it's an initiative — not a KR. A KR measures the consequence of doing the initiative successfully.

!
OKRs set without team input
Manager presents OKRs as finished products, killing ownership
▼

Fix: Run bottom-up workshops. Team proposes, manager aligns, both commit. Remember: we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do — not the other way around. Bottom-up ideas also surface what leadership doesn't see.

!
No single OKR Champion per KR
Shared ownership = zero accountability
▼

Fix: Assign ONE champion per KR. Note supporting teams separately using the T02 matrix. Champions present their KR at every review — they are the face of that KR.

!
OKRs tied to compensation
This kills ambition — people set safe, sandbagged targets
▼

Fix: Keep performance ratings and OKR grading as completely separate processes. OKR scores inform calibration context, but the rating is assessed on both OKR achievement AND competency — not OKR score alone. This keeps ambition alive.

!
No tracking cadence after launch
OKRs become wish lists without a check-in rhythm
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Fix: Weekly 1:1s and quarterly OKR reviews are non-negotiable habits. The OKR dashboard must be updated weekly. Champions must report RAG status at every team meeting. Without visibility, OKRs die quietly.

T01Quarterly Team Planning Session — Half-Day Agenda & Facilitator Guide

Use at the start of every quarter. Combines OKR retrospective, cross-team alignment, and draft OKR setting for the next cycle. Facilitated by team lead or HR.

0:00
15 min

Open & Ground Rules

Purpose of today: learn from last cycle, align on company priorities, co-create next OKRs. Ground rules: all voices equal, OKR grading is for learning not judging, no pre-filled OKRs from leaders.

0:15
45 min

Last Cycle Retrospective — Champions Present

Each champion: 5 min max. Format: score, what was achieved, root cause of misses, one learning. Use T09 as source. Audience: one clarifying question only.

1:00
30 min

Cross-Team Dependency Review

Where did X-S relationships have friction last cycle? What dependencies should be planned into next OKRs? Agree on 2-3 structural decisions before drafting begins.

1:30
15 min

Break

Mandatory. Reset before OKR drafting — fatigue produces poor goal-writing.

1:45
60 min

Draft OKR Proposals — Teams Present

Each team: 7-8 min to present 2-3 draft Objectives. Group: 2 min feedback. Check each objective is directional, meaningful, audacious. Check each KR has a number and is time-bound.

2:45
45 min

Finalize, Assign Champions & Close

Refine drafts. Assign one champion per KR. Confirm supporting teams (S). Set tracking cadence. Close: each person names one OKR they are most energized by.

T02 — OKR Retrospective Worksheet

Complete at the end of every quarter — before setting next cycle OKRs. Grade each KR, identify root causes, extract learnings, and draft next cycle intentions.

T02OKR Retrospective Worksheet — Quarterly Grading & Learning
1 OKR Grading
Objective / Key ResultTypeFinal Score (0–1.0)RAGRoot Cause / Context
2 Team Learnings
3 Draft Intentions for Next Cycle

Aligning Goals: Organization → Teams

This section covers goal alignment at the organizational and team level — from vision and mission all the way down to team OKRs and the cross-team ownership matrix. Individual-level alignment is covered in the next section.

🗺
Scope of This Section
Vision & Mission → North Star & Strategy → Company OKRs → Team OKRs → Individual (next section ↓)

Goal alignment at this level ensures that every team's quarterly priorities trace back to the organization's most important outcomes — and that no team is working in a silo or duplicating effort.

🎪
Client X context: All examples below use Client X — imagine Disney launching a standalone green ecotourism company in Asia, inspiring young children and adults to love and protect nature through immersive eco-adventures. The OKRs shown are illustrative of how a real pre-launch company would cascade from vision to team priorities.
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Vision

"Every child who visits Client X grows up to be a guardian of nature." — Generational, multi-age, emotionally resonant. Stable for 10+ years.

🌿

Mission

"To spark a lifelong love for the natural world through immersive, educational eco-adventures across Asia — making environmental stewardship magical for children and adults alike."

⭐

North Star Metric

Total Inspired Young Visitors — children under 18 who complete an immersive nature program. Secondary: Net Promoter Score (NPS) + Return Family Visit Rate.

📋
Client X Mission Statement (full): "To inspire every child and adult, in every visit, to care for and protect the natural world around them. Our goal is to reach 2 million inspired young visitors across Asia by 2026 — making environmental stewardship feel as magical as a Disney adventure."

Goal Cascade — Organization → Teams

OKRs create alignment without micromanagement. Each team level translates the organization's priorities into concrete, locally-owned action. This cascade covers Company OKRs down to Team OKRs only — individual alignment is a separate conversation (see next section).

🎯 Company OKR — Set by C-Level · Reviewed: Annually

O: Become Asia's most beloved nature destination — inspiring 2 million children and families to love and protect the environment through unforgettable eco-adventures by 2026

Experience Design Team
O
Create nature programs so magical that every child leaves wanting to come back and protect the world they just explored
Champion: Head of Experience Design · Quarterly
▼
  • KR1: Launch 5 immersive nature-learning programs rated 4.8/5 or above by child participants by Q3
  • KR2: 80% of visiting school groups report measurable learning outcomes (pre/post assessment) by year end
  • KR3: 3 signature "wonder moments" per visit — documented and shared by 40% of visitors on social media
Park Operations Team
O
Deliver safe, seamless, and deeply enjoyable park experiences that parents trust and children adore
Champion: Head of Operations · Quarterly
▼
  • KR1: NPS 85 with 92% family satisfaction rate across all experience zones by Q4
  • KR2: Average wait time under 6 minutes across all child-friendly activities
  • KR3: Zero safety incidents; emergency response under 3 minutes; 100% safety audit pass rate
Marketing & Partnerships Team
O
Make Client X the first name every family in Asia thinks of when planning an educational and fun nature trip
Champion: Chief Marketing Officer · Quarterly
▼
  • KR1: 100,000 unique family visitors in first 3 months post-launch; 60% with children under 14
  • KR2: 200 school partnership bookings secured by end of year — covering 5 countries in Southeast Asia
  • KR3: 30% return visit rate within 12 months of first visit
Conservation & Community Team
O
Prove that a thriving nature business and genuine environmental stewardship can — and must — coexist
Champion: Chief Sustainability Officer · Annually
▼
  • KR1: Net positive biodiversity score — measurable increase in on-site species diversity, validated by independent ecologist
  • KR2: 30% reduction in carbon footprint vs baseline; 100% renewable energy sourcing by Q3
  • KR3: 150 local community members employed or trained as eco-guides and nature educators by year end
⬇
What comes next? Once team OKRs are set, each team's manager translates them into individual expectations through a co-creation conversation with each team member. That process — connecting team OKRs to individual OKRs — is covered in the next section: Aligning Expectations (Team → Individual).

OKR Alignment Matrix — Client X (Exhibit A)

For each company Key Result, identify which teams are Owner (X) and which provide Support (S). This is a team-level exercise — completed before individual OKRs are set.

Objective Key Result Champion XP DesignOpsMktgTechConservationHR
Inspire 2M Children & Families Across Asia by 20265 immersive nature programs rated 4.8/5 or above by child participants by Q3Head of Experience DesignXSSS
100k family visitors in first 3 months; 60% with children under 14Chief Marketing OfficerSSX
200 school partnerships across 5 countries in Southeast AsiaHead of PartnershipsSXS
Prove Nature & Business Can Coexist — Net Positive ImpactNet positive biodiversity score — independent ecologist validationChief Sustainability OfficerSSX
30% carbon reduction vs baseline; 100% renewable energy by Q3Head of ConservationSSX
150 local community members employed or trained as eco-guidesHead of Community Programs / HRSSX

X = Owner (accountable for achieving this KR)  ·  S = Support (contributes expertise/resources)  ·  blank = not directly involved

Capability Scorecard — Client X

The Capability Scorecard answers: "What must our organization be excellent at to deliver our value proposition?" It links customer values to required capabilities — and capabilities to accountable teams.

Immersive Learning in Nature

Capabilities Required

Child-friendly adventure program design · Nature storytelling & interpretation · Interactive science and ecology learning · Multi-sensory experience development

Magical, Safe Family Destination

Capabilities Required

World-class family-grade safety protocols · Seamless child-accessible infrastructure · Hospitality attuned to young visitors · Disney-quality experience flow and transitions

Real Environmental Stewardship

Capabilities Required

Ecosystem preservation and active conservation · Community employment and eco-educator training · Sustainable operations (zero-waste, renewable) · Measurable biodiversity outcomes

Pre-OKR Gate — Is Your Structure Ready?

Before cascading OKRs down to teams, one critical step is often skipped: checking whether the organizational structure itself is ready to support the goals being set. Setting OKRs on a broken or misaligned structure produces misaligned effort — teams work hard on the wrong things.

🚦
Gate Rule: If your structure has unclear ownership, missing capabilities, or unresolved cross-team dependencies — fix the structure before setting the OKRs. OKRs should clarify priorities, not compensate for structural problems.

T03 — Team OKR Alignment Matrix

Map which team owns (X) vs supports (S) each company Key Result. Completed during OKR planning — prevents duplication and missed ownership.

T03Team OKR Alignment Matrix — Blank Template

For each company Key Result, identify which teams are Owner (X) and which provide Support (S). Complete BEFORE your OKR Setting Workshop.

ObjectiveKey Result (Success Measure)ChampionDEVICTOPSMKSFINHR

X = Owner (accountable for achieving this KR) · S = Support (contributes resources or expertise) · blank = not directly involved

T04Organization Structure Review Checklist — Pre-OKR Gate
🚦
Gate Rule: If 3 or more items are 'No' or 'Unclear', postpone OKR setting and resolve structure gaps first. Setting goals on a broken structure produces misaligned effort.
#AreaChecklist QuestionStatusAction if No / Unclear
1StrategyIs the organizational vision and mission clearly articulated and understood by all leaders?
2StrategyIs there a defined strategy map showing cause-and-effect logic between strategic priorities?
3CapabilityHas a Capability Scorecard been developed, linking customer values to required capabilities?
4StructureIs each key capability assigned to a responsible team or function (not just an individual)?
5MetricsAre team-level metrics (not just individual KPIs) defined for each key capability?
6GovernanceIs there a clear OKR Champion assignment for each strategic priority?
7GovernanceAre span of control and decision-making authority clear for each management level?
8CapacityDoes the current team have sufficient headcount and skills to achieve the planned OKRs?
9AlignmentHave cross-functional dependencies been identified and accounted for in the structure?
10ComplianceDoes the structure comply with applicable labor laws and regulatory requirements?

Aligning Expectations: Team → Individual

Once team OKRs are set (previous section), each manager must translate them into individual expectations with each team member. This is where organizational direction becomes personal commitment.

👤
Scope of This Section — Picks Up Where Aligning Goals Left Off
Company OKRs ↑ previous → Team OKRs ↑ previous → 1:1 Expectation Setting → Individual OKRs → Accountability System

Individual expectation setting is not about handing down a list of tasks. It's a structured co-creation conversation between manager and team member — resulting in personal OKRs that the individual genuinely owns, not just complies with.

🎪
Client X example: After the Experience Design team sets their team OKRs (e.g. "Launch 5 immersive nature programs rated 4.8/5"), each Experience Designer then has a 1:1 with their manager to agree on their individual contribution to that KR — what they will own, how it will be measured, and what support they need to get there.

🤝 The 4-Step 1:1 Expectation Setting Framework

1
Context Setting (10 min)
Share company & team OKRs first. Give the individual the strategic 'why' before asking their contribution.
2
Role Clarity (15 min)
Confirm scope — not just the job description, but what success looks like this quarter. Ask: 'What should stop, start, continue?'
3
OKR Co-Creation (20 min)
Let the individual propose first. Manager refines and aligns. Agree on 2–3 individual OKRs with 2–4 KRs each.
4
Accountability Setup (10 min)
Agree on check-in frequency, tracking method, support needed, and escalation path. End with written commitment.
🔑
Key Principle: Individual goals must connect UPWARD to team OKRs and DOWNWARD to the employee's own development aspirations. Both directions matter. Goals that only go up breed burnout; goals that only go down breed disengagement.

The OKR Co-Creation Conversation

The conversation structure matters as much as the OKR itself. Here's how it flows for high-quality co-creation.

A

Manager Opens with Strategic Context

"Here are our company and team OKRs for this quarter. Your work on [specific KR] is owned by our team. I want to show you exactly how what you do connects to where we're going as a whole organization."

B

Individual Proposes Their OKRs First

"Given everything you now know about our team's priorities, what would you say your individual objectives should be this quarter? What would success look like for YOUR role?"

  • Listen without immediately correcting or redirecting
  • Ask clarifying questions: "How does that connect to KR2 specifically?"
  • Note where alignment gaps exist without judging
C

Manager Refines and Aligns

"What you've proposed covers [X] well. There are a couple of areas I'd like to strengthen — specifically around [Y]. Can we work on how to sharpen those into strong KRs?"

  • Suggest additions or modifications — don't overwrite the individual's voice
  • Ensure each KR has a number, is outcome-based, and is verifiable
  • Check: if all their KRs hit 1.0, does it meaningfully advance the team's objective?
D

Accountability Setup — Written Commitment

Before ending, agree explicitly: How often will we check in? How will progress be tracked? What happens if you get blocked? End with both signing the T01 Individual OKR Template.

  • Weekly 1:1 check-in is the standard — use T03 1:1 Check-in Form
  • Define escalation: "If you're blocked for more than 24 hours, come to me immediately"
  • Discuss what kind of support the individual needs from you as manager

Delegation Framework — 6 Steps to Let Go Well

Delegation is not offloading — it is intentionally developing others while achieving results. Done well, it multiplies team capacity. Done badly, it creates confusion and erodes trust.

1
Clarify WHY & WHAT
Explain purpose and expected results before assigning the task
▼

Explain the strategic context first — link the task to team OKRs or company goals. Confirm the person understands scope, timeline, and what 'done' looks like. Use the T07 Delegation Form to structure this conversation.

2
Set Explicit Boundaries
What can they decide alone? What requires your sign-off?
▼

Ambiguity in authority is the most common cause of delegation breakdown. Define: decisions the person can make independently (e.g. vendor selection under IDR 5M, content choices, team scheduling) vs decisions requiring your approval (budget above threshold, external communications, structural changes).

3
Inform Others
Let affected parties know what has been delegated, to whom, and with what authority
▼

This prevents the most common friction point: others going around the delegatee back to the manager because they don't know the scope has shifted. A brief communication to relevant stakeholders — "X is leading Y and has full authority for Z" — saves hours of confusion later.

4
Establish Controls — Progress Without Micromanagement
Agree on check-ins and escalation triggers before you hand off
▼
  • Set a completion date and 3–5 milestone checkpoints before the final deadline
  • Agree on check-in frequency: weekly stand-up update or bi-weekly structured review
  • Escalation path: who does the person contact, and within how many hours?
  • Escalate SAME DAY only if: safety is at risk, legal/compliance issue arises, or all progress is completely blocked
5
Encourage Development
Connect delegation to the person's growth plan
▼

When the person brings you a problem, ask them to bring a proposed solution too — never just the problem alone. This builds problem-solving ownership. Recognize independent decision-making openly and immediately. Connect the delegation explicitly to which competency it builds.

6
Let Go & Trust — Don't Take it Back
If it isn't working, coach. Don't rescue.
▼

Avoid reclaiming the task even when things aren't going perfectly. If quality or pace is below expectation, coach — ask questions rather than taking over. Your accountability as the manager is to make the delegation succeed through your person, not by doing it yourself. Rescuing kills development.

T05 — Individual OKR Setting Template

The fillable OKR form to complete with each direct report during the goal-setting 1:1. Both parties keep a copy — this becomes the reference document for every check-in through the cycle.

T15 — Individual OKR Setting Template

Fill in per team member at the start of every quarter. Co-create with them — don't hand it down pre-filled.

T05Individual OKR Setting Template
1 Objective 1
KRKey Result Description (Measurable Outcome — with number)TargetDue DateScore
KR1
KR2
KR3
2 Objective 2
KRKey ResultTargetDue DateScore
KR1
KR2
KR3
📊
Scoring guide: 1.0 = Fully achieved · 0.7 = Strong progress (green for aspirational) · 0.4 = Partial · 0.0 = Not achieved · 60–70% achievement rate on ambitious aspirational targets = healthy
T06Delegation Form — Task Definition & Mutual Commitment
1 Task / Project Definition
2 Authority & Decision Rights
3 Timeline & Monitoring
4 Mutual Commitment & Signatures
📋
By signing, both parties agree to: (1) TM attempts to solve independently first · (2) TM brings problems WITH a proposed solution · (3) Escalation SAME DAY only for safety, legal, or complete blockage · (4) Both maintain agreed check-in cadence

T07 — Career & Individual Goal-Setting Conversation Guide

A structured 1:1 flow for co-creating individual OKRs and connecting them to the person's career aspiration. Run quarterly for goals; semi-annually for the deeper career conversation.

T07Career & Individual Goal-Setting Conversation — Manager Guide
💡
Manager prep (before the meeting): Review company and team OKRs. Note which KRs this person's role can most impact. Review their last cycle scores and any development notes. Do NOT pre-fill their OKRs — this conversation should surface their proposals first.
1 Reflect — Last Cycle Review (10 min)
2 Aspire — Career & Growth Direction (15 min)
3 Connect — Propose OKRs Bottom-Up (15 min)
📌
Ask the team member to propose their OKRs first. Your job is to listen, align, and challenge — not to hand them a finished form.
4 Commit — Agreed OKRs & Development Action

Progress Tracking & CFR

Between goal-setting and appraisal lives the most important work: tracking progress, giving feedback, and recognizing wins. The CFR habit — Conversations, Feedback, Recognition — is what keeps OKRs alive and relevant through the full cycle.

C

Conversations

Structured, ongoing dialogue between manager and team member — not just status updates. The manager's job shifts from taskmaster to teacher, coach, and mentor.

Cadence: Weekly or bi-weekly 1:1 (30 min)
F

Feedback

Timely, specific input on performance — both reinforcing (positive) and redirecting (constructive). Given within 48 hours of observed behavior. Uses the SBI model.

Cadence: Real-time + structured monthly
R

Recognition

Meaningful acknowledgment of contributions — outcomes, effort, growth, and values-based behavior. Not just at review time. Tied to OKR milestones and competencies in action.

Cadence: Minimum monthly, ideally real-time

The SBI Feedback Model — How to Give Feedback That Lands

Vague feedback is dismissed. Behavioral feedback changes behavior. The SBI model makes every piece of feedback specific, fair, and actionable.

🚗
SBI = CAR — same framework, different names. Some organizations call it CAR (Context → Action → Result). The structure is identical: anchor the feedback in a specific situation/context, describe what was observable behavior/action, and state the impact/result. Use whichever name your team already knows — the discipline is the same.

🎤 SBI: Situation → Behavior → Impact

S
Situation
Describe the specific context when the behavior occurred. "In last Tuesday's guest readiness walkthrough..."
B
Behavior
Describe the observable behavior — not the personality or intent. "...you noticed the safety protocol signage was incomplete and flagged it immediately..."
I
Impact
Describe the actual impact on the team or outcome. "...that prevented a potential audit flag and saved us 2 days of rework before launch."

✓ Effective Feedback

  • Given within 48 hours of the observed behavior
  • Tied to a specific KR or competency — not personality
  • Two-way: managers receive feedback from their teams too
  • Reinforcing and redirecting in a healthy 3:1 ratio
  • Starts with: "In [situation], I observed [behavior], which [impact]"
  • Ends with a question: "What would help you handle this differently next time?"

✗ Feedback That Fails

  • Saved only for the annual review — long after the moment
  • "You always / you never" — generalizations erode trust
  • Personality-focused: "You're too slow" vs "The report took 3 days vs agreed 1 day"
  • Feedback without a path forward — judgment, not development
  • Manager talks 90% of the time — no listening, no dialogue
  • Delivered publicly in a way that embarrasses the receiver

Check-in Cadence — Right Frequency for Each Purpose

CadenceFormat & ParticipantsPrimary Purpose
Weekly (30 min)Team member ↔ Direct manager · 1:1Progress on KRs · blockers · coaching moment · wins to recognize
Bi-weekly (45 min)Functional sub-team (3–8 people)Cross-team alignment · shared OKR progress · peer support
Monthly (60 min)Full team + Directorate HeadDirectorate OKR health · early red flags · reforecasting
Quarterly (Half-day)All OKR Champions + C-LevelOKR retrospective · grading · next cycle OKR draft
Mid-Year (60–90 min)Manager ↔ Each direct report · 1:1Individual performance + development conversation
Year-End (90 min)Manager ↔ Each direct report · 1:1Annual appraisal: OKR + Competency + Growth planning
⏱
Client X check-in note: Experience Design leads hold weekly check-ins with their program designers during the pre-launch build phase — given daily interdependencies with the Construction and Tech teams. Conservation team holds bi-weekly standups with all eco-guide trainers. Operations shifts to daily 15-minute standups in the 30 days before park opening.

Weekly 1:1 Agenda Template

🗓 Weekly 1:1 Agenda (30 min)
[5 min] Personal check-in — energy level, one word to describe this week
[10 min] OKR progress update — RAG status per KR (🟢🟡🔴) and what's driving the status
[8 min] Biggest blocker this week + what does the individual need from you to unblock it
[5 min] Wins to recognize — what went well that should be acknowledged specifically
[2 min] Action items — who does what, by when, confirmed by both parties
📊 Quarterly OKR Review Agenda (Half-Day)
[0:00–0:15] Welcome & ground rules — purpose is to learn, not to punish; OKR grading is separate from performance rating
[0:15–0:45] Company OKR health overview — display dashboard, walk through RAG status per KR, identify patterns
[0:45–2:00] Team OKR deep dives — each champion presents: achieved vs target, root cause of misses, proud moments, what to do differently
[2:00–2:15] Break
[2:15–3:00] Cross-team dependency review — where did X-S relationships break down? Structural risks for next cycle?
[3:00–3:45] Next cycle OKR draft — each champion proposes 2–3 draft objectives, group gives 3-min feedback per draft
[3:45–4:00] Wrap-up — finalize scores, confirm next cycle deadline, assign dashboard owner, schedule individual 1:1s
🚦
RAG = Red / Amber / Green — a simple traffic-light status system for OKR health. 🟢 Green: on track · 🟡 Amber/Yellow: at risk, needs attention · 🔴 Red: off track, action required. Update RAG weekly so blockers surface early — not at the end of the quarter.

T08 — 1:1 Accountability & OKR Check-In Form

A per-session record for bi-weekly 1:1s focused on OKR progress. Use alongside T11 (Coaching Card) — T03 is for the OKR check-in structure, T11 is for behavioral observations and coaching notes.

T16 — 1:1 Accountability & OKR Check-In Form

Use at the start of each cycle to document agreed individual targets and the mutual accountability rhythm between manager and team member.

T081:1 Accountability & OKR Check-In Form
🧠 Personal Check-in (5 min)
📊 OKR Progress (10 min)
KRDescriptionRAG StatusWhat's driving it?
KR1
KR2
KR3
🚧 Blockers & Support (10 min)
🏆 Wins to Recognize (3 min)
✅ Action Items (2 min)
ActionOwnerBy When

T09 — Weekly 1:1 Coaching Card

A per-session fillable record for every 1:1. Keep one per person per meeting. Over time, these become your behavioral evidence trail for appraisal and calibration.

T09Weekly 1:1 Coaching Card — Session Record

T10 — SBI Feedback Builder

Write your feedback in SBI format before delivering it. Helps you stay specific, behavioral, and non-personal — and avoids vague or emotionally loaded language that triggers defensiveness.

T10SBI Feedback Builder — Situation · Behavior · Impact
⚠️
Give feedback within 48 hours of the observed behavior. The further you wait, the more vague and the less developmental it becomes.
+ Coaching Moment

T11 — Team OKR Dashboard — Weekly RAG Tracker

Updated weekly by each champion. Reviewed at every team meeting. Red for 2+ weeks without a plan = escalate.

T11Team OKR Dashboard — Weekly RAG Status Tracker

Champions update their own rows weekly. Reviewed at every team meeting. If a row stays Red for 2+ weeks without a plan — escalate.

ObjectiveKey ResultChampionTypeTargetCurrent% DoneRAGBlocker / Note

Appraisal, Rating & Calibration

Performance is assessed on two dimensions: WHAT was achieved (OKR/Results) and HOW it was achieved (Core Competencies). Both contribute to the final rating. Calibration ensures fairness across all managers.

OKR Achievement Score (WHAT) — 60% Weight

Exceptional
1.0
100% of KRs met or exceeded. Unexpected breakthroughs achieved.
Strong
0.7
70–99% of KRs achieved. Goals were genuinely ambitious.
Progressing
0.4
40–69% of KRs achieved. Some success, clear gaps remain.
Needs Support
0.0
Below 40% of KRs. Significant underperformance vs target.

Competency Rating (HOW) — 40% Weight

>4.5 — Highly Competent
Role model; consistently exemplifies at the highest level; actively develops others; sets the standard for the team
Succession
4.0–4.5 — Competent
Exceeds expectations; goes beyond the standard; adapts well to complex and ambiguous situations
High potential
3.5–4.0 — Sufficient
Meets expectations consistently; performs reliably at the required standard for the role
On track
3.0–3.5 — Developing
Inconsistent; actively improving with coaching; shows promise but not yet at expected standard
Dev plan
<3.0 — Below Standard
Consistently below minimum expectation; structured improvement plan required
PIR

⚖️ Overall Performance Rating = Weighted OKR Score (60%) + Weighted Competency Average (40%)

Example: OKR score of 0.8 × 60% = 0.48 · Competency average of 4.0/5 → 4.0/5 × 40% = 0.32 · Overall = 0.80

Should OKRs Be Tied to Ratings? — A Nuanced View

This is one of the most debated questions in performance management — and the answer is not black and white. It depends on the maturity of your people, the nature of the work, and whether the organization can genuinely support what it asks for.

The Ideal / Default Approach
Separate OKRs from Ratings

When OKRs drive ratings, people stop setting bold goals. They sandbag — choosing targets they know they can hit 100% rather than ones that would actually move the business. The aspirational power of OKRs collapses entirely.

  • →Psychological safety to aim at 70% disappears — failure now has a compensation consequence
  • →OKR grades should inform the context of a rating, not determine it mechanically
  • →Rating should reflect best effort given real circumstances — OKRs show what someone aimed for, not how hard they tried
  • →Best for: strategic, autonomous, experienced people and creative / innovative work
The Pragmatic Approach
Tie OKRs to Ratings — With Conditions

For heavy-execution cultures or less experienced teams, separating OKRs from ratings can create ambiguity. Without objective anchors, "best effort" is highly subjective — and people in exploration mode can consume significant resources without proportionate output.

  • →Less experienced people benefit from clearer targets tied to accountability — it structures their growth
  • →"Best effort" without measurement is vulnerable to bias — it tends to reward visibility over actual output
  • →In execution-focused roles, committed targets — not aspirational ones — are the appropriate OKR type anyway
  • →Best for: operational roles, delivery-focused teams, earlier career stages, SLA-bound work
⚠️
If you tie OKRs to ratings, these conditions must be met — otherwise it becomes a tool for unreasonable expectation-setting and demotivation:
1
Goals must be Committed — not Aspirational
Aspirational OKRs + rating consequences = sandbagging or burnout. Pick one.
▼

Aspirational OKRs are designed to be partially missed — that is the point. When you attach rating consequences to them, people stop stretching. They set conservative targets and call them ambitious. If OKRs must be tied to ratings, use only committed OKRs: targets that are realistic, agreed upon, and expected at full delivery (1.0). Keep aspirational OKRs completely ring-fenced from the rating system. Managers who push aspirational goals but tie them to ratings are setting people up to fail — and setting themselves up for quiet disengagement and eventual turnover.

2
Reasonable Resource Requests Must Be Supported
Goals without resources are pressure — not performance management
▼

If people, time, and budget are genuinely constrained — but goals are expected at full ambition — the OKR system becomes a mechanism for leaders to set unreasonable expectations with a paper trail. Before any OKR is tied to a rating, the organization must commit to: providing the headcount the role requires, approving justified budget requests, and protecting people from competing priorities that would prevent goal achievement. When goals are missed because of resource gaps the company created, the employee should not absorb the consequence through their rating.

3
Goal Quality Control Must Be Stricter
Calibration must challenge both sandbagging and unrealistic downward pressure
▼

When OKRs are tied to ratings, two failure modes become more likely and more damaging. Sandbagging upward: employees set targets they know are too easy so they score 1.0 and protect their rating. Unrealistic downward pressure: leaders push aspirational goals disguised as committed ones, using OKR language to justify high expectations without being accountable for enabling the outcome. HR and calibration committees must review not just whether goals were hit — but whether the goals themselves were fair, well-resourced, and appropriately challenging for the role and context.

4
The Nature of the Work Must Justify It
Not all roles or teams should use the same OKR-rating model
▼

Tying OKRs to ratings is most defensible for operational and delivery-focused roles where output is measurable and predictable: sales quotas, SLA compliance, construction milestones, production targets. These are naturally committed-OKR contexts. It is least appropriate for creative, innovative, or exploratory work — R&D, new product development, culture-building, early-stage strategy — where the entire value of OKRs lies in enabling bold bets without fear. Applying the same tied-rating model across both destroys innovation and systematically rewards operational predictability over strategic contribution.

5
Co-Creation Becomes an Ethical Requirement
If OKRs affect ratings, they cannot be handed down — they must be genuinely negotiated
▼

In a pure OKR system, bottom-up co-creation is good practice. When OKRs are tied to ratings, it becomes an ethical requirement. Imposing goals from above and then using them as the basis for compensation or career consequences removes agency and violates the basic principle of fair performance management. Even in hierarchical or execution-focused cultures, the individual must have genuine input on their targets — not just rubber-stamp approval on a pre-filled form. The manager aligns and challenges; they do not dictate and then evaluate.

Leadership Competency Matrix by Grade

Same competency, higher complexity — as seniority grows, so does the scope and depth of expectation. Use this as calibration reference when assessing competency ratings.

🧭
Design principle for growing organizations: As people grow in seniority, experience, and demonstrated judgment — gradually shift them toward the separated model. Entry-level and mid-level roles can use tied OKRs with committed targets. Senior and strategic roles should move toward aspirational OKRs disconnected from rating. The transition point is when you trust someone to define "best effort" for themselves — and can verify it through outcomes over time, not just within one cycle.
Rating CategoryOKR SignalCompetency Signal
Outstanding (Top 10–15%)Exceptional (≥0.9)>4.5 — Highly Competent
High Performer (Top 20–25%)Strong (0.7–0.89)4.0–4.5 — Competent
Solid Performer (Core 50–60%)Strong–Progressing3.5–4.0 — Sufficient
Developing (15–20%)Progressing + growing3.0–3.5 — Developing
Needs Improvement (<5%)Needs Support<3.0 — Below Standard

Calibration Session — 5 Steps

1

Manager Pre-Work

Each manager completes reviews independently for all direct reports, with provisional ratings. Submit Calibration Prep Sheet (T05) one week before the session.

2

Calibration Setup

HR facilitates. Attendees: all people managers + HR Business Partner + Directorate Head. Format: discuss each person one-by-one using a rating distribution view.

3

Rating Discussion & Evidence

Manager presents evidence → peers challenge or corroborate → group reaches consensus. Rule: every Outstanding or Needs Improvement rating requires concrete behavioral evidence.

4

Distribution Check

Verify the final distribution aligns with the expected bell curve. Outstanding ~10%, High ~20%, Solid ~50%, Developing ~15%, Needs Improvement ~5%. Flag outlier patterns.

5

Action Planning

Outstanding → recognition + retention plan. High → development & succession. Needs Improvement → PIR within 30 days of appraisal conversation.

T12 — Rating Delivery Conversation Guide

How you deliver a rating matters as much as the rating itself. A well-prepared conversation creates clarity, trust, and motivation — even when the rating is difficult to hear.

T12Rating Delivery Conversation — Manager Preparation & Flow
1 Before You Speak — Manager Self-Check
🛠️
Can you explain this rating in 2–3 specific behavioral examples? If not, you are not ready to deliver it. Do not schedule the conversation until you can.
2 Conversation Flow
Open

Set the tone — 2 min

"I want to use this time to share your appraisal, walk through the evidence, hear your perspective, and discuss what comes next. I want this to be a two-way conversation."

Share

Deliver the rating directly — 5 min

State the rating clearly and early. Do not bury it. Then explain the formula: OKR score + Competency average = overall. Walk through each dimension with behavioral evidence.

Listen

Create space for reaction — 10 min

"How are you feeling about what I just shared?" — then stop talking. Let them process. Acknowledge their reaction before continuing. Do not get defensive if they push back.

Grow

Development focus — 10 min

Shift to forward-looking: "Based on this cycle, where do you see the biggest opportunity for growth?" Then share your perspective. Agree on 1–2 development priorities for next cycle.

Close

Confirm and commit — 3 min

Summarize the rating, key evidence, and the development agreement. Confirm what happens next (reward, PIR, promotion track). Send written summary within 24 hours.

! If Rating is Needs Improvement — Additional Steps

T13 — Upward Feedback Form

A structured way for team members to give feedback to their manager. Can be done anonymously via HR, or directly in a high-trust environment. Run semi-annually — ideally before calibration so managers receive input before rating others.

T13Upward Feedback Form — Team Member to Manager
🔓
This form is most useful when it is psychologically safe to complete honestly. HR should collect and anonymize responses before sharing with the manager if trust is not yet fully established.
A Rating Scale: 1 = Rarely · 2 = Sometimes · 3 = Often · 4 = Consistently · 5 = Role Model
💡
Customize this list to your company's leadership framework. If you use KBIs (Key Behavioral Indicators), replace these rows with the KBIs relevant to your manager's grade. No KBI framework? Use Google's Project Oxygen criteria below — research-backed behaviors of effective managers across 10+ years of data.
A Rating Scale: 1 = Rarely · 2 = Sometimes · 3 = Often · 4 = Consistently · 5 = Role Model
Leadership BehaviorRating (1–5)Specific Example or Context (optional but helpful)
[Oxygen 1] Is a good coach — gives specific, timely, and growth-oriented feedback rather than just telling me what to do
[Oxygen 2] Empowers and does not micromanage — gives me ownership and trusts me to deliver without hovering
[Oxygen 3] Creates an inclusive environment — I feel my well-being and success genuinely matter to this manager
[Oxygen 4] Is results-oriented and productive — models high performance and holds themselves to the same standards they set for the team
[Oxygen 5] Is a good communicator — listens to understand, shares information openly, and gives me context I need
[Oxygen 6] Supports career development — discusses my growth and performance and connects my work to my aspirations
[Oxygen 7] Has a clear vision for the team — I understand where we're going, why it matters, and how my work fits
[Oxygen 8] Has relevant skills and knowledge — I trust this manager's expertise enough to seek their guidance
[Oxygen 9] Collaborates across the organization — actively builds bridges beyond our team rather than operating in a silo
[Oxygen 10] Is a strong decision-maker — makes calls clearly and timely; I don't feel stuck waiting for direction
🧭
Anti-bias facilitation prompts for HR: "Can you give me a specific example?" · "Is this rating consistent with performance 6 months ago?" · "Could contextual factors have affected this person's performance?" · "If we raised this by one level, what would have had to be true?"

T14 — Annual Performance Review Template

Fillable appraisal form for the year-end review. Covers OKR scoring, competency ratings, and calibration prep narrative.

T14Annual Performance Review Template
A OKR Achievement Review — Weight: 60%
ObjectiveKey Results AchievedEvidence / NotesScore
Weighted OKR Score (average × 60%)e.g. avg score 0.8 × 60% = 0.48
B Competency Assessment — Weight: 40%
CompetencyObserved Behaviors (specific, recent examples)Rating (1–5)
Nature Stewardship
Guest Obsession
Execution Excellence
Collaborative Spirit
Competency Average (× 40%)Average of above ratings × 40%
C Overall Rating & Development
T15Calibration Preparation Sheet — Manager Pre-Work
📅
Complete this form for EACH direct report before the calibration session. Submit to HR 5 business days prior to the session date.
👤 Direct Report Profile
A OKR Achievement (60%)
OKR #ObjectiveKRs MetScoreEvidence
1
2
3
Weighted OKR Score
B Competency Rating (40%)
CompetencyRating (1–5)Behavioral Evidence (specific, recent)
Nature Stewardship
Guest Obsession
Execution Excellence
Collaborative Spirit
Competency Average (× 40%)
C Provisional Rating & Narrative
T16Performance Improvement Roadmap
💚
The PIR is a supportive, structured plan — NOT a punitive document. Its purpose is to give the employee a clear, fair, and time-bound path to meet expectations.
1 Performance Gap Analysis
AreaCurrent State (specific, observed)Expected StandardGap
OKR / Results
Core Competency
Work Behavior
2 Improvement Action Plan
#Action Step (specific & measurable)Support from Manager / HRDue DateEvidence of Completion
1
2
3
3 Possible Outcomes at PIR End Date
✓
PIR Closed — Standards Met

Return to normal performance management cycle. File this document in employee performance record. Celebrate the progress made.

→
PIR Extended (30 days maximum)

Progress shown but not yet at standard. One extension only. Specify new milestones in writing. Both parties sign the extension.

✗
PIR Unsuccessful

HR and manager escalate to employment consequence process per company policy. Document everything with specificity.

N/A — focus: executionN/A — transitioningTranslates company OKRs into team strategy; 6-month horizonSets 3-year directorate vision; contributes to company planning